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Pepakuru / Papercraft 3D Design And Building Discussion For Robots

Hey guys I'm always learning cool new stuff and this is one I think is valuable honestly because very few people have a 3d printer but most people have access to paper , a printer , scissors and glue :). While I was at the Dragoncon convention I saw all kinds of costumes , robotic animation of characters for sci do stuff , and more. I had to ask them how they did it and most use the Pepakuru or Papercraft method. Pepakuru is a Japanese word for papercraft but many people call it that because it's origin is Japanese.

I will update this first post periodically if newer better option come to my attention but this is a start.
Pepakura Designer
http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/

Pepakura Viewer
http://www.tamasoft.co.jp/pepakura-en/download/viewer.html





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United Kingdom
#1  
Pepakuru was one of the first things I thought about using when I started building robots, I mentioned it in one of my first topics. And there is a very good reason why I have not used it to build any robots to date... because it is very time consuming.

There are a lot of replica props and costumes discussed on www.TheRPF.com, I am part way through making a full Iron Man suit, I have been since around this time last year, so far I have got the helmet done but still not satisfied with the results.

Not only do you need to cut out and stick hundreds or thousands of small paper/card/foam pieces together but you also need to strengthen them with fibre glass, smooth them with filler, sand, rinse and repeat.

Yeah you could rush them like some people on the rpf do, you can tell though, they are not even close to a standard I would find acceptable.

James over at xrobot.co.uk uses (or did use) pep to make his ironman armour but it took a long time and has since been improved using other methods (side note, check his site, he has some really awesome projects).
United Kingdom
#2  
Yeah I am fascinated by all of his work, some really cool stuff on his site (and at least one funny video - check out his original $ store ARC reactor video)
#3  
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Here's a mask my buddy threw together for a mortal kombat costume , I think it took 4 hours or so.
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He managed to do a few ironman arm pieces Sunday which looks pretty cool. Both he and I are proficient in fiberglassing and mold making so that's the easy part. We are doing a this mk6 suit for him them motorizing it , helmet lifting , plates moving ect. I think due to my size a hulkbuster suite would be appropriate for me and that suite has tons of lighting ezb could control as well as servos ect.

Your right it's time consuming but when we are talking about building a custom robot outside of just clicking some premade parts together there is no way to avoid work. It's not for everyone that's why ezbits exist but for those like me who love to add detail and personality fabrication is always useful.
United Kingdom
#4  
The way to avoid the work is to 3D print. Pep is great if you have the time and lack the funds to 3D print, I will give it that, I just don't have the time (and am too much of a perfectionist to accept a lot of what others seem to believe is good enough - as can be seen by Melvin's arms taking 4 attempts so far and I'm still not satisfied with them).
#5  
You nailed it right there , too little money for 3d printer and time to build then it might be for you. Anyways I see there's plenty of options. There's even papercraft battlebots lol awesome
#6  
Some things are awesome to 3d print don't get me wrong but there are size limitations. Its possible but very difficult to create smaller pieces and then glue them all together from seperate 3d prints but if they all are not just right now they are glued together and you gotta start over or try to rip them apart to figure out which piece is slightly off. This is for things possibly s little bigger than a consumer 3d print can handle.
#7  
@jstarne1 Is there a link to this free software I'm missing or are you just referring to Paint and such as being the free sofware?
United Kingdom
#8  
Pepakura Viewer is the free version, but can only view other people's stuff.

Pepakura Designer is the full version but costs $38 for a licence.

I have the full version but to be honest the viewer would have done what I needed it for just fine. If you are going to use it to make your own designs then go for the full version, if you only want to use what's readily available at places like The RPF have a play with the viewer only:)
#10  
@antron I had edited the first post with links to download the viewer and editor
#12  
These ones I just posted the wheels are paper but I imagine you could cast them and use them as a mold to make foamy wheels or run by a hobby shop they have wheels for cars or planes with preformed plastic hubs that are easy to attach to motors or servos. Again something fun and easy for those who don't have access to a 3d printer. Plus if you destroy the body playing against friends it's cool , it's just paper that had been soaked with white glue or resin. Like a paper mache robot:) I will post more as I find them.
United Kingdom
#13  
You can also use foam to make them if you want something more flexible and longer lasting. Those foam floor tiles that click together that they use in childrens play areas are ideal, or yoga mats, the thin ones, they work great (they are what my full size IronMan robot is being made from). Coat it in a 50/50 mix of PVA glue and water and it'll be ready for fibreglass resin and filler or even painting without the strengthening of fibreglass.
#14  
Good tips rich thankyou for adding them
#15  
Thanks guys. Very cool info. Sorry to wander the topic a little but while looking at the battle bots the first thought I had was "Put a light frame in it and it would be a little more durable." I never thought if it before but I guess one could use chicken wire and make frames of parts and then dress them and stick them together. Kind of like paper mache or something.
#16  
Yea sure. The pepakura is just to make the complex shape. Once you harden it you can do anything you want.
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