Pocket Size Paper Clip

This is my entry for the Pocket-Sized Contest, and the first thing, that comes on mind, when you think of making something to be able to fit in a pocket, is downsizing it. This was my first thought and I ignored it. Instead I listened to my second idea and drank some beer. After that I decided to maka a big paper clip. Because why not.

It makes great combination of a keychain and a money clip, and it's pretty easy to make, so I'll show you how.

As a material I used a hanging rod. Those are used to secure suspended ceilings, and they present a nice combination of springiness and elasticity which is needed for the project. You can find them in hardeare stores or substitute with something suitable.

Take one (make sure if it's straight enough) and sand it with fine sanpaper. Usually they're smooth enough so not much effort is needed.

Then polish it on a buffing wheel with a polishing compound or by hands.

Rub the rod with some solvent abter buffing to remove the residue of the compound.

Those hanging rods have a loop on one end. It's better to keep it intact until this point since it helps to hold the pice when working with it. But after the polishing is done, you can sae it off,

Round the ends of the rod on a grinding wheel or with file.

The lenght of the rod I had was ~47cm., and further in photos I'll be showing the measurements for bending the rod according to this lenght.

If you want to make a clip of a different size, I recommend to make a rough mockup first out of soft aluminium or copper wire. It's surprisingly hard to guess the lenghts of different sections to get the proportions of a papper clip right. It took me 4 attempts. The other option is to make careful measurements involving the diametre of the rod and all that stuf.

For the project you'll need three wooden dowels or metal tubes to bend the rod around. They should differ in diametre roughly in the thickness of the rod.

Mark the lenght of short section of the rod from the end. Secure the dowel and bend the rod around it. Measured section should remain straight

Now mark a semi-circular section of the bent and bend it in a vice slightely. I'm using a piece of wood to aid bending.

This feture will make it easyer to use the finnished clip.

Now mearure and mark next straight section and bend it around slightely bigger dowel. Using a couple of scrap wooden pieces can help to keep rod straight beyond bent area in process.

Bend the ramaining section around the biggest dowel to finish the clip.

You can use this oversized paper clip as keyring, as a clip for paper bills, credit and business cards, or as both at the same time. You can even clip it onto your pocket for security. Also it can help to deal with your headphones. ... You can make a whole bunch of them, connect them into a chain and feel yourself ureasonably happy.

Anyway, this is it for today, thanks for your attention, and may your paper bills doesn't fit in a paper clip.

Also I have a page on Patreon, and if you'd be so generous to support me there, I can guarantee, Ctulhu will spare you after his rising. Kind of.

When you see all two of my hands in a shot - imagine that I'm making pictures with my mouth. It's much funnier than imagining I have a tripod.