Budget Mahl Stick

Here's how to make a cheap hanging mahl stick that has the advantage of holding itself up when you let go.

What you'll need:

• A wire coat hanger (completely wire- no cardboard)
• Clippers capable of cutting the coat hanger wire
• A dowel rod that's 2-4 feet long, and thick enough to not bend when pressure is applied
• Duct Tape

Here's how to make it:

1. Cut the twisty part and hook off of a coat hanger.
2. Form the remaining wire into a narrow "U" shape- so one end is rounded and the other end is the two points where you cut the hook off.  
3. Tape the points to the end of a dowel rod.  The rounded end should be sticking off the end, along with about 8-10 inches of wire.
4. Cover up all of the coat hanger with the tape- both the part on the dowel and the part sticking off.
5. Fold the 8-10 inches of wire over over to make a hook.  Then end result will look like a cane.  

To use it, just hook it over the top of your painting, and it will hang there if you let go.

Photos to come soon...