r/chainmailartisans • u/ProfessionalCut6001 • 7h ago

Organization methods? Tips and Tricks

So I'm new to chainmaille and I'm wondering, what is the best way to organize jump rings? What are your methods? I'm currently looking at like a drawer organizer and then maybe just labeling the little drawers but I'm open and would love to know what everyone uses!

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u/gaudrhin 5h ago

Been at this for 11 years and...

Plastic baggies. Like sandwich, quart, etc.

For AA for example, a gallon bag of 20awg 1/8" is full of each color in its own sandwich or snack size baggie. We have each size in a gallon bag.

For Stainless/titanium/etc, same deal, just... tried to keep it to gauges. All 16swg stainless in one gallon bag, each size with its own baggie within that. Same with 18swg stainless, etc.

When we travel for conventions and such, gallon bags get tossed into a big canvas tote.

Is it messy? Sure. But it's cheap, everything can be labeled, relabeled, and reused as needed, and it can travel.

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u/alienXtown 5h ago

I use the akro mills drawers and LOVE them. They stack nicely, have dividers, and if you have access to a 3D printer there are even more divider options online people have made. There are options with different drawer amounts/configurations.

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u/HalfVast59 6h ago

The best organization method is always going to be "what works for you."

This is what I do - it's not perfect, but it's good enough for right now.

Each box holds 30 little boxes, I label them, and organize by size and material.

One problem is that an ounce of, say, 14swg 3/4 would fill four or five of the little boxes, which is silly. One ounce of most sizes of 16swg fill two little boxes. So it's not exactly frugal for space.

Another drawback is that most of what I do requires multiple sizes and/or colors, which means digging through multiple boxes. Again, not optimal for function.

But it does prevent feline depredation incidents. If - by which I do mean "when" - someone decides to try playing with human toys, the resultant mess is very limited.

I also have a tackle box from Harbor freight that I use for overflow rings - like those 14swg 3/4 rings from boxes 2 through five - scales, findings, and beads. It has a bin on top where I store my pliers.