SnipFold

Alpine Hanging Gondola

Original octagonal mountain gondola with four open windows, two supported benches and an inverted-U suspension bracket. Static thread-hung ornament.

Materials

  • 200-240 gsm cardstock
  • PVA glue
  • Scissors and craft knife
  • Scoring tool and ruler
  • 300 mm sewing thread for the hanger (required, not paper)
  • A secure overhead display hook (not supplied)

Finished size: 64 x 44 x 72 mm paper body; thread drop set during hanging

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Print and cut

    Print at 100 percent; check the 50 mm ruler. Cut all 13 pieces. Remove the four rectangular window holes in W1, W3, W5 and W7 with a knife before folding. Score dashed lines; keep every tab.

  2. Form the octagonal wall ring

    Keep the 44 mm wall height vertical. Fold each right seam tab inward 45 degrees; join W1 to W2 through W8 and W8 back to W1. Glue each 4 mm tab behind the next panel left edge at heights 6-18 mm. Alternate long and chamfer facets to make 135-degree interior corners. Keep the top open.

  3. Attach the floor

    Fold all bottom tabs inward 90 degrees. Lower F through the open top with its 48 mm edges aligned to W1 and W5. Glue its underside onto all eight 5 mm tabs; use the window openings to press the joints. Let dry square.

  4. Fold the two bench seats

    Each strip has successive lengths 3, 10, 14, 10, 3 mm and is 28 mm wide. Fold at right angles to form a 14 x 28 mm seat, two 10 mm vertical legs and two outward 3 x 28 mm floor feet. Seat faces up; feet lie flat. Glue only the feet.

  5. Mount the seats inside

    Center both benches fore/aft, leaving 8 mm to front and rear wall planes. Seat S1 spans x=-23 to -9 mm and S2 spans x=9 to 23 mm, measured from floor center. Their outer feet end at x=+/-26 mm, leaving 6 mm to the side walls. Bond the four complete 3 x 28 mm feet to F; dry before closing.

  6. Close the roof

    Fold the upper wall tabs inward 90 degrees at height 44 mm. Glue the underside of R onto all eight 5 mm tabs, matching its octagonal perimeter to the cabin. Press through windows and allow the entire perimeter bond to cure.

  7. Build the suspension bracket

    H has successive lengths 8, 28, 28, 28, 8 mm and width 10 mm. Fold four right angles into an inverted U: 28 mm uprights, 28 mm horizontal bridge and outward 8 mm feet. Glue each entire 8 x 10 mm foot onto the marked roof rectangles, centered fore/aft, at x=-22 to -14 and x=14 to 22 mm. Hold upright until set; cure fully.

  8. Add the required thread hanger

    Pass one end of 300 mm sewing thread under the horizontal bracket bridge and over it at its midpoint, 14 mm from either upright. Tie a snug double knot around the bridge; tie the remaining ends together above it to make a hanging loop. Hang from a secure hook, supporting the cabin by hand initially to confirm glue holds. Keep empty and still; this is a static ornament, not a running cable car.

Notes

The 3D model shows each piece in its finished, idealized shape; the exploded view only spreads the pieces apart. It is not a paper-physics simulation: curved shapes are forming guides, not exact physical folding or proof of developability, and intermediate fold shapes are not supplied.