Ben got a camera

Möbius Strip Papercraft

Making a mathematical artifact out of paper
Cover Image for Möbius Strip Papercraft

I recently found this video on instagram: an arrow moves along a Möbius strip, changing its direction of the pointer with each turn. In the video, the model is printed on a 3-D printer, and I wanted to replicate it in paper. I replaced the arrow with a running silhouette.

If you roll the ribbon into a rectangle of ordinary office paper, the result will be unsightly, amorphous and short-lived. A beautiful ring, as in the photo above, was developed with the help of the 3-D editor Blender, the template for printing was created in the editor Gimp.

Download PDF

Download, print and start assembling, with the help of video or photo instructions.

Video tutorial

Photo tutorial

1: Let's prepare the necessary tools: scissors, glue, ruler, black marker and sandpaper.
1: Let's prepare the necessary tools: scissors, glue, ruler, black marker and sandpaper.
2: Cut out all the pieces.
2: Cut out all the pieces.
3: For aesthetical purpose, grind the protruding white edges in the ribbon and disk parts.
3: For aesthetical purpose, grind the protruding white edges in the ribbon and disk parts.
4: Overlay pattern "B" on "A1" and mark with a pencil the area that will be left unglued when gluing "A1" and "A2" in step 7.
4: Overlay pattern "B" on "A1" and mark with a pencil the area that will be left unglued when gluing "A1" and "A2" in step 7.
5: Glue square "B" to "A1" so that half of the square extends beyond the edge of the ribbon.
5: Glue square "B" to "A1" so that half of the square extends beyond the edge of the ribbon.
6: Glue parts "A1" and "A2" together.
6: Glue parts "A1" and "A2" together.
7: Intermediate result, parts "A1", "A2" and "B" glued together.
7: Intermediate result, parts "A1", "A2" and "B" glued together.
8: Cover the protruding half of part "B" with glue.
8: Cover the protruding half of part "B" with glue.
9: We turn both ends of the strip to one side ninety degrees
9: We turn both ends of the strip to one side ninety degrees
10: Like this.
10: Like this.
11: Insert the protruding end "B" between "A1" and "A2" in the marked area.
11: Insert the protruding end "B" between "A1" and "A2" in the marked area.
12: Press the edges of the ribbon together and wait for the glue to set.
12: Press the edges of the ribbon together and wait for the glue to set.
13: The classic Möbius strip is ready, half done.
13: The classic Möbius strip is ready, half done.
14: Use a black marker to make the edges of the ribbon darker.
14: Use a black marker to make the edges of the ribbon darker.
15: Möbius strip with colored edges - aesthetically looks better.
15: Möbius strip with colored edges - aesthetically looks better.
17: Glue "D1" and "D2" with the white sides facing each other.
17: Glue "D1" and "D2" with the white sides facing each other.
18. Glue "D3" and "D4" together in the same way.
18. Glue "D3" and "D4" together in the same way.
19: A finished disk with a drawing.
19: A finished disk with a drawing.
20: Use a felt-tip pen to color the edges.
20: Use a felt-tip pen to color the edges.
21: Bend the "C" part with a help of ruler or another tool, e.g. an credit card.
21: Bend the "C" part with a help of ruler or another tool, e.g. an credit card.
22. First, with the white side facing in...
22. First, with the white side facing in...
23: Then in the opposite direction, the painted side ends up facing the outside.
23: Then in the opposite direction, the painted side ends up facing the outside.
24: The "C" piece will be glued to the "D2" strip.
24: The "C" piece will be glued to the "D2" strip.
25: Apply glue to the colored side of the "C" strip and glue to the colored side of the "D2" disk.
25: Apply glue to the colored side of the "C" strip and glue to the colored side of the "D2" disk.
26: Detail "D1″ glued to strip "C"
26: Detail "D1″ glued to strip "C"
27: The "C" strip will be wrapped around the ribbon.
27: The "C" strip will be wrapped around the ribbon.
28: Wrap the "C" strip around the Möbius strip.
28: Wrap the "C" strip around the Möbius strip.
29: Glue the "C" strip into a ring around the ribbon.
29: Glue the "C" strip into a ring around the ribbon.
30. Glue pattern "D3" to pattern "C".
30. Glue pattern "D3" to pattern "C".
31: Glue "D3" to "C".
31: Glue "D3" to "C".
32: Make sure that the "D3" piece is not glued to the Möbius strip.
32: Make sure that the "D3" piece is not glued to the Möbius strip.
33: Done. The runner is ready to move.
33: Done. The runner is ready to move.
To view the comments, please accept the comment cookies in .