free plans  home    gallery
 projects    philosophy    faq









ball clip
magnify
free plans: how to make a
Ball Clip
Basic Description This simple project, presses two large marbles against each other with the tension of a single bent wire. This basic concept is great for holding paper or a stack of them on a hook in your office. The marbles roll against each other as you slide paper in or out, yet still maintain significant holding power.


step:           review  



Design Considerations

Although this is a very simple project, there are some options. The image on the right shows a completed ball clip holding a sheet of homemade paper.

Material

We used aluminum wire and had good results. Spring steel wire would probably be even better, but it is more difficult to bend: so use a narrower gauge.

Size

Making loops for smaller marbles is possible, but more difficult than for the larger 'shooter marbles'. You can lengthen the wire itself to make a larger opening for placing the clip on hooks.

Shape

You can also experiment with the shape of the bent wire. You can embellish the design with additional bends.

Jig

If you plan on making more than a few of these, this project becomes significantly easier if you make a bending jig for the wire. Experiment with different wires and loop sizes before constructing your jig. With such a fixture, it becomes very easy to mass produce these ball clips.
ball clip hanging on a pin holding homemade paper



wiseGEEK
completely free!
clear answers to common questions



◄ step 3



free plans © 2000-2008
terms   privacy policy
 home    gallery
 projects    philosophy    faq