TUTORIAL-Viking Knit Chain-Part 1-Wooden Drawplate

Over the next few weeks I will be covering Viking Knit Chain. This week we will start with one of the last items you will use: the Wooden Drawplate. I use a wooden one for a number of reasons:
1)Inexpensive-These aren't as durable as the metal ones, but they can be remade in minutes.
2)Good for approximately 10 chains.
3)Made with easy to acquire supplies.
4)A very quick project!

Lets get started!

**SAFETY FIRST**
Remember, you will be working with power tools so safety glasses are a MUST!
Tie long hair back. Do not wear loose clothing. PAY ATTENTION to what you are doing!


Supplies:
Heavy duty Paint stir stick (available for free at the hardware store)
Sharpie pen
Sandpaper
Drill Bit Conversion Chart

Tools:
Drill motor and drill bits (I have used a mix of standard and metric but you can use whatever will get you the size holes you will need)

Step 1:
Lay your paint stick onto a surface that you can drill on. I use a scrap 2X4.
Insert a drill bit into the drill. (I have used a standard size E because this is the closest to the size of my finished Viking knit chain.)
Near the top left corner of your paint stick, slowly drill through.
Flip your paint stick over and carefully drill into the hole you have just made. (This helps with clean-up)

Step 2:
Using the Drill bit Conversion chart, look up the size of your drill bit. Millimeters works best. **When my bit isn't listed, I use my calipers to measure it.**
Use your sharpie and write this measurement above the hole. (In this case it was 6.350 mm)

Step 3:
Choose a slightly small bit and repeat step 1 above.
I chose Standard size 8.

Step 4:
Repeat step 2. (In this case 5.055 mm)

Step 5 through Step10:
5: Choose a slightly small bit and repeat step 1 above.
I chose Standard size 14.
6: Repeat step 2. (In this case 4.623 mm)
7: Choose a slightly small bit and repeat step 1 above.
I chose Metric size .172.
8: Repeat step 2. (In this case 4.33 mm)
9: Choose a slightly small bit and repeat step 1 above.
I chose Metric .156.
10: Repeat step 2. (In this case 3.91 mm)

Step11:
Lightly sand front and back. Be sure to run sandpaper into each hole as well.

Now you have your first tool towards your Viking Knit Chain! You can expect to have to cut this portion off the paint stick and redo this about every 10 times you use it.

Be sure to come back next week, when we will be getting started with our chains!