program paddle fans

[calico4sr]

Making your own Program Paddle Fans

MATERIALS:
* 2 sheets of cardstock for each fan (one for each side)
* A handle for each fan. We used paint stirrers. I found large tongue depressors to be too small
* Paint (for the handles)
* Spray adhesive
* Scissors: get good, comfortable scissors, or you will end up with blisters on your fingers.
* Paper cutter. This is optional, but it will really make things easier.

You need to make a couple decisions: what shape you want your fan, and what you want printed on each side. Remember when deciding on a shape, that intricate shapes are difficult to cut by hand. The length of our fans (paper part only) was 7 inches. The narrowest part of our fan was 4.5?; widest part was 6.25?. This size gave us a space of 3.75? X 6.25? for printing text or graphics.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Design the shape and size of your fan. Using a scanner (to scan in a line drawing of the shape) get the outline of the desired shape into your computer. Make sure that the very top of the shape is at the very top edge of the paper, within the program.

2. Design your program (both sides) to fit within you desired shape. You will need 2 sheets of cardstock. On the first sheet of cardstock, print the outline of the shape of the fan, and the program text or graphic.

On the second sheet, you will be printing on both sides of the cardstock. On one side, print the program text/graphic, but no outline of the fan shape. On the backside of sheet 2 (side 2), print guidelines for centering the handle. Do this by measuring the width of your handle (mine was 1 1/8? wide) and create a page in your layout with 2 straight lines that are that distance apart, and centered on the page.

3. Cut the sheets to finished length. Using a paper cutter, set the stop so that it cuts the length of the paper of sheet 1 where the bottom of the fan shape is. Then, in assembly line fashion, cut all of sheet 1 and sheet 2 to the same length.

4. Now you need to make your handles. I prefer the paint stirrers, since they are long enough to run the whole length of the fan, adding strength and support to the fan, and a large enough handle to hold onto easily. Paint stirrers vary in size and length, but are usually between 11 and 13 inches long. We painted our handles white, using spray paint. But if you don?t have a lot of outside space, you can use a paint brush and paint them the desired color. Be sure to paint the edges as well.

5. Now you should have all the parts ready and are ready to assemble the fans. I found the easiest way was to make a jig, so that I could do it like an assembly line. Basically, the jig sets everything up so you can put them together straight each time. All you need to do is take a cardboard box, and put sheet 2 in the box, with the backside up (the side with the handle guidelines). Make sure the sheet is pushed into one corner. Now, using a knife, cut a slot in the side of the box, where the handle would have to stick out when glued between the guidelines. This box is your jig!

6. Assembly. Following instructions on the can of adhesive, spray the back side of both sheets with adhesive. Place sheet 2 in the jig, with the handle guides facing up. Place handle between the lines. Be sure to position the handle so that it runs to about an eighth of an inch of the top of the fan. Place sheet 1 on top, using the sides of the box to guide you so that you lay it on straight. Press them together.

7. After the fans have dried, cut them to the desired shape by cutting along the line drawing printed on one side of the fan