Tutorial: Pepakura building for dummies (or noobs)

[Vai]

I've just printed out and cut everything I need to start my first project, but I have a dilemma that I still havn't solved after 3 hours. It's probably really stupid and obvious but it's really starting to piss me off. :angry



I have a piece with a long edge with no tabs on it, the corresponding edge has several tabs on it, the part I don't get is that 2 of these tabs (2nd and 8th) are valley folds...meaning instead of going under the paper like the other 7 tabs and simply gluing them in place, they apparently go...over? Which makes no sense at all. It seems like they should all be mountain folds so I can glue the flat tab-free side straight on...but this is not the case. I tried starting from a different area but it's the same thing with different pieces.



Further summary: Both edges come together nicely with the majority of the tabs sitting under the paper and lining up with the numbers like they should, but there's 2 tabs (valley folds) that stick up and do nothing.



I wish I could explain this further with pictures but my PC no longer lets me upload anything to the internet.

 

[mchammertime]

I've just printed out and cut everything I need to start my first project, but I have a dilemma that I still havn't solved after 3 hours. It's probably really stupid and obvious but it's really starting to piss me off. :angry



I have a piece with a long edge with no tabs on it, the corresponding edge has several tabs on it, the part I don't get is that 2 of these tabs (2nd and 8th) are valley folds...meaning instead of going under the paper like the other 7 tabs and simply gluing them in place, they apparently go...over? Which makes no sense at all. It seems like they should all be mountain folds so I can glue the flat tab-free side straight on...but this is not the case. I tried starting from a different area but it's the same thing with different pieces.



Further summary: Both edges come together nicely with the majority of the tabs sitting under the paper and lining up with the numbers like they should, but there's 2 tabs (valley folds) that stick up and do nothing.



I wish I could explain this further with pictures but my PC no longer lets me upload anything to the internet.

Sometimes pep models have dotted lines for both mountain and valley folds. If this happens, I would build the model near a computer so you can check if the folds are mountain or valley. I've made the same mistake several times.

 

[SilverSmoke11]

most people use cardstock (110 lb) for their projects, probably because it is sturdy and cheap, plus wont need reinforcement when resining.



NEVER use normal computer paper. Way too thin.

Hey I used regular computer paper like a real NEWB! and was wondering if it was possible at all to resin it.... anything i can use for reenforcements? please tell me i dont hae to start all over..... like can i resin lightly till it get stronger and stronger? maybe a balloon or a mannequin or even a card board design or something.... i just never thought my ironman would come out so well and dont want to start all over from the begining..... please if anyone can help i would appreciate it. thanks SUPER NEWB.lol

 

[Vai]

Sometimes pep models have dotted lines for both mountain and valley folds. If this happens, I would build the model near a computer so you can check if the folds are mountain or valley. I've made the same mistake several times.

Thanks for the reply.

I've checked the Pepakura layout on the PC, Mountain Folds are: - - - - Valley Folds are: -- - -- - -- -

This is the way it's indicated on the pep pieces. I uploaded a pic from another PC to show you what I mean. Again, it's probably something stupid on my behalf that I'm missing... :rolleyes

See those 2 tabs? Those arent supposed to be glued ontop (where the number usually is but I stupidly forgot to activate them) are they? It would make sense for all the tabs to sit underneath.

 

[AceHigh]

All the tabs go on the same side. Mountain or valley is just the way the tab is folded, not the side which it is glued.



What you have is a line that is close to straight. The alternating mountain and valley folds most likely mean that there are slight variations along the line (given that it is curved). Most 3D models aren't "perfect", meaning they actually can't translate to paper without some warping, as a 3D model in the computer has pretty much endless flexibility, while paper actually isn't very flexible at all. Most of the time when you come across lines like this it is better not to make any fold at all and just glue the bottom piece over the tabs of the top piece.

 

[sk8rm1cha3l]

alright guys ive loved odst troopers since they became created they are just bad ass and i love them my freind cassidy said that if i wanted to i could make my own suit which ive always wanted to do and well yea she wants me to go to the convention next year with her any ways i dont have time to reed thru all the posts but the prepkarua is there a certain site that dose that because it didnt explain plzz hellp i realy want to get started on making a suit moddled after the rookie

 

[Vai]

All the tabs go on the same side. Mountain or valley is just the way the tab is folded, not the side which it is glued.



What you have is a line that is close to straight. The alternating mountain and valley folds most likely mean that there are slight variations along the line (given that it is curved). Most 3D models aren't "perfect", meaning they actually can't translate to paper without some warping, as a 3D model in the computer has pretty much endless flexibility, while paper actually isn't very flexible at all. Most of the time when you come across lines like this it is better not to make any fold at all and just glue the bottom piece over the tabs of the top piece.

Hehe yeah I've figured this out now, I went ahead and started a while ago and figured out that a slight curve in model can change the fold value. Thanks for the help though, appreciated.

 

[Walter4]

hey thnx man this helps alot since ill admit it i am a noob at this

 

[xCalvin]

cant seem to find find cardstock where i live uk is there an alternative?

 

[n1njqch1cken]

nice! if i was still looking for something like this (which i'm not now) i would be glad to find this

 

[Ike Andoit]

.dwg files

Hi there all.
I want to have a go at making some Armour, I have access to a cardboard sample cutting table (like a plotter that creases and cuts cardboard) but i need to get my hands on the pep files in .dwg or .dxf format.
Does anyone have these? or is there a way to convert the pep files to CAD files?
the table can cut sheets 3M x 2.5M so i can have less joins than if i print them out on A4 paper, either that or i can print them on the 1.6M wide ink jet at work perhaps.
I would greatly appreciate any assistance anyone could offer :$)
Cheers,
Nathan.

 

[EmpireSpartan]

thank u very much for this! ive been looking for a sticky this specific on pepakura since i joined... although looking in the right section wouldnt have been a bad idea haha

 

[CJ 111]

I'm going to sound like a huge noob, but how do you scale with Pep? I'm 6'2-3 and dont think that half these files were designed for my height...

 

[Sharpshooter336]

are these fit so i can wear them. or is there something i have to do to make them fit to me? Can anyone help me

 

[seansatan117]

Dude. This is EXTREMELY helpful. Thanks alot for this, now maybe im ready to start!

 

[Sharpshooter336]

hey man i found out how to do the sizing and i am now almost done cutting my helmet. time to glue

 

[Jester1014]

Ok I'm going to start my first Armor here within this month or next. Now How do I come by Getting this PEPakura Designer 3?
Do I need a special printer for the cardstock? Those are my 2 biggest hassles at the moment. Also how strong are these suits? can they handle a little rough play like say Paintball? or Just to be a bad#$% outfit to wear out to shows?

 

[Jester1014]

I'm going to sound like a huge noob, but how do you scale with Pep? I'm 6'2-3 and dont think that half these files were designed for my height...

Same here, I'm a bit on the BGY-11 build. (The Big Guy)

 

[Lord Tofu]

hello every one can i ask a super noob question ?
I got the pep for an ironman helmet a nice one but it dosen't do the number line up thing can someone please help me ? and if this question has been ask please forgive me

 

[Dragoman1993]

thanks for the tutorial but i also have a sizing problem. im way too big for a lot of these. can someone direct me to a scaling thread? i was not able to find one. hope im not thread jacking.