Abstract: An electric incandescent lamp comprising an axially extending filament in a tubular vitreous envelope has improved filament supports of wire whose outer turns are formed as hexagonal loops comprising straight segments with angles between successive segments. The sharp bends at the angles decrease the springback and unwinding of the support when it is released from the mandrel, so that variations in support loop diameter with wire tension and size are reduced. The support may be fabricated through a new method and apparatus on a forming mandrel by engaging a wire in a slot in an exposed end face simulating a shallow helicoid. As the mandrel revolves, at least one full turn is wound around its periphery (which may be hexagonal) to form the outer envelope-engaging loop. The wire is then bent radially inwards at the shoulder of the projecting portion of the helicoid face to wind filament-engaging turns around the filament and wire mandrel which extend through an axially aligned aperture in the forming mandrel.