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Post by darken on Apr 5, 2010 14:30:21 GMT -5
Hey All,
After reading extensively on chain mail production, I would like to know a few things about making the links for chain mail. (FYI I am working on garb as well).
1) Where do you get your wire? 2) How much per... whatever you get it in? 3) And do you have pictures of your rig that you use to coil it?
Thanks all and hope to see you on the field soon. (That's what I get for being a tutor and having weird hours.)
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Beard
NS Mod
Savage
Posts: 193
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Post by Beard on Apr 5, 2010 14:44:31 GMT -5
you can either get the wire yourself and wrap it all up and do all the labor or you can check out theringlord.com/cart/shopdisplaycategories.asp?id=1&cat=Ringsthese rings are pre cut and ready to be put together and the prices are pretty good. Now onto the disclaimer. Chainmail looks awesome but be prepared to have to repair it all the time because of rings popping off. and you will need plenty of rings on hand to fix it if something bad happens. Leather is generally what most people go for because its easy to put together and once its together it stays together.
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Post by stubbie on Apr 5, 2010 20:00:36 GMT -5
*removed because 17g chain isn't legal* As for a rig, we used a tent pole and nailed 3 sections of 2x4, making a U shape. You need a hole in either up-right, and it REALLY should be level (easily done by clamping your pieces together before nailing, drilling one hole, then unclamp). Drill a hole slightly bigger than your wire in one end of your winding pole. Never took a picture of mine but it literally was a ~ 28" bottom piece of 2x4 and 2 pieces of ~ 10inch 2x4's, nailed together to make the U. Obviously make your rig to comfort. Also, don't use a wooden dowel for your winding rod. You'll get about 2 decent winds around and the wire will have compressed it to a small diameter, making those rings useless to you. Dunno if this is something you've read before but it's from a highly respected member of the National Dagorhir Boards: www.dagorhir.com/forums/index.php?topic=12253.0*edit* Wow I feel stupid...I would have swore 18g was chain legal when we started doing our own chain. I'm sorry for spreading bad info. I should read MoA more closely, more often . www.digitalbonsai.com/dagrules-draft
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Post by Ska'ar Wulfsiger on Apr 7, 2010 20:38:52 GMT -5
Just a note about that 17g wire, bear in mind the armor rules:
5.2.4 - The minimum thickness of plate metal armor and riveted/welded chainmail is 18 gauge.
5.2.5 - The minimum thickness of metal armor not included in the previous rule is 16 gauge.
Unless the maille is being riveted onto leather or plate mostly for effect or trim, rather than practicality, or maille that's actually welded (i.e. the rings welded shut, rather than just clamped) the minimum gauge is 16, not 18. Even the guide referenced makes note of the 16 gauge minimum.
Otherwise, everything Stubbie says is 100% accurate. It's very, very time consuming, tho'...just ask Ragnar. That's why most of us use leather.
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