• The start: eight large sheets of cardboard...

  • End of day 2: Legs, a pelvis, and a spine!

  • The skeleton shows off its dance moves!

  • Working on the ribcage.

  • Attaching the final arm to the shoulder.

  • Forewarned is forearmed but there's nothing humerus about the situation!

Christmas Skeleton

For Christmas this year, Rachel gave me a human skeleton–no, not bones, but a cardboard model that could be assembled into a skeleton. Over the course of our week in Hawes, we slowly transformed the eight large sheets of card (along with dozens of split-pins, and some odd-shaped pieces of wire and plastic) into a life-size skeleton hanging from the ceiling.

The start: eight large sheets of cardboard...
The start: eight large sheets of cardboard…
End of day 2: Legs, a pelvis, and a spine!
End of day 2: Legs, a pelvis, and a spine!

There’s not much else to say: We reckon it took about 20 hours of work in total (between me, Rachel, Catherine and Tony); it’s not easy, with many of the parts twisting in complex ways to match the shape of bones, and despite the claim on the box that no scissors or glue were required we ended up cutting it in six places to make it work (and I’m pretty sure all six were required). I would, however, recommend it to anyone! The process was challenging and fun, and the end result is really cool–it can rotate its head, bend at the jaw, knees, ankles, elbows and wrists, as well as flex its back! Lots of pictures below…

Working on the ribcage.
Working on the ribcage.
Forewarned is forearmed but there's nothing humerus about the situation!
Forewarned is forearmed but there’s nothing humerus about the situation!
Attaching the final arm to the shoulder.
Attaching the final arm to the shoulder.
The skeleton shows off its dance moves!
The skeleton shows off its dance moves!

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