The Origami Forum

The theme of this month’s challenge is “Mechanical Origami”.
Examples of this theme are machines, robots, space crafts and steampunk devices, etc.
To keep things interesting: the only things excluded are parts of mechanical things. So there will be no designs of a single cog, nut or bolt.

Edit: the rules.
- one square sheet of paper, no cuts.

MC, lacquer and glue is allowed.

To be clear the judge of this month’s competition is Edg.

Good luck and if I have time I might join as well!

Hi BM-origami-design . If I ain't wrong, it's been costumary to also post the rules, like the initial form of the sheet, number of sheets, and other stuff, in the monthly challenges.

I added the rules

Firstfold your video is set to private so we can't see it.

Sorry, I posted the first entry before the rules were posted - I will see if I can make the launcher from one square - for now you can accept the rocket portion of the entry which was specially designed for the launcher with additional weight in the front so the rocket flies like a front weighted dart. The rocket is a one square fold - folded from 32 lb computer paper squared off.

BM-origami-design wrote:...glue is allowed.

Gluing is allowed ?

firstfold wrote:I will see if I can make the launcher from one square.

Hope you get it .

I first tried using my "Serendipitous Spring" folded from a single square. It was powerful enough but lacked consistency firing off in all directions.

Next I tried a "Bellows Spring" which proved to have neither power or accuracy.

My final attempt was the successful and very simple fold which uses a curved surface to generate the power.

I next created a new dollar bill folded Flying saucer and was able to launch the saucer with the same launcher.

It was also quite successful.

You can judge the Rocket and the launcher as separate entires since each is folded from a single square. The dollar bill "Flying Saucer ONE" is obviously NOT a square.

Since one of my entries is the Rocket itself - Here is a better picture of just the one square Rocket.

This Rocket can be thrown like a paper airplane
It can be Blown on a paper tube (I use a slip and Stick Tube - my own design) or with a large straw
It can be launched with the multi-unit launcher - this gives the greatest distance
It can also be launched with the very simple single-Square launcher



The video above shows the simple one square launcher being launched at a height of just two feet. I did this so you could see the entire flight path. Using this launcher at a standing position gives about 50% greater length when launch. Each Rocket I used is slightly different in size and/or type of paper used.
You can see that the path is generally straight in spite of the fact that I am sitting low behind the camera and holding the rocket and launcher at difficult to manage position in front of the camera.

It appears that the videos are not properly embedded into the forum – not sure why
You need to see the video on these so here are the links in Youtube.
You can see shorter versions in Flikr.

Jet Air Boat and Origami Air Blaster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPGc3jS33No

Rocket and Saucer Launcher
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vjwv1XzGjo

I was wondering if a fighter jet would be acceptibe for this competition. I happened to designed one today for a separate purpose, but thought I might work well for this month.

A fighter jet is not a single part such as a nut or bolt.....and it is mechanical so....sure!

Here is my latest-

An origami playground merry-go-round that can be spun on any spindle like a dowel, pen, pin or simply a rolled square of paper.

If you think the pointed ends of the chairs are too dangerous you can round them off.

https://youtu.be/mg4Yy7XYW7U

So I made a simple fighter jet to be in a set piece with my dragon but it works for this month too.



And a slightly angled shot:

firstfold you're always so good with action origami!