Each month the INSPIRE Online Learning Community will feature a model of a NASA space probe, spacecraft, or aircraft. These models are intended to provide you a hand’s on experience with the engineering that went into the development and construction of these vehicles. While scale models are often simpler by design, it is easier to understand the systems and sub-systems that comprise the prototype. To make construction of these models available to the widest audience of students, they are designed to be printed on paper, cut out and assembled.
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| Tools for building paper models |
If you have never constructed a paper model before, there may be some challenges. Prepare yourself by having the necessary tools at hand. Here is my list of tools:
• Sharp scissors
• Hobby knife (X-Acto good)
• Dull knife
• Metal straightedge
• White glue
• Toothpicks
• Tweezers
• Pencil (round preferred)
• Clear tape
• Work surface
• Cardstock
Make sure you have enough room to work and to leave items while glue is drying. Your work surface could be a wood or cardboard sheet about two square feet in size. I usually cut out a side of a mailer box, and have even used an old phone book. You just need something to protect your table while you are using the knife and straightedge.
Some notes on some of the tools: the dull knife can be an old hobby knife. I took an old one and scraped it on the concrete until it can no longer cut paper. It is used to produce straight sharp creases when you make folds. Toothpicks are used to apply glue. The pencil can be used to put a curve into the paper for making tubes and such, as well as marking items.
While you can use regular paper to print your model, I prefer to use cardstock. It is usually found at office supply stores and is marked as 60# weight. It is about as thick as a file card and gives the model a little more heft. Because of the extra thickness, I print one page at a time to keep it from binding in the printer, but your printer may handle it. Printing in color provides a better model, but black and white is OK. Once you have the model (and instructions!) printed and your tools assembled, you are ready to begin.
First Things First
Before making your first cut, read the instructions. Match up each step with the printed item so you know where they are and try to understand how things go together. This helps later as you have a better sense of why you are doing things in the order you are.
Before you make a cut, check to see where folds must be made. Use the straightedge and dull knife to score along these fold lines (usually marked with dashed or dotted lines). It is easier to score these before you cut them out, but can always be done after if you miss one. Some will suggest you should score valley fold (folding toward you) from the front and mountain folds (folding away from you) from the back, but I usually do everything from the front and it seems to work.
Carefully begin cutting out the items needed for your first assembly step. Long, straight edges can be cut with the sharp knife and straightedge. The knife is also good for very small cuts. For everything else, use the scissors. Cut everything you will need to complete the first step. Make folds where needed, and curve items by wrapping them around the pencil.
Stick to It
With the pieces required for the first assembly step all cut and folded, it is read to begin to glue them together. Always, always, always test fit before applying the first drop of glue. You may need to trim a tab or increase the size of a slot, and it is a lot easier to do this without glue on it. Once satisfied with the fit, it is ready to apply glue.
I make a practice to never apply glue directly from the bottle. An exception to this is if a large area, such as in the formation of a cylinder, must be glued. Instead, squeeze a bead of glue out on a scrap of card stock, and use a toothpick to transfer a small amount to the part to be glued. Here is the objective: to completely cover the intended area with as little glue as possible. Use the toothpick to squeegee off excess glue. Spread it to the edges. I often put some glue on the edge of the item I am gluing the part to to create a nice seam. Using a minimal amount of glue saves time on setting, and prevents a wrinkled appearance if the paper becomes wet with glue.
Once glued, slight pressure is applied until the glue sets. Sometimes it is just a matter of hold the parts in your finger for a few seconds. For larger items, I use clothespins and/or rubber bands (not too tight or you’ll crush the cardstock!).
If the item is large enough you may also use clear tape on the inside to hold parts together until set.
Whoops!
Inevitably, mistakes will occur. Fortunately they are usually easy to repair. If you make a cutting error, you can glue a small scrap of paper to the back to mend it. Miss a step and forget to glue something inside? See where you can cut it open and then fix the cut. Really mess up and make a crucial mistake? Just print out new parts and start again.
Sometimes starting over is the best remedy to a poor model. With foreknowledge of the processes you will do a much better job. You may decide to do some of your own engineering and add reinforcements for strength, or add extra detail. Hopefully, your completed model will be satisfactory to your tastes.
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| Gravity Probe B |
Once complete, you will want to show off your model. Most models are fragile and should be handled very carefully if at all. Prepare an area on a shelf or bookcase that you can use to set you model. Most of the models we present are spacecraft and look great hanging from the ceiling. Use fishing line or thread: tape one end to the model at the center of balance and wrap the other end around a thumbtack to push in the ceiling. Adjust the length of thread to avoid people walking into it.
Don’t forget to take a picture of your model when complete. You can take a picture just holding it or on display. We don’t count for skill, so don’t worry if you don’t think it looks quite right. The points we award are for the time and effort as well as the learning of the engineering makeup of the models. If you do your best, and follow some of these hints and tips, you should have a model you can be proud to share with your friends, your family and the Online Learning Community. Happy modeling!
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