How to Make a Origami Tank That Shoots

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Have you ever wanted to know how to make a paper tank? The process is simple. With a few easy steps, you can make an origami tank with a single sheet of paper.

1. 1

   Fold a sheet of paper in half. You will end up with a rectangle piece of paper.

   • Before committing to a hard fold, make a soft fold to be sure it is properly placed.^[1]
   • The larger the paper, the larger the tank.
   • If you are doing this for the first time, using a larger sheet of paper (at least 8.5 x11 inch) will make the process easier.^[2]
   • You can also use origami paper.^[3]

2. 

   2

   Cut or rip the paper in half along the fold. You can discard the other half or save it to make another tank.

3. 

   3

   Fold the paper in half again. With this fold you are making a long rectangle.

1. 

   1

   Fold the ends of the paper into an X. Take one corner and fold diagonally to create a point. Unfold and repeat, folding the other side diagonally. When you unfold you will see the creases form an X. Repeat on the other end of the paper. ^[4]

2. 

   2

   Create pointed ends. Push in the sides of the paper where you made the folds (the X at each end). The paper will fold in on itself and create a point. Do this on both ends of the paper. Both ends now have an arrow shape.

3. 

   3

   Make the wheels. Fold both of the long sides of the paper once inwards towards the center. Take the inside edge and fold once again outwards, creating a flap.

1. 

   1

   Make the first part of the turret. Choose one end of the paper. Fold the ends of the arrow up and towards the middle. Leave a small gap in the center.^[5]

2. 

   2

   Turn the paper over. The smooth side (without the folds visible) should be facing up.

   • Fold each end up.
   • The end with the larger point (which looks like an arrow) should rest on top of the smaller end.

3. 

   3

   Tuck the flap below the larger point into the smaller point. The larger (arrow) end will rest in the gap created when you folded the first part of the turret.

4. 

   4

   Tuck the points of the first part of the turret underneath the sides of the arrow. Fold the points of the arrow under the turret points, locking them together to form the full turret.

1. 

   1

   Pull out the wheels. With your finger, gently unfold the flaps that are the wheels. Do this on both sides.

2. 

   2

   Add the gun. Insert a straw into the narrowest end of the top.^[6]

   • You can also use a small piece of rolled up paper.

3. 

   3

   Secure the gun. If the gun falls out, you can use tape or glue to secure it.

Add New Question

• Question

  How long does this activity take?

  

  Not very long, usually no more than an hour.

• Question

  Is there an origami tank that actually shoots like a rubber band gun?

  

  You can make one that is super big. Then put a rubber band gun mechanism inside the turret with a string attached to the trigger, and pull the string to shoot.

• Question

  Can I do this with sandpaper?

  

  Unless you are up for a real challenge, probably not. Sandpaper is very thick and not at all like origami paper, so it would be very difficult.

• Question

  Where do I fold the points on part 3, step 4?

  

  In step 3, you fold it in and fold it out. In step 4, you make a diamond with one of the triangles you made in step 2.

• Question

  How do I make the turret?

  

  You can make it with a small piece of paper or straw. Then stick it into the diamond fold gap.

• Question

  Can I make this with A3 paper?

  

  No matter what you use, you're cutting out a square. So with either paper, you still can do it.

• Question

  How do I color the tank?

  

  You can use whatever you like and whatever you have on hand to color the tank - markers, colored pencils, pastels, etc.

• Question

  What's the best paper tank?

  

  This one is great because it is easy and quick to make. It also looks pretty stellar when you get your finished product.

• Question

  Can I use notebook paper to make a paper tank?

  

  Yes, except you'll have to cut off the part with holes first. I usually cut off the the holed part up to the red line, then keep it to use as a turret barrel (the long part that sticks out of the turret).

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Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Scissors (Optional)
• A Straw (Optional)
• Glue or tape (Optional)

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To make a paper tank, start by folding a piece of paper in half horizontally. After you've made a rectangle, fold each end of it diagonally twice, so the creases form an X when you unfold the paper. Once you have an X on each end, push in the sides of the paper where you made the folds to create a point on both ends. Next, make the wheels by folding the long sides in, then folding the inside edge back over to make a flap. Finally, fold the pointed ends up and toward the middle to create the turret and unfold the side flaps for the wheels. For tips on how to add a gun to the turret of your tank, read on!

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How to Make a Origami Tank That Shoots

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Paper-Tank

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