The incredible fingernail sized engine made of PAPER - and it really does work

A single-cylinder engine has been made entirely out of paper
It is 13 mm wide and 22 mm wide, with a shaft diameter of 0.5 mm
The engine has a piston stroke 3 mm and runs on air from an attached balloon

By Stacy Liberatore For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:25 EST, 9 December 2016 | Updated: 17:34 EST, 9 December 2016

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A software engine has constructed the smallest engine in the world – and it’s made entirely out of paper.

The tiny single-cylinder engine, complete with a throttle, runs on air from an attached balloon.

This contraption is about the size of a thumbnail and has a piston stroke of 3 millimeters.

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A software engine has constructed the smallest engine in the world – and it’s made entirely out of paper. The tiny single-cylinder engine, complete with a throttle, runs on air from an attached balloon

ABOUT THE PAPER ENGINE

The tiny single-cylinder engine is 13 mm wide and 22 mm wide, with a shaft diameter of 0.5 mm.

The engine has a piston stroke of 3 millimeters.

The miniature engine is designed with a small crank on the side to power it manually, but it can be hooked up to a balloon and uses a throttle to control the air flow.

Aliaskei Zholner is the creator of this miniature piece of machinery and has a collection of paper engines that he's built over the past six years.

His latest creation is just 18 mm long, 13 mm wide and 22 mm wide, with a shaft diameter of 0.5 mm – making it the smallest contraption yet.

Single-cylinder engines are often seen on motorcycles, motor scooters, mopeds, dirt bikes, go-karts and is used in many portable tools – they are also constructed with metals like steel, cast iron, and aluminum.

But Zholner’s design won’t be used for anything other than a showpiece.

The software developer was able to capture the true essence of a single-cylinder engine and recreate all of a normal engine’s granular mechanisms out of paper.

In the YouTube clip, Zholner is holding a larger paper engine in his hand and shares ‘it will give birth to a smaller one’.

He pulls off the top and neatly packed inside is the tiny single-cylinder engine.

This contraption is about the size of a thumbnail and has a piston stroke of 3 millimeters. In the YouTube clip, Zholner is holding a larger paper engine (pictured) in his hand and shares ‘it will give birth to a smaller one’

He pulls off the top and neatly packed inside is the tiny single-cylinder engine. And it even makes a slight revving sound while operating

The miniature engine is designed with a small crank on the side to power it manually, but Zholner hooks it up to a balloon and uses a throttle to control the air flow.

And it even makes a slight revving sound while operating.

In January, the developer shared a slightly larger V8 engine with his viewers that is small enough to fit in your hand and has a piston stroke of just 6 millimeters.

The miniature engine is designed with a small crank on the side to power it manually, but Zholner hooks it up to a balloon and uses a throttle to control the air flow

In the video, Zholner shows how engine starts revving by simply squeezing air through the end of the balloon through the paper throttle

Each of the cylinders are 5.5 mm in diameter and the scotch tape was used to reduce friction on the valves.

The average internal combustion engine that can be found in most vehicles uses fuels and pistons to start moving.

And are constructed with metals like steel, cast iron, and aluminium.

In the video, Zholner shows how engine starts revving by simply squeezing air through the end of the balloon through the paper throttle.

In addition to the mini V8, he has other paper engines on his YouTube Channel – a V6 and throttle for a V8 and all work as well the regular machine made ones.

In January, the developer shared a slightly larger V8 engine (pictured) with his viewers that is small enough to fit in your hand and has a piston stroke of just 6 millimeters

The itty-bitty V8 is small enough to fit in your hand and has a piston stroke of just 6 millimeters. In the video, Zholner shows how engine starts revving by simply squeezing air through the end of the balloon through the paper throttle

A paper engine that works is impressive, but so is a paper bridge that can support some 2,374kg.

Last year marked the 45th anniversary of Land Rover’s Range Rover and to celebrate this milestone, the 6 million model of the car went to China to drive over a 16-ft paper bridge.

In addition to the mini V8, he has other paper engines on his YouTube Channel – a V6 and throttle for a V8 and all work as well the regular machine made ones. The average internal combustion engine that can be found in most vehicles uses fuels and pistons to start moving

And are constructed with metals like steel, cast iron, and aluminum. Zholner was able to created all of a normal engine’s granular mechanisms out of paper: the crankshaft, camshafts, pistons, connecting rods, spark plugs, and valves

54,390 pieces of paper were used to construct the bridge.

The bridge, designed by environmental artist Steve Messam, took three days to build and was done without the use of glue or bolts.

Instead, engineers packed the paper tightly.

And last December, packaging experts joined forces with Stratocaster authorities at Fender to create a playable guitar made out of cardboard.

The whole contraption is 32 mm long, 24 mm wide and about 27 mm tall. All the parts were meticulously hand-crafted to be just the right shape and size. Normal engines are constructed with metals like steel, cast iron, and aluminum

The biggest challenge was building the perfect neck, which would have to withstand 250 lbs of torque.

The core was built to be as solid as possible, using closely packed layers of cardboard.

Then, it was hand cut by a Fender 'Master Builder.'

The bridge, by Steve Messam, took 3 days to build and was done without glue or bolts. Instead, engineers packed the paper tightly (left). Last December, packaging experts joined Stratocaster authorities at Fender to create a playable guitar made out of cardboard (right)