Well, there are two things that led me to this project. First one - I like to feel individual, have something to break form the grey mass of everyday life. Second - too much free time.
Probably you've seen small chains which you can attach to your trousers. I tried to find a way to make one-of-a-kind chain. And I did. As I'm a gamer (computer games, RPG and so on) I decided to take some RPG dice and make the chain out of them. I know that there are surely more freaks like me so I'll try to tell you about making item like mine as much as I can.
Probably you've seen small chains which you can attach to your trousers. I tried to find a way to make one-of-a-kind chain. And I did. As I'm a gamer (computer games, RPG and so on) I decided to take some RPG dice and make the chain out of them. I know that there are surely more freaks like me so I'll try to tell you about making item like mine as much as I can.
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Signing UpStep 1: Tools and Preparations
Before you begin, think of a place where you are going to work. You'll need some tools so it'll probably be some kind of workshop (your basement, garage etc.). However, there is one thing that you should consider FIRST - GOOD VENTILATION. I'm not joking, this is for YOUR HEALTH PROTECTION. Work will involve piercing the dice with hot metal. It produces FUMES, which are HARMFUL. Make sure that you cover your face. If you put a cooling fan directly at the source of fumes, then a simple bandana on your face will be enough.
Materials and tools you'll need, in the order as in the photos (from left to right):
1. Two quick swivel bolt snaps. Each of them is about 5cm (2 in.) long, which makes them perfect to attach into your trousers.
2. Dice. A lot of them. Color is of your choice. Each die is 2cm (0.8 in.) measured from side to side, not between vertices. To find the desired lenght of your future chain, simply take a piece of string and put it to your trousers, find the appropriate amount and check the length.. REMEMBER to do the measurement when you're having your trousers on. If you just put them on the table and try - you'll get different result. Length which was satisfactory for me was 50 cm (20 in.). Margin of mistake would be around 5 cm (2 in.). Make sure to buy several dice more than you need, just in case of mistakes. I've bought 28 and finally put 23 on a chain (with only one lost during experimental piercing).
3. Some sort of string - a spine of your chain. I have considered several alternatives:
- first one was cotton string. Why not? – too weak, and too easy to tear apart.
- a metal cable. Why not? – not flexible enough. The chain wouldn’t hang freely under its own weight, but keep the cable’s shape.
- a metal string. Similar to the one in your bicycle’s brakes. Why not? – too thick, and without any isolation it would work like sandpaper. Also there would be problems with flexibility.
After eliminating all the alternatives I was left with nylon string. You can buy it in any shop with building materials. The one I’ve chosen is 1mm in diameter. It’s durable (I was unable to tear it apart by myself, so it should protect you from any accidents), it’s flexible (no problem even when it was put through the dice twice) and it’s easy to work with.
4. Source of flame to heat up the thing which you’ll pierce the dice with. I think that portable (touristic) propane gas tank is the best, however anything that can generate similar temperature will do. Things like cigarette lighter can’t give you enough temperature.
5. Thing which you’ll use to pierce through the dice. It has to be metal to heat up well, and has to be AT LEAST the same diameter as the string you are using. It may be anything: drill, thick needle (preferably surgical), nail etc. I’ve chosen hex wrench (Allen wrench), 2mm in diameter.
6. Pliers to hold the piercing item. It’s necessary as it will be literally red-hot.
7. Wire cutters to get rid of the remains of piercing.
8. Vise to keep the pierced die still and keep your finger as far from the heat as possible.
9. You may, but don't have to, take cigarette lighter and SuperGlue.
Materials and tools you'll need, in the order as in the photos (from left to right):
1. Two quick swivel bolt snaps. Each of them is about 5cm (2 in.) long, which makes them perfect to attach into your trousers.
2. Dice. A lot of them. Color is of your choice. Each die is 2cm (0.8 in.) measured from side to side, not between vertices. To find the desired lenght of your future chain, simply take a piece of string and put it to your trousers, find the appropriate amount and check the length.. REMEMBER to do the measurement when you're having your trousers on. If you just put them on the table and try - you'll get different result. Length which was satisfactory for me was 50 cm (20 in.). Margin of mistake would be around 5 cm (2 in.). Make sure to buy several dice more than you need, just in case of mistakes. I've bought 28 and finally put 23 on a chain (with only one lost during experimental piercing).
3. Some sort of string - a spine of your chain. I have considered several alternatives:
- first one was cotton string. Why not? – too weak, and too easy to tear apart.
- a metal cable. Why not? – not flexible enough. The chain wouldn’t hang freely under its own weight, but keep the cable’s shape.
- a metal string. Similar to the one in your bicycle’s brakes. Why not? – too thick, and without any isolation it would work like sandpaper. Also there would be problems with flexibility.
After eliminating all the alternatives I was left with nylon string. You can buy it in any shop with building materials. The one I’ve chosen is 1mm in diameter. It’s durable (I was unable to tear it apart by myself, so it should protect you from any accidents), it’s flexible (no problem even when it was put through the dice twice) and it’s easy to work with.
4. Source of flame to heat up the thing which you’ll pierce the dice with. I think that portable (touristic) propane gas tank is the best, however anything that can generate similar temperature will do. Things like cigarette lighter can’t give you enough temperature.
5. Thing which you’ll use to pierce through the dice. It has to be metal to heat up well, and has to be AT LEAST the same diameter as the string you are using. It may be anything: drill, thick needle (preferably surgical), nail etc. I’ve chosen hex wrench (Allen wrench), 2mm in diameter.
6. Pliers to hold the piercing item. It’s necessary as it will be literally red-hot.
7. Wire cutters to get rid of the remains of piercing.
8. Vise to keep the pierced die still and keep your finger as far from the heat as possible.
9. You may, but don't have to, take cigarette lighter and SuperGlue.
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dices is a tense of an action verb, to dice (as in to cut food into small cubes) - i.e. "He dices vegetables very quickly."
thanks for the information, I'll try to dig a little bit more about that, and if I can get 100% confirmation then I'll correct it in the text.
But here's a definition or two from http://dictionary.reference.com
die /daɪ/
Show Spelled [dahy]
noun, plural dies for 1, 2, 4, dice for 3.and then,
dice /daɪs/
Show Spelled [dahys]
plural noun,singular die.I find it funny that they only include 'cubes' in the definition of dice, when polyhedral dice are actually more commonly made and purchased than the cubes; there are relatively few games which use the 6-sided die, even if those few are more "mainstream" games...
Anyway, I've edited the text and made corrections. Many thanks for info and help.
I was going to continue into a long and unnecessary description of the various polyhedral shapes in found in gaming dice... but since it is unnecessary, I will omit it.
Anyway, I also want to make sure and mention, good concept, execution, and description! Nice 'ible.