The Armour Archive

trying to figure out how much wire I need to buy to make a hauberk after I am done with this one.

I have done the math for the ring count at roughtly 11000rings.
5/16
what is the formula for figuring out lengh of wire I need to buy?


tehh rought count cam from the ringlords mail calculator

The circumference of a circle is PI * Diam.

Keep in mind that you have two circumferences -- the inner-diameter one, and the outer-diameter one. The actual length will be somewhere in between, as the wire will stretch and compress as you coil it.

With a 5/16" ID, the inner circumference is about 1"
Assuming a wire diameter of 0.05" (somewhere around 16-18 gauge, depending on which standard you pick), the outer circumference is about 1.3"

Picking a number somewhere in the middle (and at the high end, because you'd rather have too much than too little, you need about 1-1/4" of wire per ring.

With 11,000 rings, you need 1146 ft, or a bit more than 1/5 of a mile.


My personal experience is to add 10% for error/waste, and another 40% for mistakes in calculation.

What are you making it out of? Wire type? You could just go to the local Farmers Co Op or Farm Supply store and buy 1/2 or 1/4 mile spools of 16 or 14 ga galvy steel wire. Either way you are golden.

I made a 1/2 sleeve, mid thigh, hauberk at 14 ga., 3/8" ID, butted, galvy steel fence wire. I bought a 1/2 mile spool and used maybe half of it. I estimate I used 30,000 rings. Maybe 35,000.

actualy plan on using 14 guage working in aluminum fencing wire.

have a galvanized one in 3/8 almost done.

my brother wants one for an sca event being he is an extra large sca fighter size it will probibly take some time to finish.

Lostie, get forty pounds of wire. If the shirt only takes thirty-two, you have eight left for a coif. Forty pounds will certainly make a shirt.