Waterbomb Model

Yes, this is a fully functional origami water balloon

Everybody always told me not to get paper wet.  Not the newspaper, not the phone book, not the bills, not my textbooks, nothing paper could go in the bathtub.  Nothing liquid could go into the library.  Water and paper do not mix.  This is what they told me, and I think it explains my facination with origami that involves water.  Making paper involves allot of wet paper, the cup holds water, and the waterbomb transports water from your hand to your recipient..

Begin with a waterbomb base. Valley fold one of the four flaps in half.

 Beginning with the waterbomb base, valley fold one of the flaps down to the bottom point.

Valley fold the triangle vertically, creating a little pocket.

 I've outlined the piece we'll be working with.  We need to create four "locks", so you'll repeat this part four times.  Valley fold the flap in half vertically, which will create a little pocket on the bottom of the flap.

Waterbomb Model Step 2

Valley fold the loose edge so that it fits inside the pocket.
  

The loose triangle is valley folded over the pocket, so that it will well reach inside.


Slide the loose flap into the pocket. This is the "lock" of the waterbomb.
 
 
 Tuck the flap into the pocket, creating a lock.  A good lock is one that will open once it hits the target, opening the model, which should stick to the victim.  But it needs to be solid enough to hold the water during the flight.

Valley fold the opposite side, and create the same lock over there.
  
 
 Valley fold the other flap on this side, and create a lock on that side, just like you did here. 
 

Waterbomb Model Step 3

Two locks complete. Turn over and repeat.
 

 Once both locks are completed, turn the model over.


Valley fold the edges down and create two more locks.
  

 Valley fold those two flaps, and create locks. 
 



Completed water bomb, ready to be inflated.
 

 Here is a complete waterbomb, ready for storage and transport. 
 
 

Waterbomb Model Step 4

Spread out the four corners and blow quickly into the hole.

When you are ready to use the waterbomb, spread the corners out, pulling on opposite sides to expose the hole in the top.  Blow a quick gust of air into the model to inflate the square shape. 


Once inflated, the water bomb is ready to be filled.
 

 Here is the inflated waterbomb, which is a handy decoration, and fun for a pet toy.


When you are finished with your waterbomb, you should have something that looks like this.
 
 
 Of course, to really understand the functionality of the waterbomb, you will need to pour some water into the hole in the top.  You can fill this up, and let it sit for a second so that the water saturates the paper.  It should be soggy, that way the paper will stick to your victim.

 This is the completed waterbomb model.  It should be a soggy mess, and a big wet spot.  Notice that my locks didn't completely give.  This means I need to throw the model harder.
 
 I hope you enjoy the waterbomb as much as I have.  Just be careful, people that don't know how to fold a waterbomb will quickly get upset at you.  But if you are battling with other origami lovers, make sure to get their paper stack wet before they get yours.