Slot-Together Evergreen
Two tiered evergreen silhouettes interlock at right angles using opposed open slots. Integral flared feet make a four-way tabletop stand.
Materials
- Stiff flat cardstock, approximately 300-350 gsm; measured thickness 0.40-0.45 mm
- Scissors for outer edges
- Sharp craft knife, metal ruler and cutting mat (adult use)
- Ruler and preferably calipers for thickness and slot fit
Finished size: 110 x 110 x 150 mm; crossed foot span 60 x 60 mm
Steps
CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area
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Check scale and stock
Print at 100% / Actual size. Measure the 50 mm ruler. On waste from the same stock, cut a 0.50 mm-wide test notch and slide in another offcut edge-on. It should move with light friction without buckling. Choose matching stock if loose; do not enlarge the design slots to compensate for thin card.
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Cut two distinct panels
Cut ONE T1 and ONE T2 along their solid outer contours, preserving the flat 60 mm-wide foot edges and small flat crowns. Keep their page labels nearby: T1 has the slot at the top; T2 has it at the bottom. Do not fold the branch tips or feet.
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Remove the slot strips
On a cutting mat, use a knife and ruler to cut along the center of each of the two printed slot boundary lines, 0.50 mm apart. Join the cuts at the closed end and remove the narrow waste strip. For T1 start at the crown and stop 75 mm down; for T2 start at the foot center and stop 75 mm up. Do not cut past either closed end or leave waste bridging the slot.
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Align the opposed openings
Hold T1 upright with its feet down and its slot opening upward. Keep T2 upright too, rotate it 90 degrees around the vertical axis, and lift it above T1. Center the bottom opening of T2 directly over the top opening of T1. Do not turn T2 upside down: the evergreen crowns must both point up.
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Slide down to the shared seat
Lower T2 straight down while holding T1 steady. The solid upper center of T2 enters the top slot in T1, while the solid lower center of T1 enters the bottom slot in T2. Keep the panels perpendicular and support near the joint, not at branch tips. Slide until both closed slot ends meet at height 75 mm and both crowns and foot edges align. Stop if it binds; withdraw and remove cutting burrs rather than force or bend the card.
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Check the four-way stand
Set the tree on a flat table. Viewed from above, the two panels must form a plus sign, not a narrow X. All four radial foot edges should rest on the table. If one panel sits higher, check for slot waste or incomplete insertion. If the joint swivels freely, remake using thicker stock within the stated range. Check gentle tabletop stability before display; actual fit and tip resistance still require a physical trial.
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.
- Original two-piece construction. Physical printing, cutting, fit and standing stability are pending verification.
- Slots are actual 0.50 mm-wide removed strips, not single knife slits. T1 opens from the crown to height 75 mm; T2 opens from the foot to height 75 mm. Both slots are 75 mm deep.
- Paper weight does not guarantee thickness: use 0.40-0.45 mm stock for 0.05-0.10 mm total clearance. Test on offcuts of the same sheet before cutting the tree. Thin office paper is unsuitable.
- The preview uses exact template surfaces at 90 degrees with zero simulated thickness. It does not simulate friction, paper flex or the insertion motion. No folds, glue, hidden base or extra components are required.
- Keep panels flat and feet on a level indoor surface. The centered symmetric tree has a diamond-shaped support footprint with tips 30 mm from the center; drafts and warped card can still tip it.