Turn your weave, project size and ring stats into total jump rings, weight and cost — live as you type.
Presets are typical starting points only. RPI shifts with your exact ring size, gauge and tension — for a real quote, weave a swatch and enter your measured RPI below.
Tip: count rings in a small swatch, divide by its covered area (or length).
Gauge isn't a fixed size (AWG ≠ SWG), so enter the real wire diameter from your supplier. 16g AWG ≈ 1.29 mm.
Don't know per-ring price? Take a bag price and divide by its ring count.
This calculator estimates the three numbers maillers actually need before starting a chainmaille piece: how many jump rings to buy, how heavy it will be, and how much the rings will cost. Most calculators online only work out aspect ratio. This one chains that together with your project size and your weave's rings-per-inch so you get a real shopping list — useful for buying rings, quoting a customer, or checking whether a shirt will be too heavy to wear comfortably.
Ring count. Sheet weaves use rings per square inch, so count ≈ RPI² × (length × width in square inches). Chain/rope weaves use rings per linear inch, so count ≈ RPI × length in inches. A spare allowance is then added on top.
Aspect ratio. AR = inner diameter ÷ wire diameter (same unit for both). It governs whether a weave sits loose or tight; each weave has a workable AR range.
Per-ring weight. A closed ring is a loop of wire of length ≈ π × (ID + WD). Multiply by the wire's cross-section area, π × (WD ÷ 2)², for volume, then by the metal density. Densities used (g/cm³): aluminium 2.70, 304 stainless 8.00, copper 8.96, bronze 8.80, brass 8.50, sterling silver 10.36, titanium 4.51, niobium 8.57.
Find your weave's rings-per-inch (RPI) at the ring size you use. For sheet weaves like European 4-in-1 that's rings per square inch, so multiply RPI by the area (length × width). For rope and chain weaves it's rings per linear inch, so multiply RPI by the length. RPI changes with ring size and gauge, so measure a small swatch of your own weave — divide its ring count by its covered length or area — then add roughly 5–10% spare for closures and mistakes.
Aspect ratio is the inner diameter of a jump ring divided by the wire diameter, with both in the same unit. AR controls how loose or tight a weave sits, and each weave has a workable AR range — European 4-in-1, for example, commonly works from about 3.0 to 5.5. You can't get AR from a gauge number alone, because gauge systems (AWG vs SWG) differ between suppliers, so convert gauge to a real wire diameter first.
Each closed ring is a loop of wire. Its length is about π × the mean diameter (inner diameter plus one wire diameter). Multiply that by the wire's cross-section area — π × the wire radius squared — for the volume, then multiply by the metal's density. This tool uses standard densities such as 2.70 g/cm³ for aluminium and about 8.0 g/cm³ for 304 stainless steel. Real weight varies a little with alloy and closure, so treat it as a close estimate.
RPI isn't fixed — it depends on ring size, wire gauge, weave tension, and whether you measure the weave flat or stretched. Published RPI values are starting points. For a client quote, weave a small swatch in your exact rings, count them, measure the covered length or area, and enter that measured RPI here. That gives the most accurate count for your own hands and materials.
Method & assumptions: ring counts come from your RPI × project dimensions plus a spare buffer; weight is derived from ring geometry × standard metal densities; AR = ID ÷ WD. Figures are estimates for planning and material-buying guidance only, not guaranteed manufacturing specs — verify with a measured swatch and your supplier's exact ring stats.