Overview

To expand on the 4-in-2 Chain, I created the 4-in-2 Orbital weave, as documented on the Chainmaillers Forum. This basic member of the European, Japanese, and Persian families is just the 4-in-2 Chain with the addition of orbital rings. I wrote and included this tutorial since I couldn’t find any pre-existing ones.

Materials

For the sample piece showcased in this post, I made the rings myself. I used 16 SWG Bright Aluminum wire from The Ring Lord coiled around a 9mm mandrel (for an approximate ID of 9mm) for an AR of 5.5.

Tutorial

  1. Start with 2 rings stacked on top of each other. When done, it should look something like this:

  2. Add 1 new ring(green in the image below) to the side of the rings from the previous step(red in the image below). When done, it should look something like this:

  3. Add 2 new rings(green in the image below) through the 2 rings from the step before the previous(blue in the image below). Also, ensure all the rings touch but don’t go through the ring from the last step(red in the image below). I suggest adding one new ring at a time. When done, it should look something like this:

  4. Repeat steps 2 through 3 until you are happy with the length of your chain.

Notes

The 4-in-2 Orbital weave is quite easy to understand and create, making it accessible to beginners. While its appearance is fairly plain and not particularly striking, it has plenty of uses thanks to its round cross-section. You could easily make necklaces, cords, or bracelets using it. Despite its minimal aesthetic appeal, its simplicity and ease of construction make it worth learning.

Pictures

Flat

Flat: Angled

Flat: Profile

Vertical

Vertical: Profile

In Process




Interactive Model