Parts of a Wood Chain

The Process of Making a Wood Chain

• Whittling means carving shapes out of wood, and can be performed to make statues, utensils and designs. Wood chains are seemingly the most difficult thing to whittle, but only require a piece of wood, a sharp knife, and some planning. A design is marked on a piece of wood and, with a careful hand, the cuts are made around it.

Tunnel Area

• The tunnel area of a wood chain is the space within each individual link. It is one of the most difficult parts of a wooden chain to make. The wood that fills the rings is cut into four points, like a cross, which the future rings stem from. The removal of wood risks cracking the rings if too much wood is removed or if too much force is applied. The finished product of this stage of carving is the hole of the ring, called the tunnel area.

Joint Area

• The joint area of a wood chain is comprised of all the interlocking links together. The interlocking links of a wood chain are made from the four-point section that looks like a cross. It is the point in which all the links dangle together. The joint area appears as two separate links joined by a third, which holds them together at intervals.

Horizontal and Vertical Links

• The horizontal and vertical link is the finished product of hollowing out the tunnel area. They are the parts of the wood that make up the circumference of the ring. Vertical link refers to the top part of the ring where the interlocking links join. Horizontal links are the sides of the same ring.