The Origami Forum

I'm writing a book about flying toys made from US business cards (2"x3.5"). Multi-card is ok, but not glue

Do you have any ideas?

I think this should be in model search topic. But somebody on the forum could probably design one for you!

Have tried searching, looks like they don't exist, hence posting in this area...

I take it no cuts either?

I think you're on the wrong line,this isn't a model searching board..well,as far as I know there aren't plane designs made out of those papers..
Maybe you can ask some origami artists for putting their designs in the book? I'm not sure what you asking us on this question, but I would love to help

Perhaps my original post wasn't clear enough, sorry.

I'm not searching for, but *challenging* all the creators here to try and come up with a design using business card/s which flies in some form (spins, flips, glides etc). Glue is out, but small cuts *may* be acceptable (I'll need to check with the publishers)

I'm well aware there are very few (if any) existing designs and I'm coming up with many myself (one shown here), but it's always nice to feature the work of others in a book. You'll get credit and a free copy, of course.

Here's a list of my books. http://www.nickrobinson.info/origami/books/index.htm

That makes more sense why it is here! And I will be happy to try to come up with something

Me too! I'll come up with something and tell'ya.

Now I get it! Thanks for the explanation.
I'm in,too! But I'm not sure how thick the paper should be..can you tell us about the limits on that too?

A whole book of business card airplanes seems like a tall order. Business cards are so small and so thick, that you really can't have more than maybe two or three folds in them or the layers are just too thick. If they have very many folds in them, they are more just being thrown rather than flying.
I have a whole stack of business cards in my desk though, that I have went through about 1/4 of in the last 10 years, so I will give it a shot.

I'll try and come up with something.
If I get it done, I'll PM you.

how about a business card throwing star? Not a plane, but it does fly.





Based on the traditional design, just adapted to two business cards.

One question, Mr. Robinson are you looking for planes from business card thickness or just the size of a business card? I experimented and it looks like the ones i have are far too thick for flying.

Made one model. It spins really well and can be folded from thick paper.
Helicopter (Michael Gross) by Gross Michael, on Flickr

Photodiagrams

Reminds me a bit of the concrete airplane on Mythbusters. Unfortunately biz cards would not be my first choice to construct anything volant because they are small and heavy, things that really don't go together in the world of aviation. You usually want large and light.

I would imagine that any model to achieve anything beyond ballistic flight (not flying any farther than its construction materials crumpled up) would take a modular model of some sort. The problem then becomes one of geometry, to make sufficient folds for a robust locking mechanism would render the model non aerodynamic. I've had a little too much experience with this particular problem.

Good luck, sorry I can't be any more help but to pour cold water.