Bela Is Done!
The next step in Halloween blogging is the pic of Bela, the Mechanical Papercraft Bat. Go here to get the .pdf files necessary to make one yourself.
The learning process leads me to certain conclusions. First, I printed the bat makin's on heavy photo paper. It would better to use heavier stock than that. In fact, I'd say the heaviest paper you can get through your printer is the best bet. It all holds together well with the photo paper but the disks that turn the handles which hold the cam to the bat need to be stiffer than my construction allows. I'll put some kind of brace on mine (it's the wheel inside the "tombstone" that needs to be inflexibly stiff).
Being not the most handy with papercraft, I suggest you try building one with light paper as a trial run and then doing it for real with heavy card stock. I may be a pushover for the spooky holiday but I like this thing.