




Date: Fri, 05 Sep 1997 21:36:23 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On Thu, 4 Sep 1997, Chinh Nguyen wrote:
> over the weekend, i wet-folded montroll's
> three-headed dragon, and was very satisfied with the result.  i made it
> from a 20" x 20"  sheet of emerald water-color paper... i would say this
> model must definitely be wet-folded--if you do it from a standard 10" x
> 10", the dragon ends up a rather unimposing 5" in length.

I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually think
it's very impressing, but I have to admit that I don't like the
three-headed dragon very much.

This is a) because the paper of the main body gets very thick (a good 1"
with my paper) and b) because of the wings. I don't like these wings:
Everything else in this model is carefully folded and very expressive, and
then there are these small, thick flaps to be used as wings. I think that
these wings ruin the impression of the whole model. Now, if you could fold
this model without the wings ...

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Fri, 05 Sep 1997 21:42:28 -0300 (ADT)
From: ROCKYGROD@aol.com
Subject: Re:  Wanted: Vase

I've seen it other places (can't off hand remember) but it was published in
the Origami newletter (OUSA) Fall, 1989 #34.  Good luck

Patty





Date: Fri, 05 Sep 1997 22:49:32 -0300 (ADT)
From: Mike and Janet Hamilton <mikeinnj@concentric.net>
Subject: Origami Sighting

My husband reported an origami sighting on a Foghorn Leghorn cartoon
this afternoon.  Foghorn is a large rooster, teaching a small chick
(that he calls "boy") how to do a rain dance.  Foghorn then fakes rain
and thunder by splashing water and rattling a metal sheet.  "Boy" then
folds a paper airplane, fills it with dry ice, launches it to the
clouds, and really makes it rain.

Janet Hamilton

--
mailto:Mikeinnj@concentric.net
http://www.concentric.net/~Mikeinnj/





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 09:23:11 -0300 (ADT)
From: Chinh Nguyen <chinhsta@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
Subject: Re: Origami Sighting

On Fri, 5 Sep 1997, Mike and Janet Hamilton wrote:

> My husband reported an origami sighting on a Foghorn Leghorn cartoon
> this afternoon.  Foghorn is a large rooster, teaching a small chick
> (that he calls "boy") how to do a rain dance.  Foghorn then fakes rain
> and thunder by splashing water and rattling a metal sheet.  "Boy" then
> folds a paper airplane, fills it with dry ice, launches it to the
> clouds, and really makes it rain.

how about origami sightings in literature?  charles de lint, a writer of
urban fantasy, has a collection of stories called _dreams underfoot_.  in
one of the shorts, there's an eccentric named "paperjack."  he's a
homeless individual who carries bright origami paper with him wherever he
goes.  he's seemingly mute.  passerbys request an animal, and he makes
them one.  sometimes, though, they ask for a fortune, in which case he
uses a fortune teller... his fortunes often have an eerie way of coming
true...





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 09:25:47 -0300 (ADT)
From: Jorma Oksanen <tenu@sci.fi>
Subject: Re: Origami and text adventures

On 01-Sep-97, Eileen Tan (eileen@tristan.TN.CORNELL.EDU) wrote:
>Hi all,

>   Speaking of text adventures, has anyone played "Trinity" by Infocom?
>One of the puzzles involves a paper crane; also, the game packaging
>included instructions for folding the crane.

Quick rush to the drawer of ancient valuables, and there it was:

*Round Pond*

One of the toy boats on the Round Pond catches your eye. The west wind
blows it closer, and you realize that the white sails are actually wings.
It's a folded paper bird, floating just within reach.

>get bird
You lean over the edge of the Round Pond, and pluck the paper bird out of
the water.

>examine bird
The paper bird is skillfully folded from a piece of paper. Something is
written between the folds.

>fold bird
It's already folded quite nicely, thank you.

>tear bird
And ruin the lovely paper bird? Unthinkable.

>unfold paper
You gently unfold the paper bird to its full size.

>fold paper
Your fumbling attempt to fold the paper back into a bird fails.

>tear paper
And ruin the lovely piece of paper? Unthinkable.

_later..._

A set of children's swings moves slowly back and forth in the humid breeze.
Behind them stands a long building, its windows hung with flowers and birds
folded from colored paper.

_later..._

>give paper to girl
The girl's eyes brighten with surprise when she sees the piece of paper.
"Origami," she squeaks, accepting the piece of paper with a gracious bow.
Her fingers explore the creases in the paper, bending them this way and
that. Then, with a few deft maneuvers, she refolds the sheet to its
original shape and handsit back to you.

The edges of the paper bird begin to flicker faintly.

The girl turns the umbrella over and over in her hands.

>w
You ascend into daylight.

*Playground*

A child's sandpile covers the ground at your feet.

Something twitches in your hand.

The paper bird is growing! The wings and tail are unfolding like the petals
of a flower, the long neck craning further and further out of the expanding
body...

You drop the demonic thing with a yelp of dismay. In moments, it opens up
into a monstrous construction of folded paper the size of a foreign car.

>examine bird
It looks like a sixteen-foot version of the paper bird you found in the
Round Pond

>climb on bird
Gulping with fear, you climb into the crackling folds of the giant bird's
back.

With a powerful beat of its wings, the strange creature lifts away from the
ground. Blowing sand obscures the view, but you can hear voices crying out
in wonder. When the air clears, the playground is far below.

*Thin Air, on the giant bird*

The giant bird soars high over the city, banking left and right with
effortless grace. You hear the rhythmic pump of its great wings, wind
whipping past your ears... and, far overhead, the drone of approaching
aircraft.

A speck in the sky grows into the familiar outline of the white door. The
bird circles once, slows to a stall and hovers only a few feet from the
threshold.

Darn it, now I have to go and play all those games again...

--
Jorma "Explorer" Oksanen   tenu@sci.fi

They say I'm negative and indifferent, but I refuse to care.





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 10:52:58 -0300 (ADT)
From: Robert Allan Schwartz <notbob@tessellation.com>
Subject: Re: article about polygons

>  Hi,
>
>  As I have just written a paper about constructions of regular polygons
>in origami, I wonder if it is possible to submit it to appear, for
>instance, into the Origami Interest Group, for those who are interested
>in.
>
>  Thanks for any answer,
>--
> +---------------------------------------------------------------------+
> |    David DUREISSEIX

Regardless of when/where it is published, I would like to receive a copy.
Is that possible?

