Dog Chain vs Ball Chain

I did a couple different searches on this, but couldn't really get my question answered. I just made my first set of fire poi, but i'm finding the dog chains to be a little too heavy?

Is the ball chain just generally lighter or is there another reason that people are suggesting it more? If they can help me spin a little more smoothly i think that I'll upgrade.

Thanks

Matt

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I dreamt that I ate a 10 pound marshmellow and then when I woke up, my pillow was gone!

It's all in preference. Ball chain is lighter and the whole chain acts as a swivel so it does feel smoother. Some people like the heavyness of dogchain with less movement down the chain so they can "feel" the twists and turns near the handle.

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[]Dhuong-Vu Truong
==== []Dhunky ====

Would the "chain" from the PureFlame Poi be considered dog-chain? I have yet to figure out what it's called

Kinudin--
The chain on the pure-flame poi in the HoP shop is not chain at all--it's cable. Cable is another critter entirely.

Dog chain is a normal chain with links formed of rings, though usually with dog-chain, each ring is shaped so that the whole chain can lie flat.

That's why almost all of the chains, cables, connecty-thingamajig's in CoL2 look totally different

Ball chain swivels, is light, strong, comfortable to grip to shorten chain, and doesn't easily tangle.

I'd suggest at least trying it. I find very few negatives to using it.

only thing with the ball chain is the little connector doohickeys you put on the ends can be sort of sharp and annoying for wrapping or hitting yourself in the eye with (!) which wouldn't be there with dog chain.

but i do like the ballchain anyway since i don't do much wrapping.

Pere

I find em better for wrapping. But that's just me.

Go to Petsmart or something like it, and look for finer gauges of chain. They make some pretty thin stuff at all different lengths. Dog choke collars. I haven't used ball-chain yet, but I have had no problems with the chain I am using now. it is chrome dipped, so it is nice and smooth for wraps, but, it twists. Attach a swivel and clip like the kind in the shop, and it will help with some of the twisting.

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I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here.

~~~Dance as if noone is watching!~~~
PLUR(RE) ---J---

Advantages to ball chain:
- lighter
- built in swivels
- easier on your hands/skin
- doesn't hold as much heat (fewer burns & cools faster)
- doesn't tangle as easily
- untangles very easily
- you can slip out of it quickly if you accidently wrap it around your arm or whatever (it rolls right off)
- much safer all around

Disadvantage:
- if you dunk your ball chain in the fuel by accident, the little balls hold fuel. Be sure to spin out REALLY well if this happens.

Use the stainless steel ball chain in 13 gauge or bigger. Aluminum or brass ball chain is weaker (aluminum is definitely too weak), and 10 gauge ball chain is borderline on being strong enough to handle the job - 13 gauge has twice the tensil strength of 10. Plus the larger the ball, the less likely it is to tangle and the easier it untangles.

peregrine~~~as for the sharp edges when connecting the connectors to the chain use a smnall piece of shrink tupe, you know the stuff that is rubbery like then when you heat it up with a lighter or something then it shrinks to fit the chain and wraps over the sharp edges.

p.l.u.r.r.
xtremravr

but that's not going to work on the end next to the fire though...

yeah, Pere, I know what you're talking about. probably best just to file, or brush off the edge that'll scratch. I don't spin fire, yet, but I've cut myself many-a-time practicing wraps with glowsticks& ball chain type 'a' coupling...

vanize - good advice:
(paraphrasing) "Don't dunk your balls in the fuel"

Hey peregrine, I had the same problem but I covered them in kevlar and no pain!

I tried it first with thin rope but it was not too secure so I used some of the lighter fluffy string that is sometimes used to make fire eating wicks.

Spose just plain old cotton strips would last quite a few burns if ya tied them on tight. Plus, it is possible to get Kevlar thread to sew kevlar wicking together but I have yet to find some to purchase. Is it all a conspiracy?

Hope that helps,
TEMPEST

I have had ball chain break on me... during a show... for kids. It was horrifying as my poi flew into the audience.

The problem with ball chain is that you can't see inside the balls. So if a tiny rock gets in there, it could crack or break the smaller ball inside the larger one that holds the "links" together. So even when you check your tools, you can't tell if there's a problem.

I have used ball chain for 8 years because I like the feel of it, but I'm off to buy dogchain now because I never, ever want that to happen again during a show.

It's probably fine for practice poi, but consider dogchain for fire poi. I had heard of this happening before, but was kinda ignoring the advice cause I liked ball chain.