Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Flaede]

I'm liking the patterns you folk are tossing about. I know a few folk who've dabbled in this, and it's nice to see the "how did they do that?" explained. I don't have the patience, or tools, personally. But maybe some day...

[Patchouli]

I had a drill, some metal dowels, and mini bolt cutters, so I bought wire and thought I'd give it a shot.

Some thoughts:
-I have weak hands. My left hand is so pathetically weak, I have to breathe out every time I cut a ring to prevent clenching my teeth.
-The auto-feeding setup with the wooden base and the two dowel rods is probably worth the $5 it takes to make.
-I am an incredibly impatient SOB.
-Not getting wire on a spool was probably the worst idea.
-Using pliers without a spring is a nice way to annoy your hands.

[Girlinhat]

I actually hold my pliers like so:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

and only have a bit of trouble.  I find that as I'm doing this, it's mainly my three fingers that wrap around the handle more, not the pointer finger really doing anything.

I'm using large bolt cutters, and I brace one handle on the tiny wooden deck of the shed (as seen in a few precious pictures) and push down with one hand, then use my inner thigh to hold down one end and pull it open with one hand.  A little bruising on my leg, but I've learned how my pants sag and react, so I usually catch the handle on some taunt fabric instead of on my actual leg.  If mini bolt cutters aren't doing it very well, they may be dull, need to be braced, or just poor design.  It also depends on the wire.  12gauge galvanized steel doesn't like to be cut at all.  24gauge copper can submit to nail clippers.

I had trouble with the un-spooled wire, so I cut off a long length from the bundle first, usually 5-10 rounds of wire, and straighten it out using a glove on one hand, so that it doesn't kink and tangle when winding.

[CatalystParadox]

Wire kinks are a pain to prevent, but I haven't found a better way than what Girlinhat mentions doing - seperate out a bit and make sure its free of tangles beforehand.  Also I like to cut shorter lengths to coil so I am not pulling directly from the entire multi-hundred feet of wire.

And spring-loaded pliers are such a relief - you have a good workaround there, girlinhat, but there's really no substitute.  I have some other thoughts on grip...  I'll try to take and post a picture of my own technique, later.  I rather swear by it.  In brief - angled pliers upright in left hand to hold the ring, straight pliers, upside-down in right, to open/close.  Grip with lower fingers, leaving forefinger and thumb free to pinch/grip other things if need be without setting down the pliers.  (If that makes any sense) I swear once you adjust to it, it's better control and flexibility than the alternatives.

As to cutting... if you can't work it by hand it might be worth considering a larger set of cutters. Aviation snips can be good, and give a cleaner cut that closes nicely if you're willing to fix the slight warping it creates initially, but bolt cutters are sometimes the only way for heavier materials.  My mini-bolt cutters work fine for up to the heaviest metals I use (which is only 16ga hard stainless, actually) but I needed to improvise some grip padding with electrical tape and foam rubber to keep from destroying my hands.

That Lloyd fellow you've linked a few times, Girlinhat, has a really fantastic tutorial on his website for making expansions and contractions in Euro style maille (contrary to his opinion on "maille" vs. "chainmail" I've had a surprisingly large number of people think I am talking about chain letters, and when the word is written out, at least, Maille is nicely unambiguous).  Probably the best I've seen!  And its a very important thing to know how to do.

Now I am wondering if I have the time and determination to resume work on the hardened stainless elfweave contoured shirt I started once upon a time...  (end result should be a little like this or maybe a little more like this one.  Neither is quite the idea, but you can see my inspiration.

And, just because its the awesomest thing I have seen in ages:  This is a masterwork scale armor.  All craftsdwarfship is of the highest quality.  It is constructed of small, blued-brass scales, stainless steel split rings, and bronze chainmail.  It is adorned with hanging swarovski crystals.  It menaces with spikes of blued-brass.

[Girlinhat]

Well, that settles it.  I'm gonna have to make a tailored mail dress.  If only I looked as good in a dress as I imagine I do...

[CatalystParadox]

(derail removed)

I see ^  Apologies.  I suppose it was.

Non-derail version: I encourage you to make the tailored dress, it sounds like an awesome project!

[Girlinhat]

Just got my package from theringlord.com  Came via small package, which looks like a padded manila envelope.  A buncha-buncha super-tiny rings, some clasps, and two exquisite pairs of pliers.  These tiny aluminum rings are significantly more tiny than I thought...