Thank you,

Robert Schwartz

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert Allan Schwartz       | voice (617) 499-9470  | Freelance instructor
955 Massachusetts Ave. #354 | fax   (617) 868-8209  | of C, C++, OOAD, OODB,
PO Box 9183                 |                       | and Java
Cambridge, MA 02139         | email notbob@tessellation.com

URL   http://www.tessellation.com/index.html

"The problem with being an atheist is that there's no one to talk to
when you're having an orgasm."





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 15:04:11 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Tiny Crimps

On Tue, 2 Sep 1997 gjsmyth@aelmg.adelaide.edu.au wrote:
> Hi Ive been trying to fold this model I got off a South American site
> (link from J. Wu's page) called "Dedalo" (must mean angel or something
> like that) by Gabriel Alvarez.

By any chance, could you tell me the complete URL where you found it? I'm
interested in it as well, but online time is too expensive for me to
search for it at length.

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 16:29:36 -0300 (ADT)
From: Vincent & Veronique <osele@worldnet.fr>
Subject: Re: article about polygons [FR]

Le  5 Sep 97,  notre cher preaux crivait:

> david dureisseix wrote:
> >   As I have just written a paper about constructions of regular polygons
> > in origami, I wonder if it is possible to submit it to appear, for
> > instance, into the Origami Interest Group, for those who are interested
> > in.
> et tu peux aussi le dire en franais !
> sur la liste franaise. Si tu veux y souscrire dis le moi je me
> renseignerais (pour l'instant je ne m'en rapelle plus ':o
> ah au fait si tu as une version franaise peut tre que Vincent Mosele
> serait interess pour le mettre sur sa page web ( a voir sur la liste
> franaise)!

Merci Cyrille, je n'ai rien  ajouter sinon que mon nom est Osele et
pas Mosele, a une lettre pret...
Que oui je suis d'accord et mme intress par mettre l'article ou un
lien ds mes pages Origami.
Que la liste Fr est actullement indispos et qu'il faut attendre
lundi que je contacte Mygale.
Et que sinon, l'inscription est dcrite ds mes pages...

> en tout cas moi je le suis ! si tu l'envoyer via e-mail (quel taille a
> fait ?)

Me too.

a++
Vincent
 _______                                                     _____
|       | Osele Vincent (Toulouse/France) Membre du MFPP    /|    |
|       | osele@mygale.org                                 /_|    |
|       | http://www.mygale.org/09/osele/origami.htm      |       |
|_______| -----------------> ORIGAMI -------------------> |_______|





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 16:44:37 -0300 (ADT)
From: PErick3491@aol.com
Subject: London

Hello everybody.  A friend of mine is going to be visiting family in London.
 While she's there she would like to see what kind of origami paper, books,
etc. is available.  Can anyone make suggestions.  Thanks.  Pat Erickson.





Date: Sat, 06 Sep 1997 21:17:52 -0300 (ADT)
From: Kimberly Crane <kcrane@kimscrane.com>
Subject: Re: London

> Speaking of London, while watching Princess Diana's Funeral today, I
> could not help but notice at the entrance to Westminster Abbey -  via
> TV - a beautiful cluster of a thousand cranes.  (Through my sobbing,
> at least that is what I thought they were.)

Kimberly Crane





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 00:03:42 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

At 09:39 PM 1997-09-05 -0300, you wrote:
......................................
>I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually think
>it's very impressing, but I have to admit that I don't like the
>three-headed dragon very much.........This is a) because the paper of the
main body gets very thick (a good 1" with my paper) and b) because of the
wings. I don't like these wings:
>Everything else in this model is carefully folded and very expressive, and
>then there are these small, thick flaps to be used as wings. I think that
>these wings ruin the impression of the whole model. Now, if you could fold
>this model without the wings ...
>
>Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de

I just got the book recently, and haven't got to the three-headed dragon
yet, but I think I know what you mean by the wings.  When I saw the picture
my first thought was, How does it get off the ground??  Maybe like turkeys
and emus it isn't meant to fly........

                                        Cathy





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 01:50:44 -0300 (ADT)
From: Chinh Nguyen <chinhsta@gwis2.circ.gwu.edu>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Cathy Palmer-Lister wrote:

> I just got the book recently, and haven't got to the three-headed dragon
> yet, but I think I know what you mean by the wings.  When I saw the picture
> my first thought was, How does it get off the ground??  Maybe like turkeys
> and emus it isn't meant to fly........

In general, I love this book, but I don't in particular like the wing
designs of the western dragon or the griffon, either.  They should be
aerodynamic and streamlined, not hexagonal.  Otherwise the griffon would
be perfect.  So I prefer to leave them closed, so they do have a more
"swept" appearance.  I imagine you could do the same for the three-headed
dragon--just slightly angle the closed wing upward.





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 05:04:01 -0300 (ADT)
From: Clarence Deacons <deke@northnet.org>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

SMK >I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually think
SMK >it's very impressing, but I have to admit that I don't like the
SMK >three-headed dragon very much.

SMK >Yours, Sebastian
sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de

Red Elephant Hide ??

  Yeah, I'm a bit out of my league...I was happy to have extra toilet paper
laying about...8)

--
 Isn't it ironic that
   the most appealing attribute a woman has
           is displayed at its best
                      as she's leaving you?

     Clarence Deacons
     Deke@northnet.org





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 05:15:04 -0300 (ADT)
From: Clarence Deacons <deke@northnet.org>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On 07-Sep-97, Cathy Palmer-Lister spake thus:

CP >I just got the book recently, and haven't got to the three-headed dragon
CP >yet, but I think I know what you mean by the wings.  When I saw the
picture
CP >my first thought was, How does it get off the ground??  Maybe like turkeys
CP >and emus it isn't meant to fly........

CP >                                        Cathy

Turkeys fly...8=)

--

     Clarence Deacons
     Deke@northnet.org





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 08:24:32 -0300 (ADT)
From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman)
Subject: Origami Entropy

>>I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually think

Where does one find 20" paper?





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 12:50:30 -0300 (ADT)
From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman)
Subject: Request:  dream-catcher

Can't imagine how it would be done, but has anyone seen/created a
dream-catcher (a la American Indians) from origami?

Many thanks.

