Once you have got the images printed out, you should familiarize yourself with them. The pattern is fairly simple; each piece represents a strip of the globe from pole to pole, much like a slice of orange peel. In the diagram below, the orientation of the pieces to one another is laid out relative to one another.
You will note that beside the edges of the images there are letters; these letters correspond to another letter adjacent to a side of another piece. edges that have the same letter will connect. However, during the process of consruction you will have to cut these lettered parts off, so it's good to be familiar with where they go.
After cutting out the pieces, organize them so they can be easily referred to.
These marks serve as guides for folding the pieces. The tic marks can be distinguished from other markings because they do not form a complete line across the globe, but rather only go for about a half inch out onto the picture. They are also clearly not lattitude and longitude lines like the others on the globe.
Imagine that these lines do infact extend from one side of the image to the other, and fold along those lines, as so:
You will make three such folds across the face of the image, and will also fold under the three flaps portruding from the sides. The end result should look like this:
The folds you have made should divide the piece into four equilateral triangles. Likewise, the side flaps will be folded down.
Then, you can turn the pieces over, and tape or glue the flap down on the other side. This eill be the inside, so you can use whatever you want; the stronger the better. However, clear tape will still be more than enough to hold the pieces together.
What I eneded up doing for this example is I connected all five pieces together at the pole. the result of doing that will look like this.
In hindsight, it might have been simpler for me to connect the pieces around the equator, aranging them all in a line, much like I had them laid out in the line-shape above. Click the link to go back there. Use whatever strategy you feel comfortable with.
Connect the pieces along their edges, and you can allow the poles to lay flat while connecting them. Leave the ends for last. You will end up with a cake-shaped object like this:
Now all you have to do is pull the ends closed, and tape them shut. The poles will pop out on their own accord. These final seals you will not be able to reinforce from the inside.
Once you have closed the last gap, then Voilá, you're finished!
You can use a piece of thread to hang the globe, since it will weigh very little.
Here are some views of a completed colour globe:
Folding
Now each piece needs to be folded to allow for the curvature of the globe. Note the "tic" marks indicated by my fingers in the image below:
Taping
The next step is to attach the pieces together. Take one piece, and put the non-flap edge over top of the opposing piece's edge. This will allow you to line up the two pieces and make sure the image is properly matched. Then use clear tape to connect the two sections together. This will allow you to make sure that everything is lined up when you connect the two pieces.
Completing your Globe
Now is the time to start connecting the pieces that allow the globe to take shape. This process is much the same as the time before, though you may find that it is a great help to have a second pair of hands. If you can get someone to hold it while you tape, it will be much easier to line everything up.
