Rubber Band Butterfly Surprise Toy

There are many online 3D designs and commercially available wind-up butterflies, as well as instructional videos for making them with wire, safety pins, etc. Most are fairly similar in their overall design and function. This design differs because my focus was on making more colorful butterflies with more intricate color variations than is reasonably possibly by only using a 3D printer. This butterfly design is intended to have printed paper wings glued to the wing frameworks. However, there are solid wing models as well, if one wants to print out the wings completely on a 3D printer.

As mentioned, my focus was on the graphics, and to make the butterfly a little smaller than what is commercially available. This design uses two 0.5 inch /14mm rubber bands. The flight is very short, compared to many of the other options, especially the wire framed options. For my purposes, I will have six different butterflies that will pop out of a poster that is unveiled. The whole effect will be over in just a few seconds, but it still will startle a few people :)

I have included various graphics that can be used to print out colorful paper wings in a color inkjet or laser printer. A PDF is included with mirror images that can be printed back to back, so that the same variety of the more complex butterfly designs is on both side of the paper. I have also included single jpeg images of each of the more colorful butterflies, and some solid primary and secondary color options.

I printed the models with 100% infill and a brim. I used some white PVA glue to adhere the paper printed wings to the framework, and I glued the paper on the side of the wing that would be striking the air when the wing unwinds. Gluing is fairly straightforward; I put a ~10mm drop of glue on a scrap paper and applied or painted on the glue on the wing frame veins using the sharp end of a round toothpick.

The rubber bands that I used (two per butterfly) are for doing braids and such in hair. I like them for their color, which matches the black butterfly bodies, and for their size. However, there might be other rubber bands that work better. I wound them about 50 times. The butterflies will fly a little better if you slightly bend the wings forward in the direction that they travel when unwinding, so that they are more like a fan blade or airplane wing. For example, if you are winding the forewings clockwise while holding the body/hindwings, then you would bend the left forewing toward you; then bend the right forewing away from you. Since the hindwings and body will spin in the opposite direction of the forewings, you can gently bend the hind wings in opposite directions as the forewings. How you bend the wings depends on which way you typically will wind-up the rubber band. I have not tried this, but applying a little lubricant at the point where the forewing touches the hindwing/body might improve the flight as well.

Overall, the flight of these butterflies is a little disappointing (weak, short-lived), but they somewhat make up for that with their colorful wings. After the surprise, I will display the butterflies on the chalkboard, and then they will be more appreciated for the color of the butterfly wings. :)