-Joel Hoffman
(joel@exc.com)





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 12:56:34 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: Re: dragon wings

At 01:51 AM 1997-09-07 -0300, you wrote:

>In general, I love this book, but I don't in particular like the wing
>designs of the western dragon or the griffon, either.  They should be
>aerodynamic and streamlined, not hexagonal.  Otherwise the griffon would
>be perfect.  So I prefer to leave them closed, so they do have a more
>"swept" appearance.  I imagine you could do the same for the three-headed
>dragon--just slightly angle the closed wing upward.

That's a thought......I'll keep it in mind, thanks!

                                Cathy

PS  Looks like I'm not going to make my goal of having a folded Enterprise
for ConCept, the sci-fi and fantasy convention in Montreal.  I got stuck on
page five, and you wouldn't believe how long it took me to get even that
far!  Looks like it'll have to be dragons again this year, good thing I keep
finding new models to try!

                                        Cathy





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 12:58:21 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: Re: 20 inch paper (Origami Entropy)

At 08:24 AM 1997-09-07 -0300, you wrote:
>>>I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually think
>
>Where does one find 20" paper?

Heaven!

                                Cathy





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 14:19:09 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Origami Wings

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Chinh Nguyen wrote:
> In general, I love this book, but I don't in particular like the wing
> designs of the western dragon or the griffon, either.  They should be
> aerodynamic and streamlined, not hexagonal.

BTW: If you want to see a really good wing design, look at Kawahata's
Pegasus (don't know how that thing is supposed to be able to fly with
these things, but they sure look good) and at Neal Elias' Bird Man (from
the facsimile booklets). I like them, anyway ...

> be perfect.  So I prefer to leave them closed, so they do have a more
> "swept" appearance.  I imagine you could do the same for the three-headed
> dragon--just slightly angle the closed wing upward.

Hm -- I'm still looking for a way of folding this without the wings. But
then again, this would make the main body even thicker, so it probably
isn't such a good idea. Well, I'll have to think about it.

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 14:21:09 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Cathy Palmer-Lister wrote:
> yet, but I think I know what you mean by the wings.  When I saw the picture
> my first thought was, How does it get off the ground??

That's simple -- it flies by magic, of course! At least that's how Terry
Pratchett explains it in "Guards! Guards!". :-)

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 14:23:00 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Clarence Deacons wrote:
> Red Elephant Hide ??

Yes. Elephant hide is quite common over here; the brown variety may be a
little easier to get, but you can get it in a zillion colors -- black,
red, blue, grey, whatever you want.

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 15:23:14 -0300 (ADT)
From: Valerie Vann <valerie_vann@compuserve.com>
Subject: Elephant Hide

Fascinating Folds carries elephant hide pager and
many other specialty papers in large sheets.
They just started carrying Fadeless, both mono
and duo, in rolls...

--valerie





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 16:23:19 -0300 (ADT)
From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman)
Subject: Elephant hide

>Yes. Elephant hide is quite common over here; the brown variety may be a
>little easier to get, but you can get it in a zillion colors -- black,
>red, blue, grey, whatever you want.

Is it hard to fold?





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 18:30:20 -0300 (ADT)
From: preaux <preaux@univ-lyon1.fr>
Subject: Re: article about polygons [FR]

j'ai bien recu le bebe et je l'ai converti en pdf (133 K contre 1,4M).
Je n'ai pas eu le temps de le lire mais ca va venir...

Vincent je t'envoi la version acrobat en mail priv.





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 18:51:12 -0300 (ADT)
From: fold4wet@juno.com (Rosalind F Joyce)
Subject: Re: Crane ring

Crane Ring by Jim Churn - great model!  Ros





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 18:56:11 -0300 (ADT)
From: fold4wet@juno.com (Rosalind F Joyce)
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

Plastic coated florist foil makes terrific 3 headed dragons.  Folds stay
put unless too many inquisitive fingers handle them.  Various coatings
offer some protection.  (The animals aren't thrilled with the taste.)  I
prefer results of wet folding for this model.  I have an almost 4-foot
square of unembossed leatherette just begging for 3 headed dragonhood.
Ros Joyce





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 19:00:52 -0300 (ADT)
From: jeffry kerwood <jkjeff@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Elephant hide

>From Jole:
>Is Elephant hide hard to fold?
>

Nope - it is kinda thick but folds very nicely. If your working with a
bulky model you may find something else that is better (anybody have a
suggestion?).  Elephant hide is incredibly durable, if that matters. I
use it to fold a wallet that I carry in my pocket every day and they
last 6+ months.

Jeff Kerwood. (JKJEFF@HOTMAIL.COM)

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com





Date: Sun, 07 Sep 1997 21:57:30 -0300 (ADT)
From: Mike & Janet Hamilton <Mikeinnj@concentric.net>
Subject: Re: Request:  dream-catcher

Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
>
> Can't imagine how it would be done, but has anyone seen/created a
> dream-catcher (a la American Indians) from origami?

I think the open areas in the net would make it a problem for a model
from a single piece of paper, but maybe you could put something together
as a modular or composite model.  Maybe some of the units in Fuse's
"Unit Origami" or her "Origami Quilts" book would work.

Janet Hamilton

--
mailto:Mikeinnj@concentric.net
http://www.concentric.net/~Mikeinnj/





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 00:32:50 -0300 (ADT)
From: Marcolina <jmarcolina@earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

Sebastian Marius Kirsch wrote:
>
> On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Clarence Deacons wrote:
> > Red Elephant Hide ??
>
> Yes. Elephant hide is quite common over here; the brown variety may be a
> little easier to get, but you can get it in a zillion colors -- black,
> red, blue, grey, whatever you want.
>
Where's over here?

John Marcolina
San Jose, CA.





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 01:20:27 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

Hi Joel!

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
> >>I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually think
> Where does one find 20" paper?

That's not unusual at all, it's a standard format for art paper.
50cm~x~70cm paper is common as dirt here, all kinds of paper (elephant
hide, water color carton, Japanese paper, wrapping paper) are sold in
approximately this format. The next bigger format, 70cm~x~100cm, is
usually a bit more difficult to find, but you can also get elephant hide
in this format.

