Here’s an updated list of paper automata that are free to download:
Brother Creative Centre
https://creativecenter.brother.eu/family-center/family-filter?category=paper-craft
Wide range of papercraft to download and make, including some basic mechanisms (crank, gears and cams) and several animal automata by Rob Ives.
Canon Creative Park
http://cp.c-ij.com/en/index.html
Canon’s Creative Park provides over 50 ‘Moving Toys’ in its Paper Craft section, including paper automata by well-known artists such as Keisuke Saka, Hideharu Naitoh, Haruki Nakamura, and Rob Ives.
Jonathan Hodgins
http://www.instructables.com/id/Walking-Papercraft-Mech-Warrior/
An Instructable for a paper automata Mech Warrior that appears to walk when a crank is turned.
Kamibox
http://www.kamibox.de/download
Several themed paper automata to download and make, including a Minecraft Machine, a Gangnam Style Machine, a Tiny Wings Machine, a Paper Mario Machine, a Kirby Machine, and a Nyan Cat Machine.
Keisuke Saka
http://www.zuko.to/kobo/dl/market_sheep_e.html
Link to ‘Stray Sheep’, a free paper automaton by Japanese designer Keisuke Saka, who has produced many other wonderful paper automata, for sale individually via his website, on Canon Creative Park (see above) or in his book, Karakuri: How to Make Mechanical Paper Models That Move
Matt Hawkins (Custom Paper Toys)
http://www.custompapertoys.com/
US-based cartoonist Matt Hawkins creates marvellous paper toys, including a number of automata: Mr Robot, Owwwl, Chuckles, and – with a mechanism designed by Rob Ives – Paper Pop Andy Warhol.
Objective Ministries
http://objectiveministries.org/kidz/crafts.html
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for links to the somewhat eccentric Professor Giraffenstein’s Clockwork Creation Science Factoidamajig, and Pteva the Pterodactyl flying automata.
Paperpino
http://www.paperpino.net/category/paper-automata/
Over half a dozen free paper automata by Giuseppe Civitarese a.k.a. Paperpino, including Sweet Dreams, Peace Dove, Wandering in the Sky, The Rolling Reels Circus, Warning! Air Pockets, and working models of Leonardo da Vinci’s Anemometer and Mechanical Hammer. (Also some wonderful Paper Globes.)
Ravensblight
http://ravensblight.com/papertoys.html
Lots of spooky paper toys to construct by Ray O’Bannon, including a Mechanical Bat automata and a Haunted Carousel.
Rob Ives
https://www.robives.com/category/tags/free
You can find paper automata designed by prolific British paper engineer Rob Ives all over the place – Brother’s Creative Centre and Canon’s Creative Park (above) to name but two. Rob also has a range of free downloads from his own website, including: Agreeable Sheep, Cat o’Log, a rocking Unicorn!, flapping Owl, Pop-up Pumpkin and a couple of working mechanisms, a simple Crank Slider and a Double Action Ratchet.
Robot Tairiku (in Japanese)
http://mizio-s.hp.infoseek.co.jp/r-kata.html
Download and construct an arm-Flapping Robot, an articulated Robot Arm, and a trunk-raising Elephant.
Ryo Tokisato (in Japanese)
http://www1.rcn.ne.jp/~pi-ne/sigoto.html
Scroll down the page to download the free Flapping Penguinbank, which moves when you drop your money in the slot.
Sasatoku Printing Company (in Japanese)
http://www.sasatoku.co.jp/html/contents/special/papercraft/
Click on the grey bar below the first set of paper flowers to expand the page, and scroll down. 6 free paper automata available: Winking Cat, Sailor Monkey, Seal Balancing Gift, Laughing Horse, Woodpecker, and Mole.
Steven Marshall
http://www.homespunmagixx.com/dragon/dragon_download.asp
A ‘build before you buy’ undulating Jade Dragon paper automata.
The Toy Shop
https://mikeandlace.wordpress.com/category/paper-automata/
20 working mechanical models to print out and make, originally from an old Commodore 64 program in the 1980s.
Walter Ruffler
http://www.walterruffler.de/Download/teich2.html
Walter Ruffler has a whole range of ingenious paper automata for sale on his website and in his book, Paper Models That Move: 14 Ingenious Automata, and More
And here are a few, simpler, one-off paper automata:
Chip Fyn (Fiddler’s Green)
http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/misc/cow/free-cow.htm
A free Bobbin’ Head Cow to download and make – guy or gal variety.
Funny Character Cafe (in Japanese)
http://fccafe.fc2web.com/santa.html
Yuuku’s Wriggling Santa got stuck in the chimney…
Joe McRichardson
http://joemcrichardson.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/paper-toy-frighteneddude.htmlA FrightenedDude whose mouth opens and closes.
Peter J. Visser
http://www.icebergbouwplaten.nl/free4.html
A simple nodding cat.
Ray Keim
http://www.haunteddimensions.raykeim.com/index302.html
A simple lever mechanism makes the ghost try to lift the lid of this Conservatory Coffin.
Takeo Hayashi
http://www10.ocn.ne.jp/~papiy/tenkai.html
Scroll down for the pattern and instructions for a karakuri Box Dog Puppy with flapping ears.
Tubby Paws
http://tubbypaws.blogspot.co.uk/2009/08/meow-again-its-time-for-papercraft.html
A cute Keyboard Cat paper automata.
William Bullock
http://williambullock.blogspot.co.uk/2011_05_01_archive.html
A waving hand in a box.
And finally, an archive of antique paper mechanical toys uploaded by Brazilian model maker Hugo:
Brinquedos mecânicos
http://brinquedosautomatos.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Modelos%20Mec%C3%A2nicos
PAPER AUTOMATA FOR SALE
Rob Ives
Website: https://www.robives.com/
Walter Ruffler
Website: http://www.walterruffler.de/index1.html
(Gallery of Paper Automata: http://www.walterruffler.de/Galerie/Gallery.html)
AUTOMATA BUILDERS
Linda van Breemen (DutchPaperGirl)
New website: http://dutchpapergirl.nl/
(Old Website: http://www.l.van.breemen.scarlet.nl/home/homnewengels.html)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/dutchpapergirl