I had requested to learn this while in school. It was never taught.
Will anyone share directions, hints, etc. to help me get to a place
that I can attempt to make one?
I have searched the internet for a couple of year hoping to find the
directions so I would not have to bother asking here. I have decided,
I should have come here first.
Thanks in advance for any and all help provided.
Angela Hampton
Hampton House Jewelry
Hi Angela,
They’re ridiculously easy to forge with a hammer.
Someone ?John Cogswell? did a really good chapter on forging in the
Penland book, and he covers mobius twists. Takes all of about 5
minutes. (My copy’s still in a box somewhere, or I’d tell you for
sure.)
The gist of it is:
Get heavy wire. Bend into “U” shape. Tap sides of the bend of the “U"
more-or-less together with mallet. Lay it down on the anvil, and use
a broad crosspeen hammer to forge across the bend in the “U”. (the
"U” is laying down with both wires flat on the anvil) Place the
crosspeen such that it crosses both wires at right angles. Forge a
taper into the “U” section, so that the “U” gets thinner and longer.
Reduce the thickness by somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2.
Anneal. Now grab one leg of the “U” in each hand, and put your
thumbs on opposite sides of the “U”. Pull open like a wishbone. Use
your thumbs to support the crest of the “U” as you pull it open. Pull
the legs open until they’re back in-line with themselves as wire
again, and you should have a nice mobius twist in the middle of the
wire, to do with as you wish.
The variables of how closely together you squish the “U” at the
start, and how much you forge it down control what it ends up looking
like. I’d suggest playing around in 12gage copper first, to get a
sense of how it works.
If you really want to mess with people’s heads, instead of a “U”, do
a several "S"s zigzagging back and forth, forge out all the bends,
then open them up.
Regards,
Brian Meek.
had requested to learn this while in school. It was never taught. Will anyone share directions, hints, etc. to help me get to a place that I can attempt to make one?
For theoretical basis, if you search on Mobius strip, or band; you
should find plenty. In a nutshell, one takes a strip of metal and
twist it half-turn around long axis of the strip. Solder the ends and
you have it. The trick is to create pleasing appearance, and it is
going to take some forging. There are really not much else can be
said. Simply, after soldering, use your sense of taste and proportion
to create nice looking piece.
Leonid Surpin
Hi Angela.
Many years ago I wanted to do the same. Of course you can twist a
strip of metal and solder the ends together but that’s no fun.
Using heavy wire I soldered the ends to make a very small bangle and
began forging the metal into the form needed. Used a twisted and
taped paper strip as a visual model. Absorbed in the process, I
failed to anneal as frequently as needed and developed cracking. I
know the form can be completed in this manner though I never actually
made another one.
Let me know what you do with it.
Loving the cool Spring weather in Mesa, AZ
If you’re making it in wax, make the sheet narrower at where the
bend will be.
Angela: Mobius rings are fun and easy. Simply put, close a jump
ring. Then, open a second ring and loop it through the first. Then,
open a third and loop it through both of the previous rings. Keep
going until you have the size you want. The rings will form either a
right hand or left hand loop. Choose the size of wire gage and ring
size according to what you want to make.
There is an excellent organization, M.A.I.L. on line,
( M.A.I.L. - Maille Artisans International League - Home Page ) that was formed to collect,
educate and bring together maillers all over the world. Their
archives, tutorials are extensive. Also excellent is
( http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/cw ). I’m fond of Spider chain as
well ( Spiderchain Jewelry – Precision jump rings for chainmail jewelers. ). Follow the links and
you’ll be able to enlarge your knowledge.
Any questions write me off line. Ruth Mary
If you're making it in wax, make the sheet narrower at where the bend will be.
I suppose this is the curse, and blessing of the list… now I want
to make one.
However I think I’ll make mine out of sheet hollow construction,
that way I can make it bigger, without breaking the arm of the
wearer.
Regards Charles A.
Brian, Thank you!
This is the book I ordered this morning:
The Penland School of Crafts Book of Jewelry Making : John Coyne
I hope this is the correct one. I am so excited. Thank you all so
much for your help.
My plate is very full right now, but hopefully by the time the book
gets here, I will have carved out a few hours to play.
You have all been such a blessing and encouragement. I really should
have started my search here first. I will learn!
