Comments on: How to Wire / Hang Small Plate for a Mobile?

By: Lyone

Lyone — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 22:56:10 +0000

Thank you for all the ideas. I will keep folks posted on how the project progresses over the winter months!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 23:33:37 +0000

You could use a plate hanger, the individual ones, and dress them up with wire wrapping and beads.

By: Cere

Cere — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 03:17:15 +0000

Hi, all of the above ideas are great, especially drilling a hole in the plate as well as the copper tube. I make wire-wrapped jewelry, but previously I was a stained glass artist. One little item I still make from glass are Depression Glass Windchimes which I make from glass saucers. I surround the saucers with a medium sized lead came, which you could purchase at your local stained glass supply store. It can be bought in 6′ strips and 2 strips should be enough for what you’re doing. This would be easier and faster than trying to wire-wrap the saucers. But you’d need a soldering iron and solder to join the ends of the came and attach a hanger which can be made from large paper clips.

By: Lyone

Lyone — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 21:19:25 +0000

Thank you for these great suggestions! Keep them coming, please.

By: gail

gail — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 17:00:28 +0000

Hi Lyone, I suggest you search ” how to wire wrap a coin”. Many of these tutorials are simpler than those for cabochons and show how to use prongs (4 in front and 4 in back) to hold the coin, in your case your plate. I like this minimalist approach as it doesn’t interfere with the face or back of the coin. Good luck!

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 14:18:14 +0000

I just wanted to add that if you do decide to drill the glass, you might want to use a diamond bit and a water bath if possible. Otherwise the heat of the drill may cause the glass to shatter.

By: Mimi

Mimi — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 12:20:29 +0000

That looks like an awesome project! I know there are several tutorials for wrapping items in chain maille – one is the Ruffled Bezel Tut on Etsy which I have personally used. I would think if you follow that tut using 18gauge rings that would work. Just know you would need to use larger diameter such as 1/2″. Also, given the softness of copper I would suggest you use stainless steel to wrap. It would not rust and would provide a nice contrast to the copper and blue.
One more suggestion – here in PA it can get quite windy so I would attach them on the top and the bottom so they don’t swing around.

By: Lyone

Lyone — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 09:15:03 +0000

Dear Rena,
Thank you for including my question.

The finished sculpture will stand about 5-6 feet tall (I hope!), and the plates are each about 7 inches in diameter. There will be 3 or 4 plates involved I think.

I have never done much wire wrapping before–certainly never really made a bezel. But I am thinking that this may be the best way to go……..If there are any wire workers out there with tips, that would be terrific. I am thinking of using 18g copper . Starting with 4 wrapped together, and then making some bent wire prongs at several places around the edges. . . ?

–Lyone

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Wed, 27 Sep 2017 17:45:31 +0000

Hi Lyone! What an interesting project! And great, clear diagram. First, I have a couple of questions: What size will the finished sculpture be? What size and weight are the plates?

My first thought was that you might drill a small hole on the rim of the plates (like you might do for a round pendant on a necklace), and then create a wire bail or a sturdy jump ring for each plate, and then wire-wrap the bail or jump ring of each plate to the copper pipe.

Or depending on the size of the plates, you might create a wire border-wrap setting with bail, around each plate just as though the plate were a giant cabochon. 🙂

Another thought – if you want to make sure the plates stay in place on the copper tubing, you may want to drill a small hole through the tubing where each plate will be attached, for the wire or whatever you use for attaching them.

I’m interested in seeing the other ideas here! And I hope when your project is finished, you’ll send pictures of it! 🙂