Text-Only Instructions copyright 2025 by Lindy van der Merwe
Paper to be used: 6 squares, smaller sized squares will be easier to assemble.
Thick paper or thin cardstock is strongly recommended for this spinner.
You will also need some small paper clips to help secure your units during the construction phase.
The paper clips will be removed once the structure is completed.
Folding level: Intermediate
Description:
This 3D modular, also sometimes called a regular octahedron, uses six Waterbomb Bases as its units.
The octahedron is one of the five Platonic solids with 8 equilateral triangular faces, 12 edges, and 6 vertices.
Although the characteristics of the octahedron may be similar, this construction looks very different from the solid octahedron constructed from Sonobe units, though.
The finished object will vaguely be shaped like a sphere, but with lots of spaces between the triangular arms.
The way we will construct this shape is from the top to the bottom. If you can imagine the earth as a round object, we will start at the North Pole with unit 1 and end at the South Pole with unit 6.
You could also think of the spinner as having a flat part, like a square table with a pyramid on top and another pyramid at the bottom.
The point of the top pyramid faces the ceiling and the point of the bottom pyramid faces the floor.
The flat, widest square part of the model will represent the equator if we think of this spinner as the earth.
Part 1 - Folding the units
Fold six Waterbomb Base units.
For info on how to fold this and other origami bases, visit the following link:
Most-Used Bases in Origami
Part 2 - Assembly
Step 1 - Positioning
After folding, place each base on the table with the 4 points spread out at 90 degree angles, with the open side of the unit facing the table and the closed point facing the ceiling.
The arms of each unit, which are also pockets, should be out to the left, right, pointing to you and the last, pointing away from you.
Step 2 - Marking
Now, mark, in some way, the left and right arms of all the units.
You can e.g. place a sticker or tactile dot, use a pin or needle to make holes or accordion fold or scrunch just the left and right arms of all the units.
You will need to differentiate between the two arms that are marked and those that are not marked, since when assembling the model, you will be covering each marked arm with an unmarked arm or flap.
So, to remember, tell yourself "unmarked over marked flaps".
Also, we will name the arms of each unit in a clockwise direction, with flap 1 being the left flap, Flap 2 the one furthest away from you, Flap 3 on the right and Flap 4 pointing towards you.
This also means that when you start with the assembly, Flaps 1 and 3 will be marked flaps, while flaps 2 and 4 unmarked ones.
Step 3 - Assembly
3.1
Take Unit 1 and hold it with the closed point facing the ceiling.
Take Unit 2 and find any unmarked flap.
Use it to cover the left, marked flap of Unit 1.
Push it over all the way and hold it with a paper clip, glue, tape or any way you prefer.
3.2
Take Unit 3 and find any unmarked flap.
Use it to cover the right, marked flap of Unit 1.
Secure it.
You will now have 3 units loosely connected.
It might help to mark the top closed point of unit 1 in some way at this point since this will help you with orientation.
This point of unit 1 will be the very top point of your decoration and will face the ceiling.
3.3
Next, notice that unit 1 still has Flaps 2 and 4, unmarked flaps, that are open.
Now, take Unit 4 and insert one of its marked flaps from underneath into Flap 2 of Unit 1.
Secure it.
3.4
Lastly, insert a marked flap of Unit 5 from underneath into Flap 4 of Unit 1.
Secure it.
Don't worry about all the flaps that are now crowded at the bottom of the model. You have now connected 5 modules with Unit 1 acting as the top module. Each of the arms of Unit 1 has another module connected to it.
3.5
The next step is to make what could be described as a flat table. You do this by connecting all the points that are now crowded near the bottom of your model.
This will probably need both hands, hence it is helpful to secure the top of the model, at least temporarily.
So, to make the first flat table connection, slide your finger from the top point of Unit 1 until you find the first flap that seems to be horizontal. It will jut out to the side of the flap you have just followed downwards.
You will now find the nearest flap that also seems to be jutting out horizontally. You want to place one of these flaps inside the other. Make sure you place a marked flap inside an unmarked flap or put in another way, make sure that you put an unmarked flap over a marked one.
3.6
Once you have done the first flat insertion, turn your model so you can find more horizontal flaps. It helps if you can hold the very top point of unit 1 that you marked facing the ceiling. Then you can turn your model like you would a Lazy Susan.
You will need to make 3 more of these flat table connections. There will be one unmarked flap for each marked flap, so insert them as you have done before.
3.7
If you follow two of the slanting triangles down from the very top point of unit 1, you will find 2 flaps between them.
Insert one flap into the other so you form a kind of flat connection between the slanting triangles.
Once you have made the flat table you will notice that there are 4 loose flaps at the bottom of the decoration.
3.8
Turn your whole model upsidedown so the point of Unit 1 is facing the table.
3.9
All you still need to do is to connect the 4 points of Unit 6 with the 4 remaining points of the model.
Once again, remember that marked flaps go into or under unmarked flaps.
Once you have the last Unit inserted, your decoration will be secure.
Marvel at its delicate appearance and beautiful cymmetry.
Making origami accessible through text-only instructions.
For non-commercial use only.
Compiled by Lindy van der Merwe - January 2025
This text copyright 2025 by accessorigami.com
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