Brett Whinnen
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I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 19, 2010 12:04:34 GMT
We've just had the boy's 5th birthday party (on the weekend just gone) and I turn 40 next year so we've decided to go with a medieval theme, pretty much anything from the 10th to 13th century. I've always wanted to make some maille so I've decided to start a little smaller and make the boy a hauberk from butted mild steel. Looks to be about 18GA, I'll measure if up properly when I need to buy some more wire (I had this laying around). I'm making 6-7mm ID rings with it. I'll get some photos of progress up tomorrow, but I've made a strip long enough to encircle his waist (with a thick jumper on as an arming jacket) and about 6 rings thick. It's actually not too bad once you get a rhythm going. The hardest part is cutting the rings I've run out of rings for the night and it is 10pm now so I won't cut some more I thought it might be fun to document this as I go along so will get the camera out and start taking some photos for others interested in doing this sort of little project. For me though I think I'll be buying my maille, but I'll see how long it takes to make the hauberk and then the coif later Brett
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Brett Whinnen
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I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 20, 2010 12:11:15 GMT
Some piccies of the progress. Hands are getting a bit sore, mainly from cutting the rings! Am starting to make a yoke, going to be 60 rings around, should drape nicely over his shoulders, may need to tighten it a little but will see. Will get some pics of the rings in raw form tomorrow.
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Brett Whinnen
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I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 23, 2010 12:19:56 GMT
Unfortunately the boy is in bed, but I'll get some photos of him over the weekend. The yoke is getting close to his outer shoulder now. I ended up doing 70 rings around, fits over his head easily and drapes well.
Started with three rows of rings and two rows of connectors and then started expanding with each row of connectors and rings. It really does fit over the shoulders well and looks great.
I am starting to run out of wire now so will have to get some more over the weekend as well.
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Brett Whinnen
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I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 24, 2010 0:42:10 GMT
The boy wearing the progress so far:
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2010 13:24:17 GMT
You, sir, are an awesomely cool dad. +1 to you.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2010 15:04:00 GMT
WOW, you are one cool dad! As a kid I would have loved some genuine chain mail
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 25, 2010 20:09:34 GMT
Thanks guys. I weighed progress so far (have another two rows on that since the photo now) and it weighs a nice 498gm or just over 1lb. One more row with expanding rings in place and I'll then start bringing it down to his armpit level. Then I get to start either the arms or the torso It's a bit hard to do this as I'm trying to make it big enough to fit him next year, so it is going to hang a little more this year Went out and purchased another 180m of wire on Saturday. I think I'm going to need at least another 270 - 360m on top of that to finish it off, will have a better idea once I start on the torso. Oh and after measuring the wire it is 0.050 - 0.051" so about 16GA, had to find out exactly to go and buy some more Would have been nice if the wire manufacturer had the gauge or inch measurements on their tag as well as the mm to make it easier I've run out of cut rings at the moment, have about 7 coils ready to cut (~110 - 120 rings a coil), but am going to take a night off and let my poor IT oriented hands have a breather I have to say, having never handled maille before I cannot believe how liquid it feels, it is quite therapeutic to just let it flow from one hand to the other
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Brett Whinnen
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I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 29, 2010 1:31:50 GMT
I'll grab some more photos when both of us are at home this afternoon.
It is now almost down to his armpits, I'd say 1 - 2 more rows and I'll then start on the torso section. So far it weighs 760gm and I'd estimate close to about 3,500 rings so far.
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Jul 31, 2010 5:17:14 GMT
Progress so far... I'm going to open up the torso a bit as it is a little tight, and I think I'll look at closing the neck up a bit too. He ran off to check himself in the mirror as soon as it went on, and then decided he wanted to wear it for a while.
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Aug 25, 2010 9:52:06 GMT
Been a while between updates... I'm now down past his crotch level and have just started the front and rear split. So far, I've used at least 200m (650') of wire, I'm not game to estimate how many rings, it is at the moment 108rings around the torso. I'll have to get some photos as an update later this week. Once I've done the skirt I'll then start the sleeves, and then move onto the integrated coif. EDIT: Well I ran out of rings, so I did a quick count up, roughly 9,000 rings so far! I think I'll have at least another 2,500 - 3,000 in the skirt, then 3,000 - 4,000 in the integrated coif and the sleeves should run at about 2,000 - 3,000 each So I'd estimate just under half way there
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2010 2:53:12 GMT
Been a while between updates... I'm now down past his crotch level and have just started the front and rear split. So far, I've used at least 200m (650') of wire, I'm not game to estimate how many rings, it is at the moment 108rings around the torso. I'll have to get some photos as an update later this week. Once I've done the skirt I'll then start the sleeves, and then move onto the integrated coif. EDIT: Well I ran out of rings, so I did a quick count up, roughly 9,000 rings so far! I think I'll have at least another 2,500 - 3,000 in the skirt, then 3,000 - 4,000 in the integrated coif and the sleeves should run at about 2,000 - 3,000 each So I'd estimate just under half way there Excellent stuff, kudos to you for having the patience to stick this out. I said it before but I'll say it again, you're an awesome dad!
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Aug 26, 2010 7:04:03 GMT
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Aug 29, 2010 22:12:27 GMT
~700 rings later, the weekend has passed. Since the photo above I'd say I've done around 1000 - 1100 extra rings on the bottom, test fitting tonight to see progress.
Brett
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Sept 6, 2010 10:31:10 GMT
I started the coif on Saturday evening. I'm from the crown down to his ears now, as usual I've run out of rings, that is about 1200 - 1300 in the last week. I'll get some pics of it in the next week as I've progressed a bit further.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2010 16:41:11 GMT
I have to say it again, you are the coolest dad ever. I would have killed for a set of chain mail as a boy.
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Brett Whinnen
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I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Sept 15, 2010 9:45:52 GMT
Me too, I always wanted some maille or armour as a kid, I think that is why I am persisting with it so much. I've got the coif integrated, but need to do some work specially around the front. It will be interesting as I need to make sure he can still get his head through it. The front: The back: With his cloak:
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2010 13:13:19 GMT
That’s pretty cool, all he needs now is a gambeson and arming cap
I wonder whether the split in the back and front could do with being longer, it looks a bit tight round the top of his legs.
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Brett Whinnen
Member
I know enough to know I still know nothing
Posts: 208
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Post by Brett Whinnen on Sept 15, 2010 19:19:49 GMT
After watching him walk or should I say run in it last night, I agree, he does need a bigger split. The size of the skirt is actually uniform from just under the flare of the hips down, I only bought it in about 3 - 4 rings from that flare. Just goes to show how well it conforms to the body, I know I've said it before but I love the fluidity of this stuff Arming cap will be easy The aketon/gambeson will be the challenge, I'll be making mine first and then will make his. Oh and you can just see a big ring on the crown in the last photo, that is my locating ring to determine what was inside and outside on the coif as I was making it Where it joins the hauberk it is not symmetrical so I needed to ensure I had an easy way to figure out which was in and out
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