SnipFold

Fixed Miniature Ferris Wheel

A nonrotating miniature with a laminated pierced six-spoke wheel, square paper axle, two footed A frames and six upright open gondolas on glued mounting straps.

Materials

  • 250-300 gsm cardstock
  • PVA glue
  • Scissors
  • Craft knife and cutting mat
  • Ruler and scoring tool

Finished size: 150 x 70 x 155 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Cut at actual size

    Print at 100 percent and confirm the 50 mm ruler. Use 250-300 gsm card. Cut all outlines and enclosed waste, including the six wheel windows and square axle holes. Score folds before assembly. BASE is 150 x 70 mm; place its long edge horizontally.

  2. Mount the two A frames

    Fold each 84 x 8 mm foot flange 90 degrees forward. On BASE measure x from the left edge and y from the rear edge. Center both frames at x=75 mm. Place rear upright at y=14 mm, front upright at y=56 mm, with flanges extending to y=22 and 64 mm. Glue full flanges to BASE; hold uprights perpendicular until dry. Axle centers are 90 mm above the base.

  3. Fold the real paper axle

    Fold AXLE at 4, 8, 12 and 16 mm across its width, each 90 degrees around a 4 x 4 mm square. Glue the final 3 mm lap inside the first face along the full 50 mm length. Keep straight and let dry. The tube remains open-ended; no wooden dowel or hidden wire is used.

  4. Laminate and lock the wheel

    Align WHEEL_R and WHEEL_F exactly and glue matching rims, spokes and hubs back to back, keeping all waste windows open. Orient a spoke vertically upward. Slide AXLE through rear frame, wheel and front frame: rear end projects 4 mm beyond rear frame, front end 4 mm beyond front frame. Wheel front face is 16 mm forward of rear frame and 26 mm behind front frame. Glue square holes to axle. Glue LOCK_R, LOCK_W and LOCK_F around the axle against the forward faces of rear frame, wheel and front frame respectively, and glue collar hole edges to axle. Dry upright. All joints are fixed: this decorative wheel does not rotate.

  5. Mount upright gondola 1

    Fold BOX_1 walls 90 degrees up around its 18 x 16 mm floor. Fold the four 3 mm corner tabs inward and glue inside front/back walls; keep the top open. On the front wheel face locate the spoke/rim mount at x=51.96 mm relative to hub and height 120.00 mm above BASE (60 mm radially from hub). Glue the top 6 mm of HANGER_1 centered on that mount; strap stays vertical, top 3 mm above mount, bottom 20 mm below. Glue the centered 8 x 10 mm lower strap area flat to the outside of the gondola back wall. Floor height is 100.00 mm; box projects 16 mm forward from wheel. Hold the floor level and back wall against strap until fully dry. The box is physically supported by this glued strap, not a floating or swinging seat.

  6. Mount upright gondola 2

    Fold BOX_2 walls 90 degrees up around its 18 x 16 mm floor. Fold the four 3 mm corner tabs inward and glue inside front/back walls; keep the top open. On the front wheel face locate the spoke/rim mount at x=0.00 mm relative to hub and height 150.00 mm above BASE (60 mm radially from hub). Glue the top 6 mm of HANGER_2 centered on that mount; strap stays vertical, top 3 mm above mount, bottom 20 mm below. Glue the centered 8 x 10 mm lower strap area flat to the outside of the gondola back wall. Floor height is 130.00 mm; box projects 16 mm forward from wheel. Hold the floor level and back wall against strap until fully dry. The box is physically supported by this glued strap, not a floating or swinging seat.

  7. Mount upright gondola 3

    Fold BOX_3 walls 90 degrees up around its 18 x 16 mm floor. Fold the four 3 mm corner tabs inward and glue inside front/back walls; keep the top open. On the front wheel face locate the spoke/rim mount at x=-51.96 mm relative to hub and height 120.00 mm above BASE (60 mm radially from hub). Glue the top 6 mm of HANGER_3 centered on that mount; strap stays vertical, top 3 mm above mount, bottom 20 mm below. Glue the centered 8 x 10 mm lower strap area flat to the outside of the gondola back wall. Floor height is 100.00 mm; box projects 16 mm forward from wheel. Hold the floor level and back wall against strap until fully dry. The box is physically supported by this glued strap, not a floating or swinging seat.

  8. Mount upright gondola 4

    Fold BOX_4 walls 90 degrees up around its 18 x 16 mm floor. Fold the four 3 mm corner tabs inward and glue inside front/back walls; keep the top open. On the front wheel face locate the spoke/rim mount at x=-51.96 mm relative to hub and height 60.00 mm above BASE (60 mm radially from hub). Glue the top 6 mm of HANGER_4 centered on that mount; strap stays vertical, top 3 mm above mount, bottom 20 mm below. Glue the centered 8 x 10 mm lower strap area flat to the outside of the gondola back wall. Floor height is 40.00 mm; box projects 16 mm forward from wheel. Hold the floor level and back wall against strap until fully dry. The box is physically supported by this glued strap, not a floating or swinging seat.

  9. Mount upright gondola 5

    Fold BOX_5 walls 90 degrees up around its 18 x 16 mm floor. Fold the four 3 mm corner tabs inward and glue inside front/back walls; keep the top open. On the front wheel face locate the spoke/rim mount at x=-0.00 mm relative to hub and height 30.00 mm above BASE (60 mm radially from hub). Glue the top 6 mm of HANGER_5 centered on that mount; strap stays vertical, top 3 mm above mount, bottom 20 mm below. Glue the centered 8 x 10 mm lower strap area flat to the outside of the gondola back wall. Floor height is 10.00 mm; box projects 16 mm forward from wheel. Hold the floor level and back wall against strap until fully dry. The box is physically supported by this glued strap, not a floating or swinging seat.

  10. Mount upright gondola 6

    Fold BOX_6 walls 90 degrees up around its 18 x 16 mm floor. Fold the four 3 mm corner tabs inward and glue inside front/back walls; keep the top open. On the front wheel face locate the spoke/rim mount at x=51.96 mm relative to hub and height 60.00 mm above BASE (60 mm radially from hub). Glue the top 6 mm of HANGER_6 centered on that mount; strap stays vertical, top 3 mm above mount, bottom 20 mm below. Glue the centered 8 x 10 mm lower strap area flat to the outside of the gondola back wall. Floor height is 40.00 mm; box projects 16 mm forward from wheel. Hold the floor level and back wall against strap until fully dry. The box is physically supported by this glued strap, not a floating or swinging seat.

  11. Final drying and display

    Let all axle, frame and gondola glue joints dry completely before lifting by BASE. Six boxes remain upright and permanently fixed. Do not turn the wheel or load the boxes. Paper and glue thickness are idealized; close face offsets in the preview represent laminated joints. This is a static decorative miniature, not a working ride.

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.