Say, perhaps you are looking at the wrong place? If you want really good
paper, you mustn't look under "origami paper". I get my paper at art
supply stores and office supply stores, where it is sold per sheet. You
can also get Japanese handmade papers at just about every better art
supply store here. It is sold in sheets of approximately 50cm~x~70cm. One
sheet of elephant hide is about $1, a sheet of Canson watercolor carton is
about 2$, and Japanese papers are from $1 to $8 a sheet, IIRC.

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 01:24:23 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: 20 inch paper (Origami Entropy)

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Cathy Palmer-Lister wrote:
> >Where does one find 20" paper?
> Heaven!

Not at all, as I stated in a ||-mail. Gee -- don't tell there are no
folks in the USA that need 20"x28" paper. I mean, in what formats is
wrapping paper sold over there?

Speaking of big paper sizes: I wetfolded Herman van Goubergen's Gorilla
from a 20" sheet of grey Canson watercolor carton. The model looks great
-- but now I don't know where to put it, it being 10" long and 8" high!
:-) BTW: If you have a chance of getting diagrams for Herman's Gorilla,
try it in any case. It is _the_ definitive gorilla model that is out
there. I can't imagine that there might be a better one.

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 02:04:49 -0300 (ADT)
From: "Chamberlain, Clare" <Clare.Chamberlain@health.wa.gov.au>
Subject:

Dear Mad Corsican

You have just solved one of the world's great unsolved mysteries as to
how BOS got started.

Any of you who have had the pleasure of visiting a public or
institutional  toilet in the UK (apologies to our American friends),
will have realised that what is apparently there to serve as toilet
paper is almost (but not quite completely) non-absorbent.  It closely
resembles greaseproof paper, and in childhood, many of us escaped
classes by sitting in the school loos (i.e. toilets) either smoking or
playing with this paper to pass the time and think up excuses as to why
we hadn't done our homework!  (Probably explains why we were all
constipated, but that is not for your delicate eyes)

If you have doubts about this paper, I tell the truth in saying my
geography note books are full of maps traced on to this stuff, the top
of each sheet being printed, "Now Wash Your Hands".

So when you say you fold toilet paper, please define what you mean -
mind you, it's still better than the skin of poor, defenseless, red (or
white ) elephants! (May be they are red from using English toilet
paper??)

Yours irreverently (or is it irrelevantly),

Clare

Clare Chamberlain
Planning Officer
Program, Planning and Purchasing
Health Department of Western Australia
189 Royal Street, EAST PERTH, WA 6004
Clare.Chamberlain@health.wa.gov.au





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 05:19:13 -0300 (ADT)
From: Clarence Deacons <deke@northnet.org>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On 07-Sep-97, Sebastian Marius Kirsch spake thus:

SMK >That's simple -- it flies by magic, of course! At least that's how Terry
SMK >Pratchett explains it in "Guards! Guards!". :-)

SMK >Yours, Sebastian
sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de

Gotta love Pratchett 8)

--
 Isn't it ironic that
   the most appealing attribute a woman has
           is displayed at its best
                      as she's leaving you?

     Clarence Deacons
     Deke@northnet.org





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 05:56:38 -0300 (ADT)
From: Maarten van Gelder <M.J.van.Gelder@rc.rug.nl>
Subject: Re: article about polygons

David,

m>   As I have just written a paper about constructions of regular polygons
m> in origami, I wonder if it is possible to submit it to appear, for
m> instance, into the Origami Interest Group, for those who are interested
m>  |    David DUREISSEIX                                                 |

Can you upload it to the archives?
You can do that by FTP:

   FTP  ftp.rug.nl
   user:        anonymous
   password:    <your email address>
   >            cd origami/.incoming
   >            put filename

Maarten van Gelder,           Rekencentrum RuG,  RijksUniversiteit Groningen
M.J.van.Gelder@rc.rug.nl                            Nederland





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 07:25:06 -0300 (ADT)
From: DLister891@aol.com
Subject: Re: article about polygons

Maarten,

I have just received an E-mail from you, requesting an upload of an article
on Regular polygons.

Apparently the original message to you was from David DUREISSSEX.

I think you must have got the wrong E-mail address, because your have sent it
to me  David LISTER. Far too many Davids in origami!!

I read David's original message to Origami-L and thought I should like to
have a copy of his article when it became available, so i'm looking forward
to it appearing in the Archives.

Incidentally, I think a new race of Internet subscribers has come into being
who know only E-mail and the Web. They know nothing about the mysteries of
FTP. I wonder if you would be so kind as to add an explanation of "How to do
FTP" to your very helpful periodic postings about access to the ARchives
which you send to Origami-L?

Best wishes,

David Lister.





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 11:14:40 -0300 (ADT)
From: Maarten van Gelder <M.J.van.Gelder@rc.rug.nl>
Subject: Re: article about polygons

David,

m>   I have just upload the file to the anonymous ftp site.
m> The file name is polye.ps.

I've moved it (1M5) to the articles directory and added a PKZIP
compressed file (400k).

Maarten van Gelder,           Rekencentrum RuG,  RijksUniversiteit Groningen
M.J.van.Gelder@rc.rug.nl                            Nederland





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 14:28:52 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

On Mon, 8 Sep 1997, Marcolina wrote:
> Where's over here?

"over here" is Germany, to be precise, the south-western corner, just a
few miles north of the french border. (You can easily tell from my
email-addresses. The .de denotes Germany.)

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 14:36:50 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Elephant hide

Hi Joel!

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
> >Yes. Elephant hide is quite common over here; the brown variety may be a
> Is it hard to fold?

Not if you wetfold it.

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 15:29:58 -0300 (ADT)
From: RA Kennedy <kennedra@isdugp.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: London

> Hello everybody.  A friend of mine is going to be visiting family in London.
>  While she's there she would like to see what kind of origami paper, books,
> etc. is available.  Can anyone make suggestions.  Thanks.  Pat Erickson.

Hi Pat

Here is some information I sent to the list some time ago. I believe the
information to be still correct:

I sent a longish message to Terry Hall, for inclusion in the list he is
compiling of world-wide origami suppliers. Briefly the following shops
may be worth a visit:

(Sorry, I don't have an address for Terry Hall to hand)

Books Nippon
64-66 St. Paul's Churchyard,
london EC4M 8AA

(0171) 248 4956

nearest tube: St. Pauls

Book Ends
1-3 Exhibition Road,
South Kensington,
london SW7 2HE

(0171) 589 2285

nearest tube: South Kensington

Japan Centre Bookshop,
212, Piccadilly,
london W1V 9LD

(0171) 439 8035

nearest tube: Piccadilly

Neal Street East

(near Covent Garden)

If you're looking for paper, in addition to the above, you
should try to find Paperchase. I think there's a branch in Tottenham Court
Road.

