SnipFold

Faceted Long-Neck Giraffe

Original octagonal-bodied giraffe with four column legs, a hexagonal long neck and enclosed reinforcement, small head, ears, ossicones and hanging tail on a laminated display base.

Materials

  • 220-250 gsm cardstock for all parts
  • Scissors or craft knife
  • Scoring tool and ruler
  • PVA glue
  • Tweezers for ossicones
  • Book for drying the base

Finished size: 110 x 70 x 208 mm including display base; giraffe body length 83 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Prepare and laminate base

    Print at 100%; check the 50 mm ruler. Cut all outlines and score dash-dot creases. Laminate BASE1 onto BASE2 across their entire 110 x 70 mm faces and dry flat under a book. This included display base is required. Coordinates below use its centre as (0,0), nose toward +X.

  2. Fold LF leg

    Fold the four 10 mm wall panels 90 degrees inward, printed side out; glue the final 3 mm lap inside the first wall. Fold the tapered end tabs inward 90 degrees. Glue B and T caps onto the tabs to make a 10 x 10 x 70 mm closed column. Dry square. Glue the entire B cap to the base with its centre at X=24, Y=-10 mm; keep the column vertical.

  3. Fold RF leg

    Fold the four 10 mm wall panels 90 degrees inward, printed side out; glue the final 3 mm lap inside the first wall. Fold the tapered end tabs inward 90 degrees. Glue B and T caps onto the tabs to make a 10 x 10 x 70 mm closed column. Dry square. Glue the entire B cap to the base with its centre at X=24, Y=10 mm; keep the column vertical.

  4. Fold LH leg

    Fold the four 10 mm wall panels 90 degrees inward, printed side out; glue the final 3 mm lap inside the first wall. Fold the tapered end tabs inward 90 degrees. Glue B and T caps onto the tabs to make a 10 x 10 x 70 mm closed column. Dry square. Glue the entire B cap to the base with its centre at X=-24, Y=-10 mm; keep the column vertical.

  5. Fold RH leg

    Fold the four 10 mm wall panels 90 degrees inward, printed side out; glue the final 3 mm lap inside the first wall. Fold the tapered end tabs inward 90 degrees. Glue B and T caps onto the tabs to make a 10 x 10 x 70 mm closed column. Dry square. Glue the entire B cap to the base with its centre at X=-24, Y=10 mm; keep the column vertical.

  6. Close and mount faceted torso

    Wrap BODY into its octagonal section using the two end caps as shape gauges; the 30 mm-wide bottom and top faces are horizontal, and the 16 mm side faces vertical. Glue the 3 mm seam inside the first wall. Turn all end tabs inward 90 degrees and glue BODYB at the rump and BODYT at the chest. Dry, then glue the four leg top caps to the underside: their centres are 11 and 59 mm from the rump, and 5 and 25 mm across the 30 mm belly. Torso bottom is 70 mm above the base; top is 102 mm. Hold level until set.

  7. Install neck reinforcement

    Fold CORE into a 6 x 6 x 74 mm square tube, crease walls 90 degrees and glue its 1.5 mm seam. Fold end tabs inward 90 degrees and cap both ends. Glue COREB to the torso top at X=24, Y=0 mm (59 mm forward of the rump). Keep vertical and dry fully. This paper core supports the small head.

  8. Fit the long neck

    Cut the 6.6 mm square opening in NECKB. Fold NECK at its five long creases by 60 degrees; glue the 2.5 mm seam inside the first face. Fold end tabs inward 90 degrees. Attach the lower cap NECKB only. Slide it down over CORE, with hexagon pointed ends toward rump and nose. Glue its lower cap to the torso top; neck centre is 59 mm forward of rump, centred across the back. Glue NECKT onto upper tabs and onto CORET simultaneously. Neck height above back is 74 mm. Dry upright.

  9. Mount small head

    Form the six head walls around HEADB and HEADT as gauges; the 10 mm bottom and top panels are horizontal. Glue the 2.5 mm seam, turn end tabs inward 90 degrees and glue the caps. HEADB is rear, HEADT is muzzle. Glue the head bottom onto NECKT, its rear 2 mm behind the neck rear point and nose 14 mm beyond the front point. The head bottom is 176 mm above base. Hold until dry; the internal core bears directly beneath this joint.

  10. Add horn1

    Fold the three narrow walls to match the triangular caps, glue the 0.65 mm seam and fold end tabs inward 90 degrees. Close both ends. Glue the lower triangular cap on the head top, 8 mm from its rear and Y=-3 mm from the centreline. Keep this 14 mm ossicone upright. Use tweezers.

  11. Add horn2

    Fold the three narrow walls to match the triangular caps, glue the 0.65 mm seam and fold end tabs inward 90 degrees. Close both ends. Glue the lower triangular cap on the head top, 8 mm from its rear and Y=3 mm from the centreline. Keep this 14 mm ossicone upright. Use tweezers.

  12. Attach ears

    Glue the 6 x 3 mm root rectangles of EAR1 and EAR2 flat onto opposite edges of the head top, 4 mm from its rear. Roots occupy the outermost 3 mm of the top panel. The pointed 15 mm blades project horizontally sideways beyond the head; leave them flat as shown.

  13. Attach tail

    Glue the 5 x 5 mm TAIL root flat to the rump end cap, centred across its width, with the top edge 11 mm below the back. Leave the tapered tail and angular tuft free; it hangs down to 48 mm above the base.

  14. Add patches and let dry

    Glue the four angular patches flat on the vertical flank faces, lower edges 10 mm above the belly. Place left and right pairs 17 and 38 mm forward of the rump. Glue each 2 mm eye on the upper sloping cheek, 23 mm forward of head rear, 3 mm up the slope from its widest edge. Allow all joints to dry overnight on a level surface. Display on its included base; do not lift by the neck.

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.