The Origami Forum

I'm not exactly sure this is the correct place to post this question but, what exactly is pleat-sinking?

Can you give a reference where you read the term please. I guess a spread squash is meant, but can only be sure if I see the related diagrams.

Pleat-sinking is sinking in and out. Robert Lang is one origami author who uses it A LOT. Same with Jeremy Shafer, Satoshi Kamiya, Brian Chan, etc.

I think that Jeremy Shafer has some excellent instructions for a pleat-sink in his book: Origami to Astonish and Amuse.

In addition, here is an example - not sure if it is clear:
http://www.barf.cc/Enterprise.pdf

- Hank Simon

Interesting. That PDF has page numbers at the bottom indicating that it is pages 140 to 150 of Origami to Astonish and Amuse, but in my copy of the book there is no such model.
Maybe it had to be removed due to copyright issues.

Pleat sinking requires a whole lot of patience, as I've learnt by experience.

That is an interesting observation. Can anyone verify that that model appears in different editions of the book? I checked my copy and it also is missing and mine states that it is a first edition.

I don't think that pleat sinking is just something that particular authors use a lot nor not - it's just a necessary way of thinning flaps. Since in more difficult models you need to thin much more than other models, you will notice "pleat sinking" in more difficult models as a rule.

Now, few very complex books have been written, with Robert Lang and Satoshi Kamiya's books the exception. So, the fact that their books have lots of pleat sinking has to do with the fact that they took time to diagram their difficult models instead of just leaving us with the CP. In fact, most difficult CPs, if they were to be diagrammed, would have tons of pleat sinking.

So, I think it's fair to say that it's simply a standard way to thin a flap thinner than half its width, and that it comes up in almost all difficult models.

If it's in and out sink, then i guess u mean the thing that is also called heavily sink in some books.

pharmjod wrote:That is an interesting observation. Can anyone verify that that model appears in different editions of the book? I checked my copy and it also is missing and mine states that it is a first edition.

It's possible that he included it in a rough draft of the book, then took it out and decided to use it elsewhere. It'd be a shame to waste that many hours of work...

Yeah, it's just sinking in and out. In fact, I've only seen Jeremy Shafer refer to it as pleat sinking in his book.

It's the same thing as what is done for box pleating isn't it?

I think pleat-sinking is sinking in and out like boxpleating and utilising that to make other points again like boxpleating, but not necessarily on 45 degree angles. Boxpleating comes under pleat-sinking. Hope this helps!