SnipFold

Faceted Shore Crab

A broad low octagonal carapace carried on eight angular walking legs, with two raised open pincers and stalked eyes.

Materials

  • 200-220 gsm cardstock
  • Scissors or craft knife
  • Scoring tool and ruler
  • PVA glue

Finished size: Approximately 153 x 133 x 49 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Build the low shell

    Print at 100%; confirm the 50 mm ruler. Use 200-220 gsm card. Cut and score all pieces. Front is +Y, the long edge between (24,20) and (-24,20) on T. T is 64 x 40 mm; B is 89.6 x 56 mm. S1 starts at the rear long edge; continue counterclockwise viewed from above. Each S has a narrow crown edge and wider belly edge. Fold both 4 mm tabs inward, glue the narrow tab beneath T and wide tab on top of B. Keep T level exactly 14 mm above B; facet slopes differ, so use the matching edges rather than one fold angle. The crown is 32 mm and belly 18 mm above the eventual table. Dry opposite facets first, then fill the remaining pairs.

  2. Attach R four walking legs

    R means right (+X). Each angular leg is a vertical load-bearing plate, with a broad knee and narrow ankle. Fold the 10 x 6 mm root tab and 8 x 8 mm foot 90 degrees to the same side of the vertical plate. Glue roots beneath B, starting 24 mm from its centerline, at Y=-21,-7,+7,+21 mm respectively (rear to front). Legs 1/4 fan 30 degrees rearward/forward; legs 2/3 fan 10 degrees rearward/forward from sideways. The 10 mm root edges point outward. On R the tab projects toward the front of each leg; on L it projects rearward. Hold B level at 18 mm above a flat table while all feet sit flat. Dry fully before adding claws.

  3. Attach L four walking legs

    L means left (-X). Each angular leg is a vertical load-bearing plate, with a broad knee and narrow ankle. Fold the 10 x 6 mm root tab and 8 x 8 mm foot 90 degrees to the same side of the vertical plate. Glue roots beneath B, starting 24 mm from its centerline, at Y=-21,-7,+7,+21 mm respectively (rear to front). Legs 1/4 fan 30 degrees rearward/forward; legs 2/3 fan 10 degrees rearward/forward from sideways. The 10 mm root edges point outward. On R the tab projects toward the front of each leg; on L it projects rearward. Hold B level at 18 mm above a flat table while all feet sit flat. Dry fully before adding claws.

  4. Build R raised pincer

    Fold AR: first 8 mm is a root lap at height 18 mm; the next 21.54 mm rises 8 mm (21.8 degree upward bend), then the last 10 mm folds back level at height 26 mm. Glue root on top of B at X=25 mm, Y=17 to 25 mm, pointing forward. Glue CR-lo above its end platform, with the pincer rear edge at Y=45 mm and centered on the arm. Fold JR1-3 into Z spacers: 3 mm bottom lap, 6 mm upright, 3 mm upper lap, two 90 degree folds. Set spacer 1 across the palm at local X=-3 to +3 mm, its bottom lap at Y=3 to 6 mm; spacers 2/3 across the left/right fingers at X=-12 to -8 / +8 to +12 mm, bottom laps Y=19 to 22 mm. Upper laps extend toward the tips. Glue the upper matching pincer onto these laps, exactly 6 mm above the lower. Keep the deep V opening clear. These open-sided dimensional pincers are static, not working hinges. Dry flat before handling.

  5. Build L raised pincer

    Fold AL: first 8 mm is a root lap at height 18 mm; the next 21.54 mm rises 8 mm (21.8 degree upward bend), then the last 10 mm folds back level at height 26 mm. Glue root on top of B at X=-25 mm, Y=17 to 25 mm, pointing forward. Glue CL-lo above its end platform, with the pincer rear edge at Y=45 mm and centered on the arm. Fold JL1-3 into Z spacers: 3 mm bottom lap, 6 mm upright, 3 mm upper lap, two 90 degree folds. Set spacer 1 across the palm at local X=-3 to +3 mm, its bottom lap at Y=3 to 6 mm; spacers 2/3 across the left/right fingers at X=-12 to -8 / +8 to +12 mm, bottom laps Y=19 to 22 mm. Upper laps extend toward the tips. Glue the upper matching pincer onto these laps, exactly 6 mm above the lower. Keep the deep V opening clear. These open-sided dimensional pincers are static, not working hinges. Dry flat before handling.

  6. Raise the two eyes

    Each eyestalk has a 5 x 5 mm base, 14 mm upright and 4 mm top return. Fold the base/upright 90 degrees upward and top return 90 degrees forward. Glue bases to T at X=+/-13 mm, Y=11 to 16 mm; uprights stand at Y=16 mm, from height 32 to 46 mm. Glue each black eye to the front of its upright with its bottom 10 mm above the crown and centered across the 5 mm stalk. Eye tips finish 49 mm above the table. Press only the overlapping area, leaving the upper eye outline free.

  7. Set the tabletop stance

    Rest all eight 8 x 8 mm feet on a level surface while the root joints finish drying. Keep the belly 18 mm above the table and crown horizontal; do not flatten the angular legs into a silhouette. The opposed feet form a broad support footprint. Use small amounts of PVA and allow full drying before lifting by the shell. No hidden wire, filler or base is required. Paper thickness and springback are idealized; physical stability and assembly remain untested.

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.