Welcome to Desert Moon Armories
WARNING: This page has some large images, so please be patient.
This is a project I've been working on for some time, put aside because of work and other real life issues, and only recently picked back up. I'll be updating this when I get new information, which may still take some time to do. I've recently run into a technical snag with a few aspects of the armoring. As soon as I get this figured out, I'll be able to continue with the project, which includes pictures.
A few images of what I've been working on. I'm trying to create some miniature chain maile (and eventually, full plate) armor for some of the guys. They've been telling me for over a year now that they want to go into the Medieval Costume class, but have nothing to wear!
What I've shown in the pictures below is called a 4-in-1 pattern, where you use one ring to link four other rings (two on top of and two below the central ring). It's a very loose, basic pattern. Since these pictures have been taken, I've changed my maile to a 6-in-1 pattern, which is almost the same, but you link six rings to the central one (three on top and bottom). This creates a tighter, more dense appearing weave, but one that I feel is more appropriate to the project at hand.
This isn't a very good pic (most aren't, the stuff is just so darn small!), but it shows a small patch of the maile on Lunar Ebony's back.
That's Ebony there, proudly displaying his miniscule saddle pad.
This is just to show how small this stuff actually is, that's a pen being used as scale marker, along with a bunch of spare links. Tiny!
My working space. I was using the jar to store all the chain stuff until I got a better system. And yes, that's Ebony again, prancing around in the back there, wanting me to hurry up and finish. I keep telling him this is long, hard work, but he doesn't want to believe me. Oh well...
Here's the patch as of June 23. Like I said, slow progress... But it's getting bigger.
It's looking more like a saddle pad now, but that's not what it's supposed to look like! This patch is actually going to be going around his neck.
A closer view of the patch. I'm hoping to get down and get some metal to make the heavy plate armor that will cover most his upper body.
(looks like blue prints, huh?)
Well, I got the paper patterns drawn up and cut out. Got those traced onto the sheet metal (yes, it's a lot thicker than what is normally seen for model horses, but I've decided to scrap scale here and go for what looks correct, which means using a higherer guage metal. Kiddies, don't do this at home without propper supervision, and even more importantly, proper equipment. I ended up skinning my knuckle tonight (at about 12:30 am, Friday night, Dec. 20, 2003) while trying to cut the metal with a pair of metal snips I'm now thinking are not appropriate for this. I should probably go down to the hardware store and get me some heavier duty snips... Ahh... The lessons learned while trying to figure things out when you don't know what you're doing...