Paper Coffee Cup Flying & Controlled Models of Hovercrafts

Step 1: Materials & Tools

We will need:
- a paper cup
- 1 sheet of A4 (or similar size) paper weight 160-250 g/m2
(you can also use the lid from the children's shoe boxes or foam trays for vegetables)
- a toothpick
- a segment-edge cutter
- 9V battery (or similar size block)
- an adhesive tape
- scissors
- 1 permament marker (not nessesary)
- a hair dryer (not nessesary)
- computer printer (only if you do not have trays or cardboard lid)

Step 2: Cutting of Paper Cup

To build a model hovercraft will need about 25mm wide rings cut from the cup. This can be done using the knife and the battery (as well as photographs 2 and 3). If necessary, you can improve the scissors.

To cut a cover of the cockpit, you can issue the cards 9x9cm bent in half diagonally (photo 4). After drawing on the cup (photo 5), we cut out the element of scissors (photo 6). If we do not like the original decoration of the cup, we can painted over - for example, using a permanent marker (photo 7).

Step 3: Paper Deck of Hovercraft

As I wrote earlier, for this model of hovercraft, you can use ready-made items that will be the deck.
However, if we do not have the relevant deck, can be made from scratch.
For this purpose, you can use a drawing no 1 (photo 8) or independently to prepare their drawing with own shape.
The difficulty is to build a rigid, not twisted, solid hull, with the corresponding hole.

Step 4: Final Assembly

After carefully gluing (or matching) the deck, we can proceed to assembly. All the elements of  constituent shows the photograph no 9. Propeller of paper (from the same cup) is attached to the toothpick (but can also be glued to the ends of the ring).

Step 5: Controlled Flight!

For our model raised on a cushion (we assume that a well-made) simply blow (simply the mouth or better hairdryer) to the hole on board. It is very important that the airflow was directed straight down, otherwise the model will flee.  This requires some training!  ;o) If you can disconnect the heat in an hair dryer, will be even better. "Professionals" fly this model with great precision in any direction - flying over obstacles up to 2-3 mm.

Step 6: Foam Deck, Crew and Finding Centre of Gravity

Although I'm loving models with cardboard, I must admit that much easier to made a deck of this model with the vegetable trays - also is lighter and thus we can add driver lego. But beware!  Adding load, you have to do with the weight! For the balancing we can use crayons or felt-tip pens (photo 13) and few lego block (then we can stick it from the bottom of the deck).

Step 7: Application

For many years I use those nice models (with great success!) in the classroom, at outdoor workshops and even at international fairs modeling (during the workshop and presentation of model club). Young engineers is really like it!
I have a request - please send me a similar, but your pictures :o)

Step 8: More Modifications and Tips

If you liked these models, you can do next, more difficult with moving propellers, superstructures and sack apron, using inspiration in figures 3 and 4 (we've already built this!).

If outlet of your hair dryer is oval - you can use it to turning your model in place. Simply, if the inlet of hovercraft you do slightly oval!

Have a lot of fun!

Thanks for your watch! (and vote too ;o)
iPD