How to make chain mail rings - Enhanced Jig

This is a jig that I made to make chain mail rings MUCH easier!
The jig comprises of 3 tensioner pulleys (these are just concave roller bearings for sliding doors - available at any good hardware store) that create the tension between the bar and the wire so that I don't have to.

Make sure that the roller closest to the bar is as close as possible (when you make your jig).
Follow the way I've made the wire go around and up (around that roller) and then to the bar - this not only creates the tension but also stops the wire from wanting to jump back onto itself (back onto the created spring) as it's going.
The Aluminium tube is 12mm diameter and the hole in the jig is 12.5mm (for an easy fit).
The thickness of stainless wire is 1.6mm which I think is an ornamental thickness. There are lots of other youtube vids that explain thicknesses and ring size and patterns in more detail.
The old jig that I showed is good for learning the basics and starting out, but you need to get into mass production of rings to create something big like a Hauberk.
This is only the first step in making the rings. I will be eventually making up a robotic jig for cutting the rings also. Stay tuned for that video!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• chain
• mail
• ring
• jig
• howto
• how-to
• make

[StringedStrumpet]

I made this with the nylon cutting board and brass rollers instead of nylon, however, the wire has a tendency to reverse direction and go back down the rod, what should I adjust to prevent this?

[coolantcooled]

@StringedStrumpet I have this happen every now and then, and yes, it's a pain - the main things to do are -

-see how I have the middle roller - that can be adjusted up to give more tension on the wire, this stops it jumping backward onto itself.

-also if you can get someone else to hold the drill then you can concentrate more on the jig. if you push the jig along the bar instead of letting the rolling wire do the pushing, you can end up with a stretched spring or it going back on itself.

[coolantcooled]

1- as one other person has said - a nylon chopping board from any homewares store is what i chopped up for the back piece!

2- If you are in Australia and want that wire - In Bunnings they sell it by the small 15mt roll, but I did a special order from them for 300 mt. The supplier is Whites Wires.

[Lazybabyz]

Oh bloody get on with it!!

[coolantcooled]

@Lazybabyz

When YOU design and build something to help with a particular job, and then post it with a description for the good of everyone, THEN you will have the right to make comments like that.

Until then, please keep your comments to polite but constructive criticism, maybe with the odd extra idea to expand on this one.

[ArcAngellErzengell]

I actually made one of these using a cutting board for walmart that cost me 3 dollars. 3 Sliding Green Door Replacement Nylon rollers, and 2 screws. It worked amazingly. Thanks so much for the video, it gave me great ideas.

[coolantcooled]

@ArcAngellErzengell

Congrats! that is exactly the stuff I used! Hope is continues to go well for you!

[DCTTeacher1]

Fantastic video congratulations. A very well thought out and constructed jig. Cheers, Aaron.

[HaiDiMeng]

i use a hand crank for mine just so i can control it a bit better but stretching it out to cut.... i have never thought of that... it will open the rings already and takes less time to cut... I thank you so much!

[GetReal38]

that is not a good AR

[WestCoastChainmail]

Thanks for this video - it partially inspired my own winding design!

[CannibalCarp]

Nicely done. Gave me idea how to fix some things that I have that are missing springs also.

[EPICCCOMBOBREAKER]

Nice video. My favorite part is at 5:30 when the camera man almost dies lol

[tylerb1560]

can u make me 1 ill pay

[OldWayArtisans]

@nessabayno

Cutting a stretched coil does two things: First, many types of hand-held cutters cannot cut accurately unless each winding of the coil is spaced far enough apart for the jaws of the cutters to close. Second, cutting an "open" coil results in rings that are already open and ready for weaving; if you cut a "closed" coil, the rings would be almost totally closed and would need to be opened prior to use.

[OldWayArtisans]

I am interested in the wire feed at the back end of the device. How did you attach that particular piece to the jig? Otherwise, I believe a few machine screws and lock nuts can account for the mounting hardware on the rollers; everything else pretty much makes sense to me.

I would make one change: Mount the three rollers on slots, not holes, and use washers to reinforce the mounting hardware. This would give infinite increments of adjustability to each roller.

[nessabayno]

why do you need to stretch it out? can't you just cut them while they aren't stretched out??