The cheapest origami paper in London is from a chain of Japanese no-brand
shops, called Muji. There are several in London - one near Covent Garden,
another near Libertys. Check a London 'phone directory for the addresses!

Quite a few origami books do make it into the remainder bookshops, so they
are worth a visit if you pass one. Stock varies a lot from month to month,
so it's hard to give advice. I've bought several of Paul Jackson's books,
Paulo Mulatinho's beautiful 'Origami' & Kenneway's 'Complete Origami' in
this way.

Most of the larger bookshops in London will carry some origami books.
You might try Hatchards in Piccadilly for instance.

Hope this helps.

Richard Kennedy
(R.A.Kennedy@bham.ac.uk)





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 15:38:27 -0300 (ADT)
From: Mr & Mrs Owen <djowen@pcl.net>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

I wish! There is nothing around here like that.
mother of the folder
joyceowen@hotmail.com

----------
> From: Sebastian Marius Kirsch <skirsch@t-online.de>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <origami-l@nstn.ca>
> Subject: Re: Origami Entropy
> Date: Sunday, September 07, 1997 11:21 PM
>
> Hi Joel!
>
> On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
> > >>I made one from a 20" sheet of red elephant hide. People usually
think
> > Where does one find 20" paper?
>
> That's not unusual at all, it's a standard format for art paper.
> 50cm~x~70cm paper is common as dirt here, all kinds of paper (elephant
> hide, water color carton, Japanese paper, wrapping paper) are sold in
> approximately this format. The next bigger format, 70cm~x~100cm, is
> usually a bit more difficult to find, but you can also get elephant hide
> in this format.
>
> Say, perhaps you are looking at the wrong place? If you want really good
> paper, you mustn't look under "origami paper". I get my paper at art
> supply stores and office supply stores, where it is sold per sheet. You
> can also get Japanese handmade papers at just about every better art
> supply store here. It is sold in sheets of approximately 50cm~x~70cm. One
> sheet of elephant hide is about $1, a sheet of Canson watercolor carton
is
> about 2$, and Japanese papers are from $1 to $8 a sheet, IIRC.
>
> Yours, Sebastian
sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 18:23:48 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: dragon wings

At 02:21 PM 1997-09-07 -0300, you wrote:
>On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, Cathy Palmer-Lister wrote:
>> yet, but I think I know what you mean by the wings.  When I saw the picture
>> my first thought was, How does it get off the ground??
>
>That's simple -- it flies by magic, of course! At least that's how Terry
>Pratchett explains it in "Guards! Guards!". :-)
>
>Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de

Hmmm......Terry can explain most things.........sort of.........I haven't
read Guards, I'm still recuperating from soul Music.  I'm thankful he
doesn't write origami instructions.  I'm sitting here with a mental picture
of Death folding squares of paper ......

                                                                        Cathy





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 19:10:40 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

At 01:21 AM 1997-09-08 -0300, you wrote:

>> Where does one find 20" paper?
>
>That's not unusual at all, it's a standard format for art paper.
>50cm~x~70cm paper is common as dirt here........... 70cm~x~100cm, is
>usually a bit more difficult to find,........

AHHH........now I understand!  50x70 is not square.........that sort of
paper one can find but around here it's very expensive.  I folded a dragon
from a 9$ sheet and it flopped.  The paper was gorgeous, the dragon kept
falling apart.  Nice model, nice paper, but they weren't made for one
another.  I can't afford too many mistakes like that.

I've found nice wrapping paper, but it's usually sold folded
already........and the folding is dreadfully bad, the corners don't match.
Rolls are a pain to cut.  Which reminds me---After the discussion on rotary
cutters awhile back, I ran out and bought one, but I have not had much luck
with it.  It has a tendency to waver.  any suggestions on how to get better
use of it?

                                                                        Cathy





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 19:18:02 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: Re: Request:  dream-catcher

You could try something along the lines of a tesselation--the "open"  spaces
would show when you put the dream catcher against a window.
                                                        Cathy

At 09:58 PM 1997-09-07 -0300, you wrote:
>Dr. Joel M. Hoffman wrote:
>>
>> Can't imagine how it would be done, but has anyone seen/created a
>> dream-catcher (a la American Indians) from origami?
>
>I think the open areas in the net would make it a problem for a model
>from a single piece of paper, but maybe you could put something together
>as a modular or composite model.  Maybe some of the units in Fuse's
>"Unit Origami" or her "Origami Quilts" book would work.
>
>Janet Hamilton
>
>--
>mailto:Mikeinnj@concentric.net
>http://www.concentric.net/~Mikeinnj/





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 19:21:40 -0300 (ADT)
From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman)
Subject: Elephant hide

>> >Yes. Elephant hide is quite common over here; the brown variety may be a
>> Is it hard to fold?
>
>Not if you wetfold it.

I've seen that term before --- wetfold.  What does it mean?





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 19:22:13 -0300 (ADT)
From: Howard Portugal <howardp@fast.net>
Subject: Convention 98

What are the dates for the '98 convention?
--
Howard Portugal   |  When you have eliminated the impossible,
West Chester, PA  |  whatever remains, however improbable,
howardp@fast.net  |  must be the truth.
                 |  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
                 |  Sherlock Holmes, in The Sign of Four, ch. 6 (1889).





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 19:42:16 -0300 (ADT)
From: "Ortiz, Cathy" <CORTIZ@foxsportsintl.com>
Subject: RE: Origami Entropy

I love mine and use it all the time. I use the square cardboard pieces
that come in the packages of origami paper as a template. I take a large
sheet of paper and fan fold it to accommodate the template. Then I use
paper clips to hole the
template in place. Line up a cork or rubber backed metal ruler with the
template and press hard on the ruler and cut!. I only cut about 4 layers
at a time in order to get a cleaner cut. I remove one paper clip at a
time and rotate it around to an un-cut edge and cut again. Then I start
again on the rest of the fan folded sheet. I have also heard of people
using the clear acrylic templates that quilters use, but they're too
thick for the paper clips and are smooth and slide around on the paper.
Good Luck. Write back if you have questions.
CathyO.

