Problem Solving
If math is not your friend, you'll love this section of our site. Read the sample issues below and find the one that matches what you're trying to do, then follow the steps to find the answer you need...
Aspect Ratio
Aspect ratio is a number that refers to the relationship between the thickness of the wire and the inside diameter of the ring...
Normalizing Odd Ring Sizes
Sometimes a tutorial will call for very strange ring sizes such as 21g/2.38mm, 19g/3.57, 3.97, 4.37 mm, etc. First, you need to get all those odd wire gauges converted to millimeter measurements. That isn't hard...
Gauges (in Millimeters)
The wire we use to make our rings is AWG (American Wire Gauge) Standard. This chart shows the width of each gauge of wire we use in millimeters.
Outside Diameter to Inside Diameter
Our rings are listed by inside diameter (ID) because that measurement is most significant in the construction of maille. If you want to use a tutorial that lists rings by the outside diameter (OD), you'll have to convert that measurement to inside diameter before you'll know which rings to order. Happily, this is the easiest of all conversions...
SWG to AWG
Non-ferrous metals (meaning those that do not contain iron) are usually measured using the American Wire Gauge System, at least within the US. That's the system we use. If you're working from a tutorial that makes reference to SWG (Standard Wire Gauge), you'll need to convert from SWG to AWG...
Imperial to Metric
If you want to use our rings with a tutorial you've found elsewhere, it's often necessary to convert the recommended ring sizes from imperial (inches) to metric (millimeters)...
SpringBack
Tension is inherent in metal wire and that tension is compounded considerably by coiling it. When the wire is cut at the end of a coil, it makes a sound like SPROING! and loosens a little bit on the mandrel...
Rounding
You'll probably have to round up or down to a standard metric size for ordering and that will require a little educated guessing on your part. Take these factors into consideration...
