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How to Make a Metal Abacus

An abacus is a computing system for numbers made up of a frame and beads that slide back and forth on a piece of wire or wood. The earliest record of an abacus is in Mesopotamia between 2700 and 2300 BC. Abacuses are still used in Africa and Asia by adults and children alike in their daily tasks. Abacuses are made out of everything from wood and stones to metal and wire.

Things You'll Need

  • Metal picture frame
  • Metal strapping
  • Drill
  • Metal drill bit
  • Pop rivets
  • Pop riveter
  • Wire
  • 130 large metal or plastic beads
  • Needle nose pliers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove any hardware, backing and glass from the picture frame.

    • 2

      Drill 13 holes approximately 3/4 inches apart on both long sides of the picture frame. Match up the holes at the top and bottom of the frame.

    • 3

      Drill a hole on each short side of the frame, 1/4 of the way down from the top of the frame.

    • 4

      Cut a piece of metal strapping as long as the inside of the picture frame's long side, plus 1 inch.

    • 5

      Drill 13 equally spaced holes in the piece of metal strapping. These should line up with the holes in the picture frame.

    • 6

      Measure out 13 lengths of wire as long as the short side of the picture frame, plus 4 inches.

    • 7

      Thread the first wire through the first hole at the bottom of the frame. Twist the end of the wire around itself with a needle nose pliers to secure it so that the wire is going up toward the top of the frame. Fold the end of the wire under to prevent scratches. Repeat this step for all of the other holes.

    • 8

      Thread eight beads onto each wire.

    • 9

      Bend 1/2 inch of each end of the metal strapping at a 90-degree angle.

    • 10

      Drill holes in each tab end.

    • 11

      Place the metal strapping into the frame with the 90-degree angle tabs facing down. Line the holes in the tabs up with the holes in the short sides of the frame. Pop rivet the strapping to the frame.

    • 12

      Thread the wires through the strapping.

    • 13

      Thread two beads onto each wire.

    • 14

      Thread the wires through the holes at the top of the frame and secure them as done on the other side. Trim off any excess wire.

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