How to Make a Paper Glider
Mark a glider body shape in cardboard., Cut out the body of your glider from a piece of cardboard., Cut out the wings., Cut out slits for the wings., Glue the wings in place., Attach a paper clip or two onto the nose of the plane., Add modeling clay...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Mark a glider body shape in cardboard.
Find a piece of cardboard.
Using a pen or pencil, draw a plane body shape in the cardboard.
The exact shape is up to you, but it should have a tail and a head.
Use this image to give you a basic idea of what kind of shape you should make.
Rounded shapes work better than angular ones.
You can use another stiff paper material like cardstock as well. -
Step 2: Cut out the body of your glider from a piece of cardboard.
Use your scissors to cut out the glider body shape you drew in the cardboard. , Use a pencil or pen to mark two wing shapes in the piece of cardboard.
The fore wing must be the a little lesser than the length of the glider, and the tail wing must be about half of that.
Cut the wing shapes out with scissors.
You can use this image as a guide for what the wing shapes should like, but the exact shape is up to you. , Measure the height of your wings.
Mark two lines in your plane that are the length of these measurements, with the bigger one near the middle of the body and the smaller one near the tail end.
Use a sharp knife to cut out the slits. , First stick the wings through the slits and position them so that they stick out evenly on both sides.
Then glue them in place.
Don't use a glue stick; they're not strong enough.
Use something like PVA glue, or something similar., Throw it to test its flying ability.
You want to add paper clips until it can easily be thrown forward.
Without enough weight, the plane will be difficult to send forward with force. , Roll and spread some modeling clay along the nose to make a rounded nose shape.
You can do this in addition to or instead of the paper clips.
Experiment with different combinations of modeling clay and paper clips to see what makes your plane fly best. -
Step 3: Cut out the wings.
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Step 4: Cut out slits for the wings.
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Step 5: Glue the wings in place.
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Step 6: Attach a paper clip or two onto the nose of the plane.
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Step 7: Add modeling clay to the nose optionally.
Detailed Guide
Find a piece of cardboard.
Using a pen or pencil, draw a plane body shape in the cardboard.
The exact shape is up to you, but it should have a tail and a head.
Use this image to give you a basic idea of what kind of shape you should make.
Rounded shapes work better than angular ones.
You can use another stiff paper material like cardstock as well.
Use your scissors to cut out the glider body shape you drew in the cardboard. , Use a pencil or pen to mark two wing shapes in the piece of cardboard.
The fore wing must be the a little lesser than the length of the glider, and the tail wing must be about half of that.
Cut the wing shapes out with scissors.
You can use this image as a guide for what the wing shapes should like, but the exact shape is up to you. , Measure the height of your wings.
Mark two lines in your plane that are the length of these measurements, with the bigger one near the middle of the body and the smaller one near the tail end.
Use a sharp knife to cut out the slits. , First stick the wings through the slits and position them so that they stick out evenly on both sides.
Then glue them in place.
Don't use a glue stick; they're not strong enough.
Use something like PVA glue, or something similar., Throw it to test its flying ability.
You want to add paper clips until it can easily be thrown forward.
Without enough weight, the plane will be difficult to send forward with force. , Roll and spread some modeling clay along the nose to make a rounded nose shape.
You can do this in addition to or instead of the paper clips.
Experiment with different combinations of modeling clay and paper clips to see what makes your plane fly best.
About the Author
Christopher Ortiz
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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