How to Make a Glider Towel Glider Roll

Have friendly flying competitions with different gliders.

Making a glider out of a towel roll is a creative way to express your passion for aviation. Before discarding empty paper towel rolls, consider the enjoyment a child will have using it as the body of a glider plane. Cut and fold the roll -- or tube -- into the shape of a glider before coating the craft with paint, glitter or stickers. Once completed, take the glider into the backyard. Toss it and watch it fly.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towel roll
• Scissors
• Permanent epoxy
• Straight-edge knife
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup flour
• Pot
• Small bowl
• 1-by-3-inch newspaper strips (multiple)
• 1-by-3-inch paper towel strips (multiple)
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Stickers (optional)
• Glitter (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut a paper towel roll in half lengthwise. Place one of the halves onto a flat surface. Adjust the half so one of the short ends is facing you.

2. Fold the bottom right corner toward center. Crease the fold. Fold the bottom left corner toward center. Crease the fold. The bottom of the half now resembles a triangular point.

3. Fold the right edge of the half over the left edge. Crease the fold. Bond the pressed edges together with permanent epoxy. The body of the glider is now created -- the tip representing the nose of the glider.

4. Cut the second half of the cardboard paper towel roll from step 1 into two narrow strips. Fold one of the short ends on the first strip over the opposite end. The main glider wings are now created.

5. Slice a horizontal hole to a width matching the short ends of the glider wings with a straight-edge knife. Slide the wings into the hole.

6. Cut the second narrow strip in half. The back glider wings are now created.

7. Slice a horizontal hole at the tail of the plane to a width matching the short ends of the back glider wings. Slide the wings into the hole. The body of the glider is now complete.

8. Boil 5 cups water and 1 cup flour into a pot for three minutes to create a paper-mache mix. Allow the mix to cool for five minutes. Pour the mix into a small bowl.

9. Soak a 1-by-3-inch newspaper strip into the mix. Press the strip into the body of the glider. Continue until the entire glider is covered in one layer of newspaper.

10. Soak a 1-by-3-inch paper towel strip into the mix. Press the strip into the body of the glider. Continue until the entire glider is covered in one layer of paper towel. Allow four hours for the craft to dry.

11. Coat the glider with acrylic paint. Allow two hours for the craft to dry. Add stickers or glitter to the glider if you like, before flying.

References

• JD Card; How To Make A Paper Airplane; James Card; 1998
• DLTK Kids: How to Paper Mache