SnipFold

Side-wheel Paddle Steamer

Original pointed packet-boat hull, promenade deck, raised cabin and square stack, with two mounted eight-blade static paddle wheels.

Materials

  • 180-220 gsm cardstock
  • PVA glue
  • Scissors or craft knife
  • Ruler and scoring tool

Finished size: 140 x 88 x 79 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Cut and form the hull

    Print at 100%; check the 50 mm ruler. Cut all pieces and window openings. Score dashed lines. H0 is a 140 x 50 mm flat-bottom hull with a pointed bow. Fold the two 4 mm tabs of H1-H5 inward 90 degrees; the 22 mm wall remains vertical. Glue lower tabs onto H0 along its matching edges, in order from the long starboard side around the bow to the stern. Hold square and let dry.

  2. Close the hull

    Glue D onto all five upper hull tabs at height 22 mm, matching the pointed bow and square stern. The deck has the same 140 x 50 mm perimeter as the bottom. Dry flat before adding the cabin.

  3. Raise the passenger cabin

    C has a 60 x 30 mm roof, four 25 mm walls and 4 mm feet. Fold walls down 90 degrees from the roof; reverse-fold feet outward 90 degrees. Glue all feet to D: cabin spans x=35 to 95 mm from the stern, centered across the deck (15 mm each side of centerline). The open underside faces the deck. Roof and glued feet hold the meeting wall edges; no hidden frame is required.

  4. Add cabin windows

    Glue the eight 8 x 8 mm blue panels flat to the two long cabin walls, four per side. Their lower edges are 9 mm above the deck; left edges are 6, 19, 32 and 45 mm from the cabin stern end. These are solid decorative panels, not structural openings.

  5. Mount the smokestack

    Fold S into a capped 10 x 10 x 32 mm square smokestack: walls down 90 degrees and 3 mm feet outward. Glue feet to the cabin roof, stack centered at x=74 mm from stern on the centerline. Its top reaches 79 mm above the table. This is an unlit decorative stack.

  6. Fit R wheel mount

    Fold MR into a 10 x 8 mm capped box projecting 9 mm, with 3 mm outward feet. Glue the feet directly to the outside long hull wall. Center the mount at x=75 mm from stern, z=22 mm: its body spans heights 18-26 mm. The upper foot extends above the deck edge; glue its lower contact portion and the side/bottom feet to the hull. Let cure fully. The outer 10 x 8 mm cap is the fixed wheel attachment face.

  7. Build R paddle wheel

    Cut the eight openings in each PR cheek. Each wheel is 38 mm diameter and 10 mm wide. Fold the two 3 mm end tabs of BR1-8 at 90 degrees to their 4 x 10 mm blade bodies. Glue one tab of each blade to the inner cheek at radii 14-18 mm, equally spaced every 45 degrees. Start at the foremost radius and proceed around the wheel. Tabs lie tangentially on the solid outer rim; the blade bodies project 10 mm perpendicular to the cheek. Glue the outer cheek onto the other tabs, with its openings aligned to the inner cheek. Allow to dry before mounting.

  8. Attach R fixed paddle

    Glue the solid central hub of inner cheek PRI directly onto the outer cap of MR. Wheel center is x=75 mm, z=22 mm; inner and outer cheeks stand 34 and 44 mm from the centerline. Keep wheel vertical. There is no axle, pin, rotation or floating function; do not force the wheel.

  9. Fit L wheel mount

    Fold ML into a 10 x 8 mm capped box projecting 9 mm, with 3 mm outward feet. Glue the feet directly to the outside long hull wall. Center the mount at x=75 mm from stern, z=22 mm: its body spans heights 18-26 mm. The upper foot extends above the deck edge; glue its lower contact portion and the side/bottom feet to the hull. Let cure fully. The outer 10 x 8 mm cap is the fixed wheel attachment face.

  10. Build L paddle wheel

    Cut the eight openings in each PL cheek. Each wheel is 38 mm diameter and 10 mm wide. Fold the two 3 mm end tabs of BL1-8 at 90 degrees to their 4 x 10 mm blade bodies. Glue one tab of each blade to the inner cheek at radii 14-18 mm, equally spaced every 45 degrees. Start at the foremost radius and proceed around the wheel. Tabs lie tangentially on the solid outer rim; the blade bodies project 10 mm perpendicular to the cheek. Glue the outer cheek onto the other tabs, with its openings aligned to the inner cheek. Allow to dry before mounting.

  11. Attach L fixed paddle

    Glue the solid central hub of inner cheek PLI directly onto the outer cap of ML. Wheel center is x=75 mm, z=22 mm; inner and outer cheeks stand 34 and 44 mm from the centerline. Keep wheel vertical. There is no axle, pin, rotation or floating function; do not force the wheel.

  12. Dry display

    Stand the flat hull bottom on a dry level shelf. Both wheel bottoms clear the table by 3 mm. Let all glue cure before handling; lift by the hull, never by the wheels or stack. Static dry display only: nonfloating, nonrotating, no flame or water. Physical assembly remains pending.

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.