How to Create a Calder Mobile

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Gather your materials.

   See the "Things You'll Need" section, below.
2. 2

   Step 2: Cut out the wood pieces using a jigsaw or chop saw.

   For a first mobile, it is good to start with simple square wood pieces measured 2" x 3".
   
   Cut out 9 pieces.
   
   For advanced mobiles, you can use all kinds of varied shapes—use your imagination! , Clamp one piece at a time to the workbench and drill a 1" deep hole into the edge.
   
   The drill bit should be the same size as the wire. , With the needle nose pliers, cut off a 15" strand of wire and straighten it.
   
   Make a small U-shaped hook at the end.
   
   To train yourself in making loops in the wire, and to use as a template for the following wires, make loops in the wire strand every 1"
   
   so that you end up with 12 loops.
   
   We’ll call this piece the mobile tool. , At the base there are two wood pieces balanced on a strand of wire.
   
   With the needle nose pliers, cut off another 15" strand of wire and straighten it.
   
   Mark the wire at
   7.5" and using the pliers, make a loop or eye.
   
   Take two wood pieces and slide them onto the wire on opposite sides.
   
   Hook the loop into the hook of your mobile tool and make it balance.
   
   You can trim the balancing by shortening the wire if necessary. , Cut off a 12" strand, straighten it, make a U-shaped hook, and bend the hook sideways.
   
   Use the mobile tool to find the arm's tipping point, and that’s where you’ll make the loop in the arm.
   
   Slide a wood piece on the end of the mobile tool, while leaving the base piece hanging off its hook.
   
   Then take the new arm wire and hook it into one of the loops of the tool.
   
   Find the loop that allows for best balancing. , Hold it next to the tool to determine where you have to make the loop in this arm.
   
   Make the loop, attach a wood piece to the arm and hook the arm into the base wire, then take the tool and hook it into the arm’s loop and check the balance.
   
   You can adjust it by shortening the wire, bending it down a bit or even reshaping the arm and placing the loop differently.
   
   Changing the weight of the wood piece is possible, too. , You can hook the arms all left-facing or mix the left- and right-facing arms. ,
3. 3

   Step 3: Drill the suspension holes.

4. 4

   Step 4: Prep the wire.

5. 5

   Step 5: Make the base of the hanging mobile.

6. 6

   Step 6: Make the first arm of the mobile.

7. 7

   Step 7: Unhook the arm from the tool.

8. 8

   Step 8: Repeat the process for each arm.

9. 9

   Step 9: String the loop of the last arm to a hook in the ceiling.

Detailed Guide

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