modelers central has some chain but always seem to be out of what I meed . Just busy there I guess .
Try Floating Drydock. There are 3 sizes, 7.5 links per inch, 9.5 LPI, 11.5 LPI. 3D printed and actually work like real chain.
EJ
A number of these on Shapeways as well; looks like 11 or so LPI is the lower limit size-wise, for current 3D printing.
Do you know the links per inch (LPI) for that chain?
Rob
which chain are you referring to?
7.5, 9, & 11.5 lpi
At 1/96 (1/8" = 1’-0") scale, 12.8" long; 10.6" long; and 8.3" long to scale.
At 1/144 scale, 19.2"; 16"; and 12.5" long.
At 1/350 scale, 46.6"; 38.8"; and 30.4" long.
At least in very round numbers. Links are not a uniforme 1:1:1:1 long, but 1:n:1:n:! long, and we have to speculate on how they were measured.
In Naval use, chain is not specified by link size, but by the “wire” size of the link, which is the diameter of the bar that forms the link. It’s rather like a paperclip being measured by wire guage; a 1.25mm wire might be bent into a 2cm or a 3cm or suchlike clip.
USN DDs use a 5-6" wire size chain; battleships used a 10-12" chain. That is, if memory is servingme well. I want to also remember that the shots of chain are forged continuously, too, with each link being formed in a die, then rotated 90º and moved over just far enough to strike the net link.
And, now that I thoink of it, I’ve seen stud-link chain down to around 1/2" wire size, with links that were under palm-sized.
I think thr stuff looks great, but I can’t see it working at even the smallest size on anything smaller than a battleship or carrier at 1/350.
Larger scale- smaller ships.