ring size for Viperscale

[ani_b]

Hi All,

For my next piece of chain maille I quite fancy having a go at a Viperscale bracelet.

Does anyone know what the best size rings would be for it?

[emroyjewels]

Hi Ani - according to cgmaille.com
" Viperscale takes rings with an aspect ratio of around 6.6. 20awg 3/16"
works; I haven't tried any other sizes yet. "

To work out the aspect ratio of a ring you need AR = Inner Diameter ÷ Wire Diameter.

So any ring with an aspect ratio of 6.6 ish would probably work. I tend to label all my rings when I'm buying them with the aspect ratio so I can just pick up a bag without trying to work it out all the time!

Hope that helps.

Em.

[mizgeorge]

I prefer an AR of 6 for viperscale.

If you plan to use 1mm wire, that would be a 6mm id, and I'd recommend using half hard wire as it's a big AR to sustain with unsoldered links.

[ani_b]

Thanks George, your bracelet is fabulous did you use 6mm rings?.

What is the difference between soft and half hard wire? I used soft on the Dragonscale and noticed the rings held their size more than the half hard ones i.e. the half were coming out bigger.

Would that be a problem?

Thank you

[mizgeorge]

You'll get more springback when you coil half hard wire - it uncoils a fair bit compared to soft wire, which will conform tightly to the mandrel. You can compensate by using a very slightly smaller mandrel for half hard wire if you're mixing the two.

Yes, that bracelet uses 6mm rings - which were actually wound on a 5.75mm mandrel with half hard wire. The weave looks nice looser as well, but I prefer the more solid feel somehow. I sometimes go to fully hard wire for ARs as high as this - just to be absolutely sure they won't open through wear.

[lesley]

I recently did this one with an AR of 5.9 and it worked a treat. I've only done it once but I don't think I'd go as large as 6.6.

[ani_b]

Right............I see. So when using half hard wire, go for a slightly smaller mandrel.

I been using bamboo knitting needles for winding and cutting rings, but is there anywhere online that I can get the odd size mandrels i.e. 5.75 from?

[mizgeorge]

You only need to adjust the mandrel size if you're matching with rings cut from another temper though. The springback will rarely be enough to affect the weave if you cut the whole lot from HH.

You need to be careful with bamboo needles though - they compress quite a lot after a few coils! It's also worth always checking the size with a digital calliper - some knitting needles can be way off.

5.75 is a standard knitting needle size so shouldn't be hard to find - charity shops are always a good bet for this. I like transfer punches (both metric and imperial) for odd sizes as well.

I find mandrels in all sorts of places, and have been known to wander round hardware stores, callipers in hand, checking nails, screwdrivers, and all kinds of other tools to find the right thing.

[MuranoSilver]

lol George - I'm really enjoying the mental image of the store owners faces as you go around with your calipers

[ani_b]

I borrowed some callipers from my neighbour but think I need to invest in a pair and keep them in my handbag lol and funny enough I just measured my 6mm knitting needle and it was slightly smaller.

One of my friends has given me some steel rods in various sizes but not 5.75 :-(, so off to the shops for me and I'll clean the rods up and start using them for coiling.

George, thank you, you truly are a chain maille guru :-)