Does anyone know where I can buy either carbon steel or stainless steel ungalvanized wire in North Dallas area? I’m wanting to make chainmail rings
Any store that sells welding supplies has stainless steel wire that is used for MIG welding. Home Depot or Lowes would be your closest store. Home Depot sells a 2 pound spool of 0.030" (0.8 mm) diameter 308ER Stainless Steel wire for $22.36. It contains 20% chromium and 10% Nickel. Go online and search for model #42298 or just hit this link Home Depot. Other sizes may be available.
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16 Gauge wire is 0.0508", or 1.29 mm.
Even 0.35" welding wire would be too thin to make good chain mail links.
Soft iron wire for wiring up rebar for concrete works (I made some 6:1 chain mail with it long ago), but it’s covered in oxidation and prone to rust. Galvanized high tensile wire works, is shiny, and doesn’t rust. It’s typically 12.6 ga (about 2mm diameter) and much stiffer/stronger (and harder to cut/saw).
https://www.lowes.com/pd/galvanized-metal-fence-tension-wire/1000006444
Yeah, I ended up buying some 14 gauge at Tractor Supply. I’m going to keep looking around for a place to buy stainless steel wire.
I’d ask @Mandaris who hosts chainmail classes frequently…
Tony's Chain/Scale Maille Class News
He just might know of local suppliers.
is there a reason not to use TIG rods??
Yes I thought about that, the problem would be the waste. You are essentially making a spring and each end would have some unusable parts, so the longer the spring the less waste.
what diameter ring??
3/8 inch inner diameter is what I have used before
there are submerged arc welding wires to 1/16 I think but it would come on a 50# spool and I can not say I have ever heard of SS sub arc wire. By my calculation you will be needing at least #20 of wire for a vest so perhaps #50 spool is the best way to go.
www.TheRingLord.com has a great many types of wire and is what i would recommend because you can get more info on the wire and because it is made specifically for the purpose the OP was asking after. i dont have first hand knowledge of any local wire vendors but i hear good things about Dallas Metal Supermarkets (where you may have to make a special request to get premade wire but has good quality steel im told) and Chicago Stainless (not sure if you can get stainless wire from them but i know they sell a variety of stainless alloy’s and have accommodated special requests in the past) sorry i couldnt be more help turning rings is something i can help with but wire is little out of my bailiwick
i know linda dallas does wire wrapping you might ask her
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