Paper Automata

Paper automata: four working models to cut out and glue together

Automata have a long and colourful history, from Japanese karakuri dolls to the moving toys of European clockmakers. But what are they and how do they work? This book answers that by having you build four mechanical paper models with your own hands.

A bravura display of imagination by Rob Ives, the British paper engineer, has produced this delightful collection of Rob Ives automata: working models to cut out and glue together. Every piece comes from the page, so all you add is scissors or a scalpel and glue.

How each mechanism creates motion

Each of the mechanisms uses a different principle to generate motion. Make them and you will have a great start to understanding how such machines work. Most automata begin with a turning crank, then pass that movement on through cams, levers or gears. The difference lies in how each one turns a simple input into a hop, a peck, a bow or a flap: four lessons in paper mechanics.

The four animal automata and their movements

Each of these animal automata has its own character. As you operate the mechanisms:

• the Hopping Sheep hop energetically
• the Pecking Hen pecks keenly into its feeder
• the Motley Man bows and acknowledges the applause he has earned
• the Flying Fish does not actually fly, but flaps its wings and undulates delightfully

Who these automata suit, and where to go next

This book is of special interest to those who like to see what remarkable things can be achieved with paper. It suits makers who enjoy paper toys that do something, and anyone curious about paper and cardboard engineering.

A natural next step is the sister books Walking Automata and Automata Too (see links below). They extend the same hands-on approach to more mechanical models.

Making paper automata goes smoothly thanks to the clear instructions, colour-coding and numbered pieces, as one reader explains below. Picture the Hen pecking into its feeder as you operate it for the first time.

VERY SATISFYING CARDBOARD ENGINEERING I bought this book some time ago, and I've just completed the most complex project 'The Hopping Sheep'. Cutting out with a scalpel, gluing with a water-based adhesive and noting the design features were very therapeutic. The moving parts add the greatest interest. The instructions are well set out, and the colour-coding and unique numbering of attached pieces are most helpful and logical. REVIEW BY MIKES / (POSTED ON 29/12/2022)