New Design: One piece fold-flat climbable staircase

[oldschooldm]

As you all know, I'm a bit obsessed with paper staircases lately.

Till now, one thing has eluded me: a fully stand-alone popop staircase, that you could use in the middle of a room, for example.

Well, I had just such a need for a custom sized and shaped staircase for my 2015 Papercuts contest entry in progress.

I wanted to start with the perfect pop-up tread model I'd been working with - so many staircase designs have the crafter glue tons of tiny tabs, often 2-4 for each tread. Add that I always like to make the staircase mini-climbable and the construction is 4x more complicated and fraught with gluing errors.

So - as I layed out my popup treads, I realized that I could probably reduce the wall to just being the size of a hand-rail or smaller - then that meant I could put the "outside" texture on a fold-down piece that went along that rail. Ooh! then I could put on the wall that closes the "backside" of the structure! Oh! And the bottom piece folds under... and... and...

Before you knew it I had a single-piece fold-flat mini-walkable staircase that had only a half-dozen glue points!

Here's the design:

Popup Staircase - One Piece Stand Alone (Click to get full size PNG) by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

No glue tabs for the treads! Yay!

Here's some pictures, followed by the attachments/links:

Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase: One shape stand alone by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase: One shape stand alone by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase: One shape stand alone by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase: One shape stand alone by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase: One shape stand alone by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

Dropbox links: Popup Staircase - One Piece Stand Alone [PNG] [STUDIO3] [PDF]

Attachments (alternate source): Popup Staircase - One Piece Stand Alone.pdf (35.05 KB)Popup Staircase - One Piece Stand Alone.studio3 (88.5 KB)


This is my gift to the community - you may do whatever you want with this design - no one may own it it because I'm hereby putting it in the public domain!

[This will also appear in the Designer Showcase Sampler as an option for anyone who wants to create one.]


TIP: Leave the back panel (the one shown with the doorway printed on it) unglued if you want this to store flat. If you want it stronger, glue the back panel in place.

[oldschooldm]

Someone on Facebook was having a problem wrapping their head around the construction. Given how I tad to twist my head into a pretzel to design this, I'm not at all surprised. Here's a new version of the PNG with a simple texture that shows how everything is oriented and some construction pictures to show how everything folds (and this is a fold-flat version of the build.)

Most important photo showing the mountain and valley folds:


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

Glue all the white stuff showing (the bottom tab glues in on the wrong-side) except the tabs on the back to make a fold-flat version:


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


A few closeups:


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

And, as promised, Minis!



Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

[cowboycentaur]

All These folding stairs are so awesome I can barely cope. Lol.

[berneart76]

I'll have to work up some textures for this now as well....

[oldschooldm]

I took the Tiny Staircase texture from BilliamBabble Inked Adventures's submission to the Staircase Sampler and quickly squashed and stretched them onto this model, just to see how it turned out.

Though I think it'd be better if there was a texture designed specifically for this model, it still looks pretty cool.

Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr



Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

I won't be sharing this texture job, it was too rushed and distorted the original work too much for me to even ask for publishing permission. I just wanted to show another possibility...

[oldschooldm]

New VERSION! 2.5 inches tall (compatible with the new BSGTony (lordzsezse) Elven Walls set...)

I added two more treads for a taller version and am now taking height requests, since this seems to be pretty general...

Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

I made this one fold flat, and here are some pictures with my fold-flat walls to see how it all works together...

The walls and stairs used in the following photos, folded flat!

Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

I converted 1" square tread versions that come with the LZZ Elven Walls set... Look how many ways you can use these stairs with those walls...

Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

They even work to change wall levels!


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Fold flat wall and stairs experiments by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

Here's the files if you want them!



(UntexturedPDF) (TexturedPDF) (Cutfile)

I'll be adding this model to the Designer Showcase soon - I'd like to merge the cutfiles and the PSD so designers can choose which size(s) to texture.

[berneart76]

I haven't taken the opportunity to work with these yet, but I've been thinking of doing a set with matching textures for my Harbor Piers set, and experimenting with different widths as well.. This is probably the best staircase design I've seen!

