This tutorial demonstrates how to expand three different orbital bands into sheets. The following grain configurations are used:
Upper sheet:
Spinal Grain: Lean
Orbital Grain: Mirror Lean
Middle sheet:
Spinal Grain: Step
Orbital Grain: Layer Lean
Lower sheet:
Spinal Grain: Twist
Orbital Grain: Step
Information on Grain types and ring sizes is found in the (initial) Orbital Bands Tutorial (https://chainmaillers.com/resources/orbital-bands.440/).
Step 1:
Start with the bands as assembled in the preceding tutorial (linked just above). The rings that will be added in the next step are shown to the right in the images.
Step 2:
UPPER: Add one purple ring to each of the four lower edge rings.
MIDDLE: Add one purple ring to each of the four upper edge rings.
LOWER: Add one purple ring to each of two spots. These connections are similar to those used in European 4 in 1, for example. Each purple ring passes through two.
Step 3:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make four connections to the edge rings of the bands you started with, using the purple rings added in the preceding step as orbitals.
UPPER: The purple rings in the newly formed orbital row lean in the same direction as those of the preceding orbital row. This will yield the "alternating" version of this sheet, because of the mirrored lean orbital grain. Leaning them in the opposite direction would instead yield the non-alternating version.
MIDDLE: The purple rings of the newly formed orbital row lean in the same direction as those of the preceding orbital row. This will yield the "non-alternating" version of this sheet, because of the layered lean orbital grain. This configuration leads to parallellogrammatical-forming expansion. The alternating version, if used instead, would expand the sheet rectangularly.
LOWER: Make two orbital connections involving the purple rings added in the previous step. Speaking of steps, step orbital grain is the main reason why this sheet is so differently continued as compared to the two others shown.
Step 4:
UPPER: Position the closed purple ring against the lower ring of the preceding spinal lean grain row.
MIDDLE: Position the closed purple ring against the upper ring of the preceding spinal step grain row.
LOWER: Position the closed purple ring against the middle ring of the preceding spinal twist grain row, and add the small ring to secure it so it is held orbitally in place.
Step 5:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Add one small ring to secure the orbital ring placed in the previous step.
LOWER: One by one, make two orbital connections by positioning the purple rings against their preceding spinal twist grain rings, then securing them with small rings.
Step 6:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make a single orbital connection to the lowermost small ring of the preceding row.
LOWER: One by one, make two orbital connections to the second, and fourth small rings of their respective row. Place the pre-closed purple rings in the appropriate positions, then secure them in place with the open rings. Make sure the purple rings added in step 5 are tucked in properly.
Step 7:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Add one purple ring to the ring added in the previous step.
LOWER: Add one purple ring to the two rings closed in the previous step.
Step 8:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make an orbital connection to secure the purple ring.
UPPER: Make sure this ring being added is layered behind (under) its predecessor (added in step 6) in this current spinal lean grain row.
MIDDLE: Make sure this ring is layered in front of (over) its predecessor (added in step 6).
LOWER: Make an orbital connection to secure the purple ring in place against the small ring. Also be sure to pass through the two rings added in step 6 to maintain the spinal twist grain.
Step 9:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Add one purple ring to the preceding large aluminum ring.
LOWER: Add a purple ring to each of the two outermost larger rings of the spinal grain.
Step 10:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make an orbital connection to secure the purple ring in place. In both cases, this ring gets layered behind its predecessor.
LOWER: Make orbital connections at the top and bottom to secure the purple rings in place. Cross these rings through their adjacent counterparts to complete this row.
Step 11:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Repeat previous steps twice more to complete this row. Layer the spinal grains correctly.
Repeat as necessary, and do experiment with different grain types, alternating/maintaining Lean row directions, and offsetting Step (and even Parallel) grain types.
Upper sheet:
Spinal Grain: Lean
Orbital Grain: Mirror Lean
Middle sheet:
Spinal Grain: Step
Orbital Grain: Layer Lean
Lower sheet:
Spinal Grain: Twist
Orbital Grain: Step
Information on Grain types and ring sizes is found in the (initial) Orbital Bands Tutorial (https://chainmaillers.com/resources/orbital-bands.440/).
Step 1:
Start with the bands as assembled in the preceding tutorial (linked just above). The rings that will be added in the next step are shown to the right in the images.
Step 2:
UPPER: Add one purple ring to each of the four lower edge rings.
MIDDLE: Add one purple ring to each of the four upper edge rings.
LOWER: Add one purple ring to each of two spots. These connections are similar to those used in European 4 in 1, for example. Each purple ring passes through two.
Step 3:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make four connections to the edge rings of the bands you started with, using the purple rings added in the preceding step as orbitals.
UPPER: The purple rings in the newly formed orbital row lean in the same direction as those of the preceding orbital row. This will yield the "alternating" version of this sheet, because of the mirrored lean orbital grain. Leaning them in the opposite direction would instead yield the non-alternating version.
MIDDLE: The purple rings of the newly formed orbital row lean in the same direction as those of the preceding orbital row. This will yield the "non-alternating" version of this sheet, because of the layered lean orbital grain. This configuration leads to parallellogrammatical-forming expansion. The alternating version, if used instead, would expand the sheet rectangularly.
LOWER: Make two orbital connections involving the purple rings added in the previous step. Speaking of steps, step orbital grain is the main reason why this sheet is so differently continued as compared to the two others shown.
Step 4:
UPPER: Position the closed purple ring against the lower ring of the preceding spinal lean grain row.
MIDDLE: Position the closed purple ring against the upper ring of the preceding spinal step grain row.
LOWER: Position the closed purple ring against the middle ring of the preceding spinal twist grain row, and add the small ring to secure it so it is held orbitally in place.
Step 5:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Add one small ring to secure the orbital ring placed in the previous step.
LOWER: One by one, make two orbital connections by positioning the purple rings against their preceding spinal twist grain rings, then securing them with small rings.
Step 6:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make a single orbital connection to the lowermost small ring of the preceding row.
LOWER: One by one, make two orbital connections to the second, and fourth small rings of their respective row. Place the pre-closed purple rings in the appropriate positions, then secure them in place with the open rings. Make sure the purple rings added in step 5 are tucked in properly.
Step 7:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Add one purple ring to the ring added in the previous step.
LOWER: Add one purple ring to the two rings closed in the previous step.
Step 8:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make an orbital connection to secure the purple ring.
UPPER: Make sure this ring being added is layered behind (under) its predecessor (added in step 6) in this current spinal lean grain row.
MIDDLE: Make sure this ring is layered in front of (over) its predecessor (added in step 6).
LOWER: Make an orbital connection to secure the purple ring in place against the small ring. Also be sure to pass through the two rings added in step 6 to maintain the spinal twist grain.
Step 9:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Add one purple ring to the preceding large aluminum ring.
LOWER: Add a purple ring to each of the two outermost larger rings of the spinal grain.
Step 10:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Make an orbital connection to secure the purple ring in place. In both cases, this ring gets layered behind its predecessor.
LOWER: Make orbital connections at the top and bottom to secure the purple rings in place. Cross these rings through their adjacent counterparts to complete this row.
Step 11:
UPPER, MIDDLE: Repeat previous steps twice more to complete this row. Layer the spinal grains correctly.
Repeat as necessary, and do experiment with different grain types, alternating/maintaining Lean row directions, and offsetting Step (and even Parallel) grain types.
