Most of the time I use galvanized wire which you can get at most hardware stores. It usually comes in a roll (see image below), usually 100 feet long and costs around $6 a roll. If you can’t find them in any stores near you, you can get them online at McMaster-Carr.

Wire comes in different gauges, the smaller the gauge number the thicker the wire. 18 gauge is very easy to bend and works fine if you’re attaching lightweight things to it like paper shapes. 16 gauge is sort of in the middle, and 14 gauge works good for a little heavier attachments (I use mostly 14 and 16 gauge for my two to three feet sized mobiles where the shapes are made of sheet metal). If you’re planning on something bigger and heavier, you will have to get 12 or even 9 gauge wire, but when you go to that thickness it’s becoming increasingly hard to bend. If you want to make a really large mobile or large kinetic art installation, forget wire, hollow aluminum tubes is what you’ll want to use.

There’s also a table on Wikipedia that shows various data including the gauge, diameter and more of the various wire gauges, and see the page I made that explains some of the basics about the balance of a hanging mobile.

If there’s anything else I can help with, don’t hesitate to contact me.

To see some of my mobiles, head over to the mobile page.

New sculpture by my friend Tom Samui

Materials: Recycled Car and Motorcycle Parts

Size: 33 Feet / 10 Meters tall

Still for sale as of today – January 29th 2012

More info …

My elementary and middle school friend Tom Samui from Switzerland makes these custom sculptures (up to 26 feet/8 meter tall!) out of recycled car and motorcycle pieces. More info and images …

[Boing Boing post]

You can see more of my mobiles in the art mobile section …

I’m always a little unsure about calling my mobiles “modern”. Modern as in abstract sure, and obviously Alexander Calder’s mobiles were modern. But “modern” really means artistic works made between the 1860s and 1970s. Modernism? Retro style? Maybe contemporary? Post-modern? Are we in post-post-modern yet?

Each element in these mobiles can rotate independently full circle.

The circular discs are made of transparent acrylic glass (also known as transparent plexi glass), a type of plastic that looks like glass but does not break.

These mobiles create moving colored circles on the floor, wall or ceiling when a spotlight is pointed at it.

They are only 12 inches / 31 cm tall which makes them ideal for standard 8 foot / 2.4 meter ceilings.

To see more of my mobiles please go to the mobile section.

Height: 12 inches (31 cm)
Width: 46 inches (117 cm)
Diameter (the circular space the mobile requires to rotate freely full circle): 46 inches (117 cm)

Handmade

Each of the five elements can rotate independently full circle.

The circular discs are made of transparent acrylic glass (also known as transparent plexi glass), a type of plastic that looks like glass but does not break.

The mobile creates moving colored circles on the floor, wall or ceiling when a spotlight is pointed at at it.

This mobile is almost four times as wide, and with its height of only 12 inches (31 cm) makes it ideal for standard 8 foot (2.4 meter) ceilings.

Colors: Yellow, Blue, Gray

See more of my mobiles in the art mobile section.