O.D. or I.D?

    Well, I haven't used my new flex-shaft yet, (forgot to order the stand with it.  Sent the hubby out to find one, but he came back with the shaft for the flex-shaft. )  

    But, I did try out the new jump ringer.  It is a really cool tool but it had me puzzled for a while.  I was looking at some jump rings I had purchased and I noticed that let's say, a 6 mm jump ring was equal to an 8 mm jump ring on the mandrel.  I guess I always thought that the dimensions referred to the outside diameter.  It was really confusing me, so I emailed a friend from South Carolina.  I figured that she would know the answer and sure enough she did.

   This is what I found out.  Regular jump rings are labeled according to their outside diameter.  Jump rings that are going to be used for chain maille are labeled according to their inside diameter.  So, now  I know that I have to use a mandrel 2 sizes smaller than what I think I need.  (It's just my mind being stubborn and blocked about the whole thing.  Kind of like it is when it comes to the metric system...... I have lots of beads that are not the size I thought they were.)  

   So, when I make jump rings, I need to go two sizes smaller.  When I make metal clay rings, I need to make them two sizes bigger to allow for the shrinkage.  (I almost forgot that today when I started on a ring for my daughter-in-law's birthday.  Luckily I caught it in time.)

   Darn those long vacations, they make me stupid!