When I began my journey as a mobile maker I couldn't find any resources so I stumbled around and tried a ton of the wrong materials and tools before I found the ones I love. And of course, Amazon is kind enough to support me when I support them so all the links below are part of my affiliate store. They don't charge any more $$ to you, the customer for following my links and buying from them but they do give me a tiny stipend for sending you there.
Round Nose Pliers - While I started with my wubber jewelry making round nose pliers, which are wonderful, I soon found they were too small and hard on my hands to make use of them for long. After lots of research my husband found electricians round nose pliers. My favorites are Knipex ergonomic. Buy a good tool and you only have to buy it once. Buy cheap tools and you will have a drawer full of unused cheap tools. But, I know that budget, when starting out, is very important so I have found a less expensive alternative made by Wiha tools. They aren't as easy on the hands as the Knipex but work well:
Long Nose Pliers - I use long nose pliers to crimp my wire to a component in a handcrafted staple. Look for a blog post soon with instructions on creating a component group. I like the Irwin Vise Grip long nose pliers because the handles don't come off over time. I've bought more brands than you can count and the handles on so many of them slip off after 1 to 2 months of daily use. If you want a less expensive alternative a dipped grippy handle is another good option. I like the Irwin Vise Grip long nose pliers also due to the ergonomic feel to the handle and the handles stay on over time.
TIG Stainless Steel Welding Rod - .045 and 1/16 - These are the rods I use for mobiles under 6 ft in size. Any component/rod combo over 16 inches I will use the larger 1/16th inch size. I use these rods in 36" lengths instead of coils. I can always bend a curve in a straight rod but it's nearly impossible to make a spool of wire straight. I use the grade ER308 or ER309. The translation from decimal to wire gauge is roughly .045 is 18 gauge and 1/16th is 16 gauge.
Memory Wire Cutters - I use these to flush cut the rods. Occasionally, while working with the rods, your fingers or hands will slip and if you cut your rods with a pinch cutter like the ones on the long nose pliers you can end up on a trip to the emergency room for stitches. The flush cut of the memory wire cutters won't absolutely prevent you from cutting yourself but they cut down on the accidents (excuse the pun).
Hole Punch - While drooling over gemstone beads at a bead show in 2008, before I ever made a mobile, a seller gave me a demonstration of this amazing hole punch. She showed me how it could punch holes in pennies and dimes and I thought, hmm... maybe these would make cute penny earrings. So, I bought the hole punch and never used it. Not until I started making mobiles. Now I use it daily. This tool can punch holes in almost any thin material (except stainless steel). Well worth the investment.
Parallel Jaw Pliers - They are pricey! I found these about 5 years ago and while they aren't absolutely necessary to make mobiles I also use these daily. I purchased a few pairs of used ones on eBay because $99 for a pair of pliers is just out of my price range. I found them used for about $30-$45. When crimping your handcrafted staple to a component these come in handy keeping your round wire in place while crimping. I also use these on every mobile I make both large and small as they work well in adjusting the straightness of a rod after turning a loop (another day, another lesson).
Component Materials - These materials can vary greatly. From items that can be hung at the ends of your rods to pieces that can be attached to them the possibilities are endless. Kydex, mat board, and plexiglass are just a few suggestions:
These are my daily tools that make almost all of my mobiles. My next tool blog post will go over some of the tools I use to make mobiles over 6 ft in size and some component group connectors.
Carolyn Weir
]]>While talking to some friends (who originally sparked my current artistic journey with mobile sculpture) about my most recent mini-grant project, I also mentioned that kinetic sculpture was next on my list of things I need to explore. They told me they knew Lin Emery’s fabricator, Abe Geasland, and would help me setup a meeting in Lin’s studio before it was packed up and closed down. WHAT! A missed opportunity hasn’t been missed (except for meeting Lin and speaking with her at length about her design process). It was like the perfect Christmas present to meet with Abe, the fabricator behind the designer!
Desktop Model at Arthur Roger Gallery
by Lin Emery
After contacting Abe I was able to setup a meeting January 7th, 2022 and we met in Lin Emery's main New Orleans studio. I never imagined that Lin had a fabrication team who took her designs and built them from the ground up. As someone who single-handedly designs and builds my mobiles I have never even explored the thought of having someone take my designs and fabricate them for me in a larger size. Something to think about in the future for sure. Lin’s design process started with paper and straws or small pipe and that magical thing that makes all designs possible.... hot glue.
.
After playing with and tweaking her design for hours Lin would give her mock-up to her fabrication team with some specifications regarding size, materials to be used including bearing sizes, etc, and they would build a desktop model. If the design remained interesting and worked well, a full size 10 to 18 foot model would be built.
Wow! Really! What a concept! So, in my mind I feel like Abe Geasland is truly the artist of her work as well as the other fabricators on her team. Of course Lin was involved every step of the way in the design and construction phases of the sculptures but her fabrication team really made her vision come to life!
I’ve also decided that the 1st two hours of my day will be spent painting. All work and no play just gets monotonous! I enjoy trying to solve the puzzle of creating a painting. Some days it kicks my butt!
But, back over to new skill building. So, I’m learning to weld so I can make larger sculptures. Here is the end result! It will be hung in the atrium of a children’s hospital in Georgia December 2020 / January 2021.
]]>When I create I usually start with colors and shapes. I will cut them out, and as I build I hold a piece in the air and ask it, "Where do you want to go"? So, after trying the drawing thing and failing, I decided to go back to my old "winging it" design process.
TaDa! Space Style is now a mobile sculpture I just love! Lots of activity, including a horizontal section at the top for viewing from the changing table!
]]>
Want to learn to make a mask? I'll show you how! Give it a try!
]]>