Unit Made from Box Drops

Alton H

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What would you call this chain if the furthest rings aren't used, and the middle of the three layered rings were collapsed into just one ring? To explain what I'm trying to ask, I'll list the numbers of rings in each position as I see them in this chain starting at the tether, and do the same for the thing I'm asking about.
The tether of box drops consists of two parallel rings, connected to three rings splayed out in a manner where each is perpendicular to the tether. From the flat edge outward to the points, there are two rings (connected to the straight edge's splayed ring and the center splayed ring) that sandwich two more rings (connected to the tether by the center and pointy edge splayed rings) which in turn sandwich two parallel rings, connected to the tether only by the pointy edge's splayed ring. Then there are three splayed rings in much the same fashion, connecting to the next tether. The cell is repeated without a 180° rotation.
What I'm trying to ask about has no real pointy edge. It does have a double ring tether like you show here, and also has the splayed three rings connecting the tethering rings to the center of the cell. But the two parallel rings on the pointy edge are forgone, and the two rings that would otherwise sandwich those missing rings are instead made into just one. So that means that you'd have 2 rings for the tether, 3 splayed rings, three parallel rings with the middle of those three being offset, 3 splayed rings, and two rings for the next tether.
I ask because I did it and I made a fairly nice square out of it, but my aspect ratio was not great™ forcing me to stretch my jump rings a bit. I was going somebody knew the optimal AR for the square made of this weave I've described. I went ahead and added a spacer ring into each tether, and then linked the edges inside the square to keep the overall shape of the piece square instead of rhombus shaped.
 

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Alton H

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To clarify, the aspect ratio was fine for the chain itself, but to make a square you'd need thinner wire or a larger inner diameter. The staggered parallel rings you see in the center are the ones I mentioned using to link the inner edges. I don't know why they decided to stagger, but I can't convince them not to do that.
When first creating the chain, it started explicitly as a European ish thing, but you can see that the finished product is more of a Japanese weave in appearance due to the perpendicular rings.
If you were to use flat rings for the sandwich rings in the middle of the cell, and invert the square from the way I curled it, I think you might be able to channel set a small coin or plate. You might even get away with a gem if you solder stuff into place.
I used dead soft AA at ~20SWG, and wound and cut on a 1/8 inch diameter wooden dowel, but you could tell from a close inspection that most of the rings have a significant gap in their "jaws," if you will.
 

chainmaillers.com

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What would you call this chain if the furthest rings aren't used, and the middle of the three layered rings were collapsed into just one ring?
I'd wouldn't call it box drops ;)

Seriously though, by removing rings from the structure it would become much more like this:


To clarify, the aspect ratio was fine for the chain itself, but to make a square you'd need thinner wire or a larger inner diameter.

Forget about removing rings from the chain structure for a minute. Basically what you did was invert the chain and connect it to itself. My personal designation for this form is an Ouroborus Unit (that's a unit type, not an individual name). Any change in form may (or may not) need a corresponding change in AR to account for additional necessary space and/or connections.

I don't know why they decided to stagger, but I can't convince them not to do that.
If you look at the top and bottom tethers in the diamond, you have a 7th ring that splits the 6 tethered rings into a rough symmetry of 3-3. If you look at the left and right tethers, that 7th ring is not present and the 6 tethered rings have no symmetry, which is the probable cause of the stagger.
 
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