[Patchouli]

I now have a nice tiny sheet of 4-in-1 that goes around my wrist. It's pretty neat, but oh my goodness cutting is terrible. Also, there's a mad amount of gaps everywhere and all the chains are crazy scratched.

I am pretty sure I'm not ballsy enough to finish an entire shirt.

I don't know if I should just stop here and try out other weaves or keep making a 4-in-1 blanket.

[CatalystParadox]

I've picked up my pliers again and am practicing an Elfweave expansion.  God this stuff is annoying to join - much easier to expand off the sides - but that's not really possible for expansions. 

Really glad this thread came up to spur me back into the hobby.

What method are you using for cutting, Patchouli?  Maybe I have some suggestions.

[Patchouli]

I am using bolt cutters. I don't have a special method or anything, I just clip them and that's it.

[CatalystParadox]

I guess I don't know what to suggest except maybe softer/thinner wire.  *shrug*  That, and padding the handle + girlinhat's always useful use-two-hands-and-brace-the-other-handle-against-something-solid method.  Pace yourself, keep at it, the muscles get stronger.

I've certainly worn mine out for tonight.  Hoo.  Wrists aren't happy with me.

[Girlinhat]

Mini bolt cutters, was it?  Or was that someone else?  Good method I've found for cutting, is to place the wire into the cutter, and then turn it until the edge "falls" off the cutter's blade.  You should hear/feel a tiny "click" as it falls that minuscule amount and becomes flush with the cut edge.  Snip then, and it's about as good as bolt cutters can get.  Also, with my 1/2" galvy I cut them three at a time, but with 1/4" I have to do them one at a time.  Doing sets of 3 is a lot easier, but in general yes, cutting is the worst part of the whole thing.

When joining rings, it helps if you bend and unbend them towards their center.  That is, don't simply pull one end up and the other down to open it.  Push one end up and left, and the other down and right, to align them closer together, and then when closing the ring, do the same thing.  I often have to push the ring past the closed position and get a good grip on the pliers to push the ring together strong-arm style.  If the rings are small enough, you can fit the entire the into the pliers and give it a very detailed squeeze to hem it up a little.  Just be careful, if you over-squeeze and the ring slips and pops closed, then you've ruined the ring.  Never fear though, a ring ruined like this can become a clasp!  To do this, take a ring.  Place the pliers on either side of the split, and pull it open.  Then take one end, and put the pliers over the entire ring, and pinch it down until the tip of the edge hits the wire itself, making a tiny loop.  And thus, you have a hook, which you can attach to the end of a bracelet or necklace and hook into itself.  Bonus points: it's made of the same material and size as the piece itself, so it blends beautifully, and is extremely cheap and easy.  Most cut rings aren't sharp enough to snag clothing, or can be sanded a bit as needed (or just rubbed against a rock, any friction really works).

Also, for fun, try looking up a byzantine chain style, it's relatively easy once you figure out how it's done, and looks gorgeous if done right.  Don't worry so much about how people show to do things, I've starting making all weaves 1 ring at a time, or 3 at a time for euro.  People say to make little "modules" or "units" of weave and then connect them, but I just can't get into that.  Do what works for you, you're the one putting out the effort.

Now, with my bronze and aluminum here, I'm going to work on a special little project.  It's a surprise though, hopefully it'll be done tomorrow :3

Fun fact: bronze is extremely tough to work with.  The idea of working with stainless steel or titanium terrifies me.

[Dsarker]

At least you're not working with spider silk or the like.

[Bauglir]

I have to get into this. Chainmail belt sounds like the greatest thing. This year, I swear it.

[CatalystParadox]

I have to get into this. Chainmail belt sounds like the greatest thing. This year, I swear it.

Do it!

Also, if you are worried about cleaner closures you can use the score-and-break method.  Squeeze the bolt cutters slowly, on just one ring, enough so it scores the metal but doesn't go all the way through.  When the ring starts to twist slightly away from the rest of the coil that's a good indicator (I like to keep my fingers on it so I can feel the movement).  Then, using a pair of pliers or mini-snips, slide into the gap below, grip, and twist at the scored joint.  It should break off fairly easily (unless you haven't scored it deep enough - err on the side of a bit more generally) and it gives you a closure that is much closer to flush than pinching all the way off.