> ----------
> From:         Cathy Palmer-Lister[SMTP:cathypl@generation.net]
> Reply To:     origami-l@nstn.ca
> Sent:         Monday, September 08, 1997 3:11 PM
> To:   Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:      Re: Origami Entropy
>
> At 01:21 AM 1997-09-08 -0300, you wrote:
>
>
>
> >> Where does one find 20" paper?
> >
> >That's not unusual at all, it's a standard format for art paper.
> >50cm~x~70cm paper is common as dirt here........... 70cm~x~100cm, is
> >usually a bit more difficult to find,........
>
>
> AHHH........now I understand!  50x70 is not square.........that sort
> of
> paper one can find but around here it's very expensive.  I folded a
> dragon
> from a 9$ sheet and it flopped.  The paper was gorgeous, the dragon
> kept
> falling apart.  Nice model, nice paper, but they weren't made for one
> another.  I can't afford too many mistakes like that.
>
> I've found nice wrapping paper, but it's usually sold folded
> already........and the folding is dreadfully bad, the corners don't
> match.
> Rolls are a pain to cut.  Which reminds me---After the discussion on
> rotary
> cutters awhile back, I ran out and bought one, but I have not had much
> luck
> with it.  It has a tendency to waver.  any suggestions on how to get
> better
> use of it?
>
>
>
> Cathy





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 20:11:16 -0300 (ADT)
From: jeffry kerwood <jkjeff@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

>From: Cathy
After the discussion on rotary
>cutters awhile back, I ran out and bought one, but I have not had much
luck
>with it.  It has a tendency to waver.  any suggestions on how to get
better
>use of it?
>
>
>
Cathy
>

============================================

 I have used one quite a bit. I get the best results using the cutter
with a template. I have a relative who can cut me metal templates that
work great but FF sells plastic ones I hear work fine. My inital
problems were getting the pieces really square. Templates solved that. I
never had the problem of wavy lines. I use a metal ruler and just hold
it down hard, kind of "slideling" my holding fingers so that they stay
next to where the cutter is cutting.  That being said I don't really
love templates. I much prefer to use a frame makers mat cutter. To use a
template you have to stand over it and make sure it doesn't move while
you finagel the cutter around all sides.  It works but is awkward for
me.

Jeff Kerwood - (JKJEFF@HOTMAIL.COM)

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 20:21:17 -0300 (ADT)
From: jeffry kerwood <jkjeff@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Elephant hide

>From: joel@exc.com (Dr. Joel M. Hoffman)

>I've seen that term before --- wetfold.  What does it mean?
>

==========================

Joel. wet folding is where you dampen the paper (paper thats good for
wetfolding that is, like elephant paper)  before folding it. Fold it
before it finishs drying. With the right model, paper and folding
technique you end up with a sturdy model that shows shape (like a curve
on the side of an animals body). There is lots written about this. I'm
sure you will find lots of info and references by searching origami-l
archives on Alex Batemans web site (I don't know the URL, I just do a
network search on ORIGAMI and BATEMAN).

-- Jeff Kerwood (JKJEFF@HOTMAIL.COM)

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 20:21:50 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy Palmer-Lister <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: rotary cutter

thanks, I do use those cardboard squares as templates, but I don't use paper
clips as I thought it might mark the paper.  It's hard to keep things from
slipping.  Maybe the plastic coated clips would work--I'll have to give it
another shot!

                                                                CAthy

At 07:42 PM 1997-09-08 -0300, you wrote:
>I love mine and use it all the time. I use the square cardboard pieces
>that come in the packages of origami paper as a template. I take a large
>sheet of paper and fan fold it to accommodate the template. Then I use
>paper clips to hole the
>template in place. Line up a cork or rubber backed metal ruler with the
>template and press hard on the ruler and cut!. I only cut about 4 layers
>at a time in order to get a cleaner cut. I remove one paper clip at a
>time and rotate it around to an un-cut edge and cut again. Then I start
>again on the rest of the fan folded sheet. I have also heard of people
>using the clear acrylic templates that quilters use, but they're too
>thick for the paper clips and are smooth and slide around on the paper.
>Good Luck. Write back if you have questions.
>CathyO.





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 20:36:11 -0300 (ADT)
From: Cathy <cathypl@generation.net>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

............. I use a metal ruler and just hold
> it down hard, kind of "slideling" my holding fingers so that they stay
> next to where the cutter is cutting.  ............

That's what I find hard, holding the ruler next to where I'm cutting.  A
third hand would come in handy....

That being said I don't really
> love templates. I much prefer to use a frame makers mat cutter.

What is this, how is it used, and what does it cost?

                     Cathy





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 20:43:39 -0300 (ADT)
From: "Ortiz, Cathy" <CORTIZ@foxsportsintl.com>
Subject: RE: rotary cutter

I have not had any problem with the clips marking the paper. Plastic
coated is a good idea. You can also fold a small post-it note over the
edges to be sure they don't make a mark. Be sure to apply pressure with
the cutter towards the
ruler or straight edge to stay on track.
CathyO.
> ----------
> From:         Cathy Palmer-Lister[SMTP:cathypl@generation.net]
> Reply To:     origami-l@nstn.ca
> Sent:         Monday, September 08, 1997 4:21 PM
> To:   Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:      rotary cutter
>
> thanks, I do use those cardboard squares as templates, but I don't use
> paper
> clips as I thought it might mark the paper.  It's hard to keep things
> from
> slipping.  Maybe the plastic coated clips would work--I'll have to
> give it
> another shot!
>
>                                                                 CAthy





Date: Mon, 08 Sep 1997 22:16:56 -0300 (ADT)
From: Jeff Goff <jmgoff@concentric.net>
Subject: Re: Origami Sighting

At 09:24 AM 9/6/97 -0300, you wrote:
>On Fri, 5 Sep 1997, Mike and Janet Hamilton wrote:
>
>how about origami sightings in literature?  charles de lint, a writer of
>urban fantasy, has a collection of stories called _dreams underfoot_.  in
>one of the shorts, there's an eccentric named "paperjack."  he's a
>homeless individual who carries bright origami paper with him wherever he
>goes.  he's seemingly mute.  passerbys request an animal, and he makes
>them one.  sometimes, though, they ask for a fortune, in which case he
>uses a fortune teller... his fortunes often have an eerie way of coming
>true...
>

Here's a (probably famous already) instance.

