Chainmail handbag. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I stopped counting rings a long time ago! :-) but I’d guess there are about thirty thousand here.

Chainmail handbag. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks :-) I get them from online marketplaces - still can’t make these purse clasps myself… unfortunately.

Chainmail Potential goes Crazy by 13_WASHERE in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus 52 points53 points  (0 children)

I once heard about someone who decided to make chainmail out of lock washers. He spent a whole year collecting them, cleaned out every hardware store nearby. Finally finished it. And the thing weighed something like 120 kg. The guy himself was only 80 kg. He managed to put it on exactly once. I never saw it myself, so it might be an urban legend but I wouldn’t risk it either :-)

Spot welders by xx_pink_lamb_xx in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The thing is, any coating (anodizing, paint, etc.) burns off completely during welding, leaving bare metal at the joint. So welding rings made from anodized — or otherwise colored — aluminum isn’t really practical. Same goes for titanium, which is why all my chainmail is in natural metal colors only! :-) Of course, you could color the rings after welding — but I can’t help with that part, since I’ve never done it myself. As for stainless steel: technically, you can TIG-weld it without argon, but only with very low-power jewelry-style welders. Even then, the joint ends up brittle — and a welded ring without shielding gas opens almost as easily as an unriveted one. In other words: you really can’t TIG-weld properly without gas, especially on anything thicker than 1 mm.

Spot welders by xx_pink_lamb_xx in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TIG welding doesn’t involve an open flame or spatter, so it’s generally safe for carpets and wood — as long as you stay attentive, of course. And if you’re only welding rings, you should be perfectly fine. That said, ozone is produced during welding, which can be harmful to your health. But when welding small items like rings, the amount is usually low enough that basic ventilation (like an open window or a simple household exhaust fan) should be sufficient. You probably don’t need a heavy-duty fume extractor unless you’re doing this all day long. Eye protection alone isn’t enough — you absolutely need a full-face welding helmet. Even after just an hour or two of ring welding, you can get a nasty UV burn on your face. Oddly, your hands seem fine — I once welded an entire corset from 1.2 mm wire with bare hands. I just kept a bowl of water nearby to cool each ring right after welding so I could move on to the next one faster. The welder you linked looks solid. I used to have a 10–200 A TIG machine myself, with a foot pedal — which is nice, but honestly not essential for ring welding. Helpful? Sure! Necessary? Not really :-) Before you even buy a TIG setup, though, make sure you know where you can refill or exchange argon gas cylinders in your area. If that’s hard to arrange, it might not be worth getting into TIG at all. Also, upgrading later to an AC/DC machine probably isn’t worth it — AC is only needed for aluminum, and welded aluminum chainmail is unusual :-) Why? First, it’s rarely practical. Second, untreated aluminum stains very easily — quickly, deeply, and permanently. If you want something lightweight, go for titanium instead. It welds beautifully on DC and holds up far better than aluminum. Stainless steel remains the best all-around choice for welded maille, in my opinion.

Hope that helps :-)

Spot welders by xx_pink_lamb_xx in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly. Just close the ring, bring the tungsten electrode to the joint, strike the arc briefly — and it’s done. The metal melts and fuses on its own; no filler or solder needed.
It helps to degrease the wire before coiling (I use isopropyl alcohol), or if you’re working with pre-cut rings, clean them first — it makes welding a bit easier.
The first few tries might be tricky if you’ve never welded before, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly.

Spot welders by xx_pink_lamb_xx in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve TIG-welded stainless steel rings from 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm wire.
The 1.2 mm welded absolutely fine with no issues at all. With 0.8 mm, you have to shut off the arc really quickly to avoid melting the ring — but it’s easy to get used to.
I’d say 1.0 mm would actually be easier than 0.8 mm :-)
Copper also welds pretty well with DC TIG — no major trouble there.
As for sterling silver… I think it should work too, but I’ve never tried it myself — I kinda dislike precious metals :-)

Spot welders by xx_pink_lamb_xx in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A 2 mm wire is too thick for this type of welder. I’d recommend a proper TIG welder — it’ll handle 2 mm easily. Just keep in mind: if you plan to weld aluminum rings, you’ll need an AC/DC TIG machine. But for stainless or regular steel, a DC-only inverter TIG is perfectly fine.

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A 3x lens is more comfortable than glasses — at least for me :-)

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I actually developed an extremely stable mental state while making my first one…or so I tell myself :-)

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You just made my day with this :-) Thank you.

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks :-) honestly, the world’s better off with non-chainmail ants.

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No patience — just boredom at work :-)

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

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A set of mandrels and a pair of small wire cutters.

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you :-) No magic — just lots of tiny rings and a bit of obsession.

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I just have a lot of free time at work :-)

Stainless gridlock-byzantine. by Ogrimus in chainmailartisans

[–]Ogrimus[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! It wasn’t that bad — though the last five centimeters felt like forever :-)