Angela Hampton
Hampton House Jewelry
I just bought this book too! I believe this is the one with the
directions in it.
The Penland Book Of Jewelry: Marthe Le Van (Hardcover, 2005)
I am so excited! I feel like a child awaiting his birthday party!
Once again, thank you all so very very much!
Angela Hampton
Hampton House Jewelry
If I understand your question correctly, and if we are thinking of
the beasty. You start with a flat strip or square or rectangle
stock. Cut to required length, introduce the 1/2 twist, and solder
into the bracelet shape of your choice.
It is harder to explain than to do. A" Mobius Strip" is best
described as a shape that forms one continuous surface from inside
to outside. To get the idea take a strip of paper and give it a half
twist. Then bring the two end together and rape them. Now if you
take a pencil and start pulling the strip under the pencil until you
get back to where you started.
Cut the paper apart and you will see that you have marked both sides
of the paper.
This was a trick I learned very early in my life as I have always
loved puzzles. Good luck and have fun with this.
John (Jack) Sexton
Hi Angela,
Whoops, I forgot about the older one. (Please tell me you’re not
buying the ‘new’ copy for $104!) The Penland book I was talking about
was this one:
“The Penland Book of Jewelry”
Sorry for the confusion,
Brian.
A mobius design is a flat strip that has a 180 degree twist and both
ends are connected. Start a line drawn on the surface and continue
all the way around and there is no inside or outside.
Go to http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/d5 and see examples, I used to
make models and cast for these people. Go down the page and see the
double mobius, I made the model for them.
A triangle shape allows you to make three 60 degree twists which
gives you the 180 degrees that makes it a mobius strip.
Doing a concentric circle with an even twist the entire length is
very difficult. I assume that cad cad could do this design precisely.
Richard Hart G.G.
Denver, Co.
Very neat, very neat. Love it and that sort thinking. Of course
there is no such thing as a mobius strip as any physical 3
dimensional object has to have 3 dimensions where as a mobius strip
has only 2 dimensions. QED
david
jewellerydavidcruickshank.com.au
Cut the paper apart and you will see that you have marked both sides of the paper.
Actually, if you cut the paper apart the other way - follow your
pencil line with the scissors, cutting lengthwise, you don’t get two
Mobius strips, you get one big one. Curious things…
Brian, thanks for the link.
I bought both books. I don’t know if there will be repeated info or
not. I guess I really don’t care as I was able to buy both of them
for under $15. each.
I will have obtained the I wanted for a great price. If
the $104 would have been the only one available, I probaby would have
pondered it for a while and bought it anyway. For some reasone I NEED
to know how to make these.
Thanks so much for taking the time to make sure I am on the right
path for this project.
Paf Dvorak, thank you so much for taking the time to contact me off
line with your pics. They have encouraged me to know that I can do
this.
I really do appreciate the help that has been given on this one
project in the making so much.
Angela Hampton
Hampton House Jewelry
Hello John,
To get the idea take a strip of paper and give it a half twist. Then bring the two end together and rape them.
Like your explanation about the Mobius bracelet, however since
English is not my mother tongue, what exactly do you mean by the word
“rape”? Did not know you can “rape” a bracelet?
Thanks
Sigi Eurich
To get the idea take a strip of paper and give it a half twist. Then bring the two end together and rape them.
I think he meant to say tape them.
Cut the paper apart and you will see that you have marked both
sides of the paper.
Actually, if you cut the paper apart the other way - follow your pencil line with the scissors, cutting lengthwise, you don't get two Mobius strips, you get one big one. Curious things....
…and if you cut the one big down the center you will get two
separate strips linked to each other. Very curious things… and
their offspring. j
J Collier Metalsmith
Sigi: I must laugh and beg your forgiveness for not doing a spell
check before I posted. R and T are next to each other on the
keyboard. I hit the wrong one. it should be “tape”. To rape a
bracelet you either need to be very---- well you get the picture. Of
course I’ve never met a bracelet that could say no to a good jeweler.
(Thats a joke )
Thank you for calling it to my attention. I have enjoyed the laugh
as has my wife.
jack from where spring has sprung and the rains have arrived.
Chattaroy wa.
John (Jack) Sexton