Benchmark MountBlanks
An Overview of Mounting 3D Objects
Our MountBlanks are designed to help you create custom professional mounts using only basic workshop tools. For those of you lucky enough to have access to a well-stocked workshop, the MountBlanks can save you valuable time by eliminating the soldering step.
We have sawn, formed, annealed and silver-soldered our brass to make the shapes most commonly used. They are available in seven classic shapes: T’s, spiders, hooks, leverage, bowl, hat and plate mounts. Click each name to read the descriptions and common uses, and click "Details and Examples" to see measurements and photos.
T Mount Diagram
T's
Description:
Brass rod stem (a) for wall or deck mounting. Cross-bar (b) made of lighter stock.
Comes in three sizes or weights: light, medium & firm.
Common Usage:
A real workhorse, used to support a wide variety of objects. To finish, pad with polyolefin or Teflon heat-shrinkable tubing or spray with clear Krylon. Paint-out with acrylic artist's paints to blend in with objects or background. Used for either deck or wall installations.
Spider Diagram
Spiders
Description:
Brass rod stem (a) for wall or deck mounting. Three arms (b) made of lighter stock .
Comes in three sizes or weights: light, medium & firm.
Common Uses:
Used to support objects with more complex display characteristics. The 3 crossbars enable more possibilities than the 2 arms of the "T". Used for either deck or wall situations.
Hook Diagram
Hooks
Description:
4" long rod stem with a 3" length of strap soldered to one end. Strap gets shaped to fit your object.
Comes in two sizes.
Common Uses:
Used to stabilize a variety of objects. Very useful when top-heavy sculpture (or large footed vases) need to be secured to a deck. Shape the strap to the foot of the artifact. Being strap (rather than rod) it will have a minimal profile and be less conspicuous. Drill and install the rod stem into the deck.
Leverage Diagram
Leverage
Description:
Two brass straps soldered one above the other on opposite sides of a sturdy support/stem rod.
Common Uses:
This is a pretty wonderful style of mount. Using the opposing forces of leverage, this mount takes objects with oval or round shafts and angles them effortlessly up from the deck. The upper strap wraps under the object, holding its weight; the lower strap wraps up and over the object keeping it from falling out of the mount. Pure mountmaking magic.
Bowl Diagram
Bowls
Description:
Three fully annealed arms to cradle the bowl (or bowl shaped whatever). A countersunk hole where the three arms meet accepts a standard drywall screw with which the mount is secured to the deck.
Comes in two sizes.
Common Uses:
Used to securely cradle round-bottomed objects by shaping to fit that roundness, while the mount itself stays put by being screwed into the deck. We will sometimes, if appropriate, augment the mount by placing a weightbag inside the object.
Hat Diagram
Hat
Description:
A 1/4" diameter, 18" long brass stem with a pointed end, fitted with a 2" x 3" brass plate. Comes with a 4" x 8" x 8" Ethafoam block. You carve the foam to fit inside your hat. The whole installs into deck or wall.
Common Uses:
Used to support hats and hat-like objects. Carve the Ethafoam to fit inside artifact, stick the foam on the brass stem, and bend the stem to the shape you need. Install in either deck or wall.
Wall Plate Diagram
Wall Plate
Description:
Two bottom tabs (soldered to a center stem ) are shaped to your plate's profile and support its weight. There is also a top tab that, after being shaped to the plate's profile, slides into a tube to lock the plate in place.
Comes in three sizes.
Common Uses:
Used to hang a plate on the wall.
Deck Plate Diagram
Deck Plate
Description:
Two tabs soldered to a curved rod get shaped to plate's profile and support its weight. The strap going up the back keeps the plate from falling backwards. The tilt backwards keeps the plate from falling forwards. The stem is bent to go into the deck.
Comes in three sizes.
Common Uses:
Used to tip a plate up from the deck.
