mediumVehicles

Red Truck

Pieces30

Sheets10

Finished size

17.5 x 26 x 15cm

PDF or kit?

01Print

Paper size. Templates are laid out for A4 (210 x 297 mm). Letter (8.5 x 11 in) works for most models too. Check the print preview to make sure no part runs off the edge.
Paper weight. Use 160 to 230 gsm cardstock. Office paper is too soft to hold a shape, and much heavier stock cracks when you fold it.
Scale. Print at 100%, sometimes called "actual size". Turn off "fit to page" and "shrink to fit", or the parts will not line up.
Quality. Pick the best quality setting your printer has and turn off any draft or ink saving mode. Thin lines are easier to follow when they are crisp.
Double sided templates. If a template has back pages, print double sided and flip on the long edge. Run one test page first to check the two sides line up.

02Cut

Use a sharp blade. Cut with a craft knife against a metal ruler, on a cutting mat. Swap the blade as soon as it starts to drag or tear the paper.
Small parts first. Cut inside corners and small details before you free the part from the sheet. A full sheet is much easier to hold still.
Keep parts in order. Lay the parts out in the order you cut them. If a part number gets trimmed off, pencil it on the back.

03Score and fold

Score before you fold. Run a bone folder or an empty ballpoint pen along each dashed line with a ruler. You want to dent the paper. Never cut through it.
Fold everything once. Fold every line on a part before you glue anything. It is far easier while the part is still flat in your hands.

04Glue

Less glue than you think. Spread a thin layer on the tab with a toothpick or a scrap of card. Too much glue warps the paper and squeezes out of the seam.
One tab at a time. Press each joint and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds before you move to the next one.
Build in sections. Put together the small sections first, let them dry, then join them. Close the model up with the largest, easiest to reach seam.