Plastic [chain]mail or rings for same

[Gwen]

Hi all-

I would like to offer mail making as a kid's activity at our event next month. I thought it would be fun to use large plastic rings, so the young kids could weave a piece in a short amount of time without tools.  Unfortunately, I can't find any sort of plastic ring which is suitable for this purpose. 

We have looked at Roman shade rings (too brittle), split rings (too expensive), and O washers (too flimsy). We've spoken to the Ring Lord, and they don't have anything flexible enough to be shaped by hand.

I'm posting in the hope that someone has either done this before, or has made a fantasy costume incorporating lightweight, large ring mail and can suggest a source of rings.  The event is coming up quickly and I would hate to have to cancel this activity for lack of materials.

Any help appreciated!!

Thanks-

Gwen
Tournament of the Phoenix

[gypsylakat]

could you maybe get a pipe of some sort and slice it thinly?
OR what about cutting apart plastic slinkies?

[Delireus]

What about pipe cleaners? They are flimsy but as long as you dont pull on them too much they'd hold a circle. And you could color code them to make it easier for the kids, something like "put 4 white rings on the red ring".

I guess they'd not hold up walking around the faire or on the way home,  but it's a thought. You might also want to take atrip to hobby lobby or a craft store and just brows the isles. You never know what might just be perfect that you'd never have thought of until you see it.

Or paper clips? I guess you'd have to make them into circles yourself but if you make them big enough, they'd be easy to bend by hand. You could even use the colored ones to color code things like I suggested before. I think paper clips would hold their shape fairly well too. Best of luck!

[gem]

could you maybe get a pipe of some sort and slice it thinly?

Here's a link for making mail from PVC pipe:
http://www.alleycatscratch.com/lotr/Armor/Maille/PVCMaille.htm

[Dragonlord]

Miejolie on the boards made some armor using pop tabs.  Could go with something like that.

[Butch]

Have you thought about using those vinyl washers for hoses?  I believe they sell them in sheets of 12.  They would be pretty flexible, but not a flimsy as O rings.  Good luck!

[gem]

And a gazillion times easier than cutting PVC pipe into hundreds of pieces!!