I don't think you quite understand what chainmail is like. It's hard to without playing with it for hours . The only way you can make chainmail "denser" while using the same size rings is to put more than 4 in each ring (i.e. 8-in-1). This makes it less flexible though. Chainmail can strech in 1 direction easily. It's hard to describe. Look at the following 2 pictures of the same piece of chaitmail:





it isn't folded over or anything, just pulled to the right and left

                                o  o  o  o
<--     o  o  o    -->
                                o  o  o  o

It probably took me anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours (but I always multi-task and easily get bored, so I don't usually work on just chainmail much). I don't remember...

I forgot to show the pattern I'm using . Here's a string of numbers to tell how many rings I have in each row (the linking rows [that hold the fivers together] are the numbers on the second line). To make each triangle (which I put together to make a rhombus) I used:

  2  3  4  5  6
1  2  3  4  5 

which [mirrored horizontally] would look like:

o
  o 
o  o
  o  o
o  o  o
  o  o  o
o  o  o  o
  o  o  o  o
o  o  o  o  o
  o  o  o  o  o
o  o  o  o  o 

It does go faster when you get used to it (especially for the first few pieces you make). What definately makes it go faster is mass producing. Wind up a bunch of wire. When you have a ton of coils, clip them into rings. That way you'll have a ton of rings and won't have to keep making more whenever you need to use it.


Since you only attach the rings at the very end to the string, the chainmail is free to streach. So it makes no difference whether it's squashed or streached (unless you actually braid it in). I braided in the 4 corners of the rhombus and left the rest AROUND the string, but able to slide (so it's still flexible).


EDIT: oooooooh! I see what you're saying! Yes, when I hold it up keeping tension in the string, the chainmail slacks down making a pouch. Sorry, I thought you were talking about something completely different

Looks pretty sweet. yes, that pouch thing is exactly what i meant; i really need to learn how to articulate my ideas better. it looks pretty heavy, but being aluminum it's probably a third lighter than what most of us are thinking of.

chainmail out of coathanger wire is painful, i can assure you. one coat hanger, following a 4 in 1 pattern makes an even 2in.x2in. square with three rings to spare, using 5/8 ID links. 3 links left over. So it isnt anywhere near efficient. Coathanger is also a lot stronger than you might think. Anyway, i was just doing it to get the general idea, if i find some wire and a lot of time i'll make some 

Nice work Altay 

That's a very cool sling. If you miss you can always smack somebody upside the head with the sling itself.

A lot of the property of chainmail depends on the type. What you have there is 4-1 mail. For every one ring, there are four attatched. I've seen mail makers go as far as 10-1 in the SCA. Obviously, the rings are teeny. They are a little stiffer, as well, but have an overall better stopping power.
   Also, you can make mail from brass, copper and even, God forbid, aluminum!. They aren't as strong as steel, but when properly planned, can make some interesting decoration. I've seen an Egyptian Ankh worked into one shirt.

Here are some pictures showing how it cups a tennis ball. Perhaps a bigger ball would fit better (the tennis ball sinks in a bit too much). I may try it with a softball. I'm just worries I'll end up whacking myself while I'm doing the figure-8. I'd go out and test it... but it's FREEZING (for a guy who grew up in a town that never snowed and was about 40 C during the summer) and it's snowing and windy outside... I'll probably test it at school on tuesday. Anyway, here are the pictures:

I had a simular problem with my tarp slings, smaller rockes tended to stay in the sling. I belive it had to do with the dynamic pouch that these designes have.

-Unsapian

That Sling is a Very nice thing iReally have to get working on the chainmail hobby