[berneart76]

It doesn't quite fit in with the "Hot Rod and Kit-bashers" category for the Papercuts 2015 competition, ( since it's not a full diorama) but here's a mod of the One Piece, fold-flat  climbable staircase. ( These will come in handy for my Harbor Custom House entry for Papercuts 2015)
This is an open sided,  1.5" high by 2" long by 1" wide version with a high railing ( left hand railing and right hand railing versions ( railing referenced by which side it is on as you go up the stairs)

The attached zip file includes the PDF with all 9 of the wood colors from my Harbor Piers set, plus uncolored .png files with a railing texture and untextured.  The .png files are for the Right Hand railing version, to make the left hand railing version just flip the image horizontally.

And oh yeah, they still fold flat!







Here is the link for the .zip file.   1.5" high, high railing One piece, fold flat climbable staircase.

[squirmydad]

I don't believe that "full diorama is one of the requirements for that category, although it could be interpreted that way, hmm. The emphasis is on the kit-bash, like you've done here, so you could repost these photos in the kit-bash category section along with the explanation that you wrote.
The download link is a nice bonus.

[berneart76]

Aug 12, 2015 9:06:16 GMT -9 squirmydad said:

The download link is a nice bonus.

Well, I figured to add to the ever expanding collection of stand alone pop up staircases!    The Pop-Up Staircase Sampler might need to be two releases, one for the original designs, and a second one for the stand alone versions!   I've also got a version of this with rails on both sides, and want to do these in 1", 2" and 3" versions as well at a minimum.  Also trying to work out the final designs for a modular height version combining this concept with the modular height ones from my Piers set....  But need to focus a bit on finishing the Hiring hall/Public House entry...

[Vermin King]

I think I will incorporate this into the Toppi Saloon project. At least for the stairs going up to the landing

[oldschooldm]

Cool. I also did a 90-degree landing version...

[oldschooldm]

Here:

cardboard-warriors.proboards.com/thread/7079/papercuts-2015-entry-hiring-updates

and here:

cardboard-warriors.proboards.com/thread/7038/kitbash-corner-popup-fold-staircase

[Vermin King]

Feb 20, 2020 11:08:51 GMT -9 oldschooldm said:

Cool. I also did a 90-degree landing version...

I was actually thinking of doubling back on itself. If this were an exterior stairway that was later enclosed, I imagined that was how it would have been set up, if not one straight stairway going up from the ground. The way this thing is proportioned (and I really don't want to mess with the proportions much), straight stairs would have to start near the edge of the building, which wouldn't leave much room for a landing at the bottom of the stairs, if they switched to an interior access.

But if they lopped off the bottom steps outside ( or even just built a landing over them ), that area could be a landing with steps inside leading up to the landing and old stairs at 90 degrees. The ceiling is probably tall enough to accommodate two steps ( maybe three, if folks were careful ) inside to the landing, and then go up. This could simplify things considerably. Thank you.

[oldschooldm]

Did you see my 180 degree turn version (second link above)? Would that help?
Also - a simple wall-box next to that lower flight could serve as a platform for the separate reverse flight.

I'm sorry if your description isn't clicking in my brain. I'm one of those folks who has problems "seeing" from just descriptions.

[Vermin King]

I think this calls for a sketch tonight.

The 180 was what I was originally thinking. Bottom flight on the exterior. Upper flight inside. But if this were outdoor stairs that were later enclosed, there would be no upper stairs inside the structure.

That's why I think the 90 degree solution is the way to go. Straight flight on the exterior of the building. I had planned on working on it last night but got sidetracked with Verne animal instructions

[Vermin King]

Jul 7, 2015 22:58:09 GMT -9 oldschooldm said:

Someone on Facebook was having a problem wrapping their head around the construction. Given how I tad to twist my head into a pretzel to design this, I'm not at all surprised. Here's a new version of the PNG with a simple texture that shows how everything is oriented and some construction pictures to show how everything folds (and this is a fold-flat version of the build.)

View Attachment

Most important photo showing the mountain and valley folds:


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

Glue all the white stuff showing (the bottom tab glues in on the wrong-side) except the tabs on the back to make a fold-flat version:


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


A few closeups:


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

And, as promised, Minis!



Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr


Oldschooldm's pop-up staircase sampler by Oracle Omega, on Flickr

I actually did a mod of your steps recently. It is meant to fit between a couple buildings and not be fold-flat, but your design make stairs so much easier.


















They needed risers for the steps, so I made up an acordian overlay