A character in Anne McCaffrey's _Rowan_ series (no longer a trilogy) makes a
hobby of Origami. Models appear throughout the books, but there aren't any
really pivotal uses.
-Jeff <jmgoff@concentric.net>





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 00:48:22 -0300 (ADT)
From: Valerie Vann <valerie_vann@compuserve.com>
Subject: Rotating Ring of Tetrahedrons

I have just put up some instructions ("diagrams") on my web site for
making a rotating ring of six tetrahedrons. Nothing spectacular:
there are lots of ways to make these, but I thought some of you
might enjoy this one.

The ring is made from a half square of paper (ordinary bond letter
paper works just fine, as do magazine pages, etc.
This model has the additional property of being "portable", as it
will fold flat when not in use, and pop back into operational form, just
the thing for those boring meetings..

The direct URL is:

http://people.delphi.com/vvann/rotatets.html

The directions are in an Acrobat Reader PDF file, and include a colored page
for those with access to a color printer; the paper is patterned so each of the
4 "faces" of the ring is a different color.

Valerie Vann
valerivann@aol.com
valerie_vann@compuserve.com
  Mostly Modular/Geometric Origami Web Pages:
    http://people.delphi.com/vvann/index.html
    http://members.aol.com/valerivann/index.html





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 01:32:59 -0300 (ADT)
From: skirsch@t-online.de (Sebastian Marius Kirsch)
Subject: Re: Elephant hide

On Sun, 7 Sep 1997, jeffry kerwood wrote:
> If you're working with a bulky model you may find something else that is
> better (anybody have a suggestion?).

Foil-backed mulberry paper, preferably. :-)

Yours, Sebastian               sebastian_kirsch@kl.maus.de,skirsch@t-online.de





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 02:14:07 -0300 (ADT)
From: dragon@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Subject: Origami Folding Festival

Hello everyone, I just wanted to take this opportunity to let all of you
know about a forthcoming Origami Festival held in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada.  We have held the festival for several years now and it is a
chance for folders to get together and share their love of origami.  It
seems that each year our festival grows.  The festival is presented by the
Old Strathcona Model and Toy Museum and the Consulate-General of Japan,
Edmonton Public Library and the Friends of Folding - Edmonton.

If anyone is in the Edmonton area please drop by. The Festival is held at
the Main Branch of the Edmonton Public Library _Stanley Milner Library It
was formally the Centennial Library.   The dates are Saturday
October 25 ( 10 am - 5pm)  and Sunday October 27 (1pm- 4 pm).  Admission
is free.  If you are interested in participating in the festival (putting
up a display, selling something, or want to help out at the self folding
table.  Please let me know and I will direct you to the appropriate
parties involved.

If you have any questions please don't hesitate to e-mail me.

Hope to see you there.

Lynda Hayashi





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 10:04:22 -0300 (ADT)
From: PErick3491@aol.com
Subject: Re: London

Dear Richard,
This is the first time I've replied to a message on the list, so if I do
something wrong, please be patient.  I have no idea how you do those little
quotations in replies, so I'm just sending this out into the blue, hoping for
the best--computer illiterate!  Anyway, thanks for the reply about places to
sook for paper, books, etc. in London.  I'll e-mail to my friend immediately.
 Pat Erickson





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 10:05:46 -0300 (ADT)
From: jeffry kerwood <jkjeff@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

>From: Cathy <cathypl@generation.net>
>> I don't really
>> love templates. I much prefer to use a frame makers mat cutter.
>
>What is this, how is it used, and what does it cost?
>
>                  Cathy
>

====================
It is a board about 8" x 40" with a bar on it which holds the paper
securely and guides the cutter. It also has another "liner upper" bar
which measures the size of the paper and keeps it square with the
cutter. I got mine a while ago but I think it costs about $100.00. You
can find them in art stores. The down side to them is that they only cut
squares up to about 8". I think you could make a contrivance so it could
cut bigger squares but I haven't come up with that yet (if you do let me
know). They really work great, are easy to use, the squares are square
and it can easily cut up to 15 sheets (I have done 30 and it worked but
was too scary). I needed to cut about 3000 pieces for 12 fuse quilts for
next Christmas so I thought, researched, experimented and conferred a
lot to find the best (or at least a really good solution). If you want
one and can't find it let me know and I'll help you track one down.

______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 11:32:13 -0300 (ADT)
From: Daddy-o D'gou <dwp@transarc.com>
Subject: Re: Origami Entropy

Jeff Kerwood, replying to Cathy Palmer-Lister, describing mat cutters,
indited:
+It is a board about 8" x 40" with a bar on it which holds the paper
+securely and guides the cutter. It also has another "liner upper" bar
+which measures the size of the paper and keeps it square with the
+cutter. I got mine a while ago but I think it costs about $100.00. You
+can find them in art stores. The down side to them is that they only cut
+squares up to about 8". I think you could make a contrivance so it could
+cut bigger squares but I haven't come up with that yet (if you do let me
+know). They really work great, are easy to use, the squares are square
+and it can easily cut up to 15 sheets ...

Interesting, I have often thought about mat cutters, but they seemed
like such over kill!  ;-)

The "problem" with mat and rotary/guillitone cutters is two fold:
    How big of a square can you cut?
    How easily can you make sure your cuts are square?

Rotary and mat cutters (based on Jeff's message) are set up to make squares,
but guillotine cutters are more problematic.  They tend to drag the paper as
they cut.  I have yet to personally come across one where the line up bar is
square to the cutting edge, but maybe I've just been unlucky.

The "How big" problem is two fold (aie!) annoying:
    a)  How wide a sheet of paper can you fit under the cutting blade
    b)  How long of a sheet can you measure while making a true (a real
        90-degree) cut?

