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An origami banger, sometimes also known as an origami popper, is a fun paper project that makes a loud popping noise when you flick your wrist. Making an origami banger is a very simple origami project that you can use several times, and should take less than ten minutes to construct.

  1. 1

    Begin with a flat piece of rectangular paper. These instructions were made for a standard piece of A4 printer paper, 8.5 x 11 inches (216 x 280 mm) in size. You may use larger paper instead (such as A3) for a louder sound. [1]

  2. 2

    Place the paper flat on the table. If your paper is the same color on both sides, you can make a small mark on one side to keep track. This shouldn't be necessary for this project, but it's a useful technique to know about when making origami out of regular paper. [2]

  3. 3

    Crease your paper in half horizontally along the center. Once you're done, unfold it so that the paper is laying flat again.

    • At this stage, the orientation of your paper doesn't matter, but you want to make sure that you are making a valley fold. When you unfold the paper the crease should look like the bottom of a valley

  4. 4

    Fold your paper in half vertically along the center. Once again, after you have made a crease, unfold it.

    • You should now have two creases in your paper when it lays flat, creating a cross in the center.

  1. 1

    Fold the top corners to meet the centerline. Rotate your paper if necessary so the short side faces you. Now fold the top corners into the vertical centerline. [3]

    • Your folds won't reach the horizontal crease. Think of it like you're folding a paper airplane.

  2. 2

    Fold the bottom corners into the centerline. Just as before, fold the corners on the other end of your paper into the centerline. You should now have two folded over triangles with a space of flat paper in the middle.

  3. 3

    Turn your paper so that it's horizontal again. Your origami banger should now be lying flat on the table with two folded triangles on either side of your paper and a lane of flat paper running vertically down the middle.

  4. 4

    Fold your paper over in half vertically. Now you want to fold your paper up along the horizontal centerline.

    • If done correctly, you should now have a trapezoid shape with a long, flat bottom, and a smaller flat top to it.

  1. 1

    Fold the left and right corners inward to meet the crease. Position the trapezoid so the short side is facing you. Fold the top left corner inward to meet the vertical center crease. Fold the top right corner inward to meet the crease as well.[4] These corners should stick out past the short side of the trapezoid, meeting to form a diamond.

  2. 2

    Flip the paper over. Pick up the paper and turn it over on the table, from left to right. There should be two flaps of paper on top that do not quite meet the bottom corner of the diamond.

  3. 3

    Fold the left corner over to meet the right. Fold the left corner over to the right, creasing along the same centerfold. You now have an origami banger, which looks like a triangle.

  4. 4

    Hold the banger at the bottom corner. Hold the bottom corner between your thumb and finger, with the longest side of the triangle facing you. Make sure you are only holding the two outer layers of paper, not the flap inside.

  5. 5

    Bring the banger down fast to make a noise. Hold the banger above your head. Swing your arm down as fast as you can, snapping forward with your wrist at the same time. The inner flap of the banger should pop out into a "balloon" in front of the banger, making a noise. It may take a few tries to get this to work. [5]

    • If you're having trouble getting this to work, try tugging the innermost flap out a tiny bit.
    • To re-use the banger, just gently push the paper back in. You might need to experiment with the positioning of the flap.

Add New Question

  • Question

    Can this be done with a rectangular piece of paper?

    Community Answer

    Yes. The original pattern for an origami banger uses a rectangular piece of paper.

  • Question

    Where do I hold an origami banger?

    Community Answer

    You hold the banger with the longer side of the triangle facing you. Your fingers should be resting on the point with only two layers.

  • Question

    Can I do an origami banger on square paper?

    Community Answer

    Yes, it is possible. However, you'll have to do a slight modification to the flap that pops up.

  • Question

    How do I make the arrow shape?

    Community Answer

    You have to take the two ends and fold them like you would a paper airplane.

  • Question

    Does it need to be a certain size?

    Community Answer

    No, it just needs to be big enough to bang. I would recommend using A4 paper for the best results.

  • Question

    It didn't make any noise. What's wrong?

    Community Answer

    It may be that you didn't use enough force, the angling of the flap when you strike is off, or you're holding down the flap, making it not possible to pop by itself. Keep practicing, you'll get the hang of it.

  • Question

    Will it always end up as a triangle, or can it become a different shape when it is done?

    Community Answer

    It should always come out the same if you follow the directions exactly, but if you'd like to get creative and make your own variation on it, you're free to do so.

  • Question

    How do I hold the origami banger?

    Community Answer

    Hold the corner of the longer side of the triangle and then angle it at 90 degrees.

  • Question

    What should I do if I'm having trouble making the bang go "BANG"?

    Community Answer

    You have to angle the flap at 90° to help the paper go "BANG!", and you may have to modify the folds of the paper.

  • Question

    What can I do if it didn't work?

    Community Answer

    You can try again, and make sure you follow the steps very closely and carefully.

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  • Make sure the long edge is facing you, or it won't bang.

  • The thinner the paper, the louder the bang.

  • These break easily, so don't get frustrated if the banger doesn't last long.

  • The pop gets a bit quieter with repeated usage.

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

  • It's not a good idea to use this in school, or a quiet place.

Things You'll Need

  • A large, thin rectangular piece of paper

References

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