SnipFold

Stationary Paper Waterwheel

An all-paper stationary waterwheel with two eight-spoke pierced rims, eight connecting paddles, a square paper axle and footed channel supports.

Materials

  • 220-250 gsm cardstock
  • PVA glue
  • Scissors
  • Craft knife and cutting mat
  • Ruler and blunt scoring tool

Finished size: 110 x 90 x 108 mm

Steps

CutValley foldMountain foldGlue area

  1. Print and cut all paper parts

    Print at 100% and confirm the 50 mm ruler. Cut all 18 pieces, including the eight windows and square axle hole in each rim. Cut the square holes in supports and collars. Score dashed creases before folding. Retain every integral tab.

  2. Fold and mount the two supports

    S1 and S2 each have a 24 x 70 mm upright. Fold the 12 mm bottom foot 90 degrees outward; fold both 8 x 52 mm side returns 90 degrees toward that same outward side. Glue the feet to the two marked 24 x 12 mm BASE areas. Uprights are 56 mm apart, centered across the 110 mm base width, and 17 mm inward from each 90 mm base edge. Square the uprights and let dry.

  3. Make the fixed square axle

    Fold AX at 6, 12, 18 and 24 mm across its 27 mm width, all 90 degrees in the same wrapping direction. Glue the final 3 mm lap inside the first face. Keep the section square, 6 x 6 mm, along its full 64 mm length. Leave both ends open; no rod or wire is needed. Dry fully.

  4. Reinforce the rim hubs

    Center C1 on the outer face of R1 and C2 on the outer face of R2. Align the 6.4 mm square holes exactly, apply glue to the collar back around the hole, and press flat. The collars are 18 mm square and remain within the solid central hubs.

  5. Attach eight paddle ends to the first rim

    Each paddle has a 10 x 32 mm blade and two 10 x 5 mm end tabs. Fold both tabs 90 degrees to the same tangential side of the blade. On the inner face of R1, glue one tab per spoke at 45 degree intervals. Set each blade crease radially from 37 to 47 mm from the hub center; the tab extends 5 mm clockwise as viewed from outside R1. Blade spans stand perpendicular to the rim. Dry with blades square.

  6. Close the wheel with the second rim

    Apply glue to the eight remaining 5 mm tabs and seat R2 on them, inner face toward R1. Align corresponding spokes and square hub holes; do not offset the pattern. Keep the two rim planes parallel and exactly 32 mm apart. Press each tab through a neighboring window and let the wheel dry completely.

  7. Reinforce the support bearings

    Glue C3 and C4 to the inward-facing sides of S1 and S2, aligning square holes. Each collar center is 60 mm above the base. The collars reinforce fixed paper joints, not rotating bearings. Dry before loading.

  8. Install and permanently fix the wheel

    Hold the dry wheel between the supports. Slide AX through S1/C3, R1/C1, R2/C2, then S2/C4. Center the 64 mm axle so 4 mm protrudes beyond each support plane. Set each rim 12 mm inward from its adjacent support plane; wheel center is 60 mm above BASE with 12 mm bottom clearance. Keep spokes horizontal/vertical and at 45 degrees. Apply a small PVA fillet around all four axle-to-collar square joints, hold square, and dry. This is a stationary decorative waterwheel, not a functioning water device; do not rotate, wet, or load it.

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.