Like computer monitors, paper cutters (and maybe mat cutters, I haven't
researched those) go up in price very quickly when their size goes up
by a little bit.  Adding a few inches of cutting length can cost a
lot.  Because you can _not_ easily make a compound straight cut, the
length of the cutting bar will limit how wide of a sheet you can cut.
If you want to be able to cut 36" squares, you need a cutter with a 36"
cutting rail.  A 36" paper cutter is way more than twice as expensive
as an 18" one. :-(

The second limiting factor for a paper cutter (again, I can't speak for
mat cutters) is how long of a piece you can cut.  This sounds kinda
weird, and I thought it was too, before I bought my paper cutter.  The
paper cutter I have can make a cut up to about 16" wide.  The bed of
the cutter (it is a rotary cutter) is only about 11-12" long.  If I
want to cut a square less than 12" on a side, no problem.  If I want to
cut a 16" square, big hassle.  Because the bed isn't long enough, I
can't use the markings on it to make the square.  That means I either
have to pinch or mark the edge of the paper at the right length.  Maybe
it is just me, but I have never had good results doing that.  Markings
are too wide, even with the finest marker, and pinches are very hard to
see and line up with.  As a result I get rectangles that are ALMOST
square, but the difference is enough to be annoying, esp. considering
the amount of work it takes to get that close.

If you are cutting lots of small-ish squares, a rotary or mat cutter
will probably suit just fine, and you can get a nice one for about $100
or less.

If you want to cut large squares, you have about three kinds of choices:
    a) a large length cutter - very expensive, but otherwise OK.
    b) templates
    c) manual measurement and alignment.

I would love to have a 56" (or larger) paper cutter, but the last I
priced them it would have cost about $10/inch!  The price per inch
goes up as the total length of the cutter goes up.  Making a long
straight edge (and supporting it so that it stays straight) is
expensive. :-(

For most of my cutting I use templates instead.  Lexan plastic or a
hard metal are the "ideal" materials for templates because the knife
blade won't cut into them very easily.  Cardboard and other materials
can be used, but more care is required that you don't gouge or nick the
template as you cut.  The nice thing about lexan is that you can see
through it, so you can see where your cuts will go relative to any
patterns or colors on the paper.  I tried to get lexan templates
locally but couldn't get any of the suppliers interested once they
learned that I had to have exact squares.  I prefer to support local
businesses, but since I couldn't, I got my templates from Fascinating
Folds.  Their templates are guaranteed square.  I see from their web
page that they also now have some A-series templates and a set of
business card templates too.

One downside to templates is that you can't easily crank out tons of
squares, say for an origami quilt.  For that, you'd probably want a
rotary or mat cutter.

The second downside to templates is that they are fixed size.

Manual measurement and alignment can be made a lot easier with a
gridded self-healing cutting mat, but I have always found this method
to be very tedious and error prone.  Something seems to slip and I my
"squares" get one or more goofed up corners.  I know of one folder who
uses a large cutting mat, metal straight edges and T-squares and has
good results.  I haven't the space to leave such a cutting jig in
place, and I haven't the patience to set it up for making just one or
two squares.

More info than I thought I'd write, hope it is useful!

-D'gou

P.S.  Search the archives too, this topic reappears from time to time.





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 11:55:10 -0300 (ADT)
From: DLister891@aol.com
Subject: London

Thanks to Richard Kennedy for providing Pat Erikson with an origamical guide
to London. I was thinking of trying to reply, but I just don't have the
information at my finger tips.

I think it has to be said that London is not exactly a paradise for paper
folders. It does poorly in comparison with many cities in the United States.
In the country as a whole bookshops are dominated by the W.H.Smith and Sons
chain, who will sell any origami books currently in print, but they don't
seem to have realised that if people are going to fold paper, they need
origami paper. For some reason it is very difficult to buy origami paper
casually.

Among bookshops, Foyles, in Charing Cross Road should be mentioned. It is
huge and chaotic, but it does have its points and for anyone who knows his
way round it, (that takes assiduous practice over many visits), a book can
often be found there which is unobtainable anywhere else in London. Until a
few years ago, it was about the best shop in London for paperfolding books.
In recent years, the number of origami books has declined, (perhaps because
of a less enthusiastic buyer). Even so, they have a good section of
papercraft books in wide variety. Perhaps the dearth of origami books merely
reflects the small number being published in Britain at pressent. I was there
about six months ago, however and things seemed to have looked up a bit. The
papercrafts section in in the art department on the second floor and in front
of you as you come up the escalator.

Apart from Foyles, which has only one shop, there are quite a lot of branches
of the two excellent bookshop chains of Dillons and of Waterstones around
London. The venerable old bookshop, Hatchards in Piccadilly is now a branch
of Dillons, although they still preserve something of the approach and
atmosphere of Hatchards when it was independent. There is also a branch of
Blackwells, the august Oxford booksellers, in Charing Cross Road, not very
far from Foyles, but I admit that I have never seen a paperfolding book
there. Still, it's good on computing and literature. All these shops may have
a few paperfolding books. But London is overbrimming with bookshops of every
kind: general, specialist, new, second-hand, remainder and utterly bizarre.
Charing Cross Road and the streets like Cecil Place, off it, and the streets
round the British Musum are two of the main areas of bookshops. Don't forget
the bookshops in the museums. They often have books of interest to a
paperfolder, such as books on papyrus in the British Museum or books on
polyhedra in the Science museum. There is also the Dover Bookshop in Earlham
Street, near Cambridge Circus, which is half way up Charing Cross Road. They
sell Origami books published by Dover, but they would be better bought in
North America by anyone coming from there.

I can confirm that there is a branch of Paperchase in Tottenham Court Road. I
believe it's their main branch and it has a wide variety of papers of all
sorts. But it's not as good as it used to be. In the old days, it sold
origami books and papers, but then someone came in and rationalised it and
concentrated on only profitable lines. The shop is almost oppostite Goodge
Street tube station on the West End branch of the Northern Line. (avoid the
City branch of the Northern Line for this purpose.)

There used to be a chain of Japanese shops called Mizuhiku (or Mitsukiku)
scattered round London (and some other British cities) but I haven't visited
one for several yers. I remember there was one in Sloane Square. They sold
origami paper and a few small origami books, but nothing to get excited
about.

To be honest, however, there are other things to see in London besides
bookshops. At one time I had a rule never to visit a bookshop in London, but
it was a rule that soon got bent and then shattered. Just look where I have
ended up!.

David Lister

Grimsby, England.

DLister891@AOL.com





Date: Tue, 09 Sep 1997 12:32:29 -0300 (ADT)
From: DORIGAMI@aol.com
Subject: Re:  RE: Origami Entropy

Can you explain to me what Origami Entropy means....have I missed something
while I was away......Please someone, explain.....Dorigami
