Hi, I'm Andrew Fisher, with the pseudo of mandark. At the moment, I'm studying within the field of cybernetics, doing a master of engineering degree at Reading University. I have many hobbies and interests, which range from 3d modeling to live action role play, which I am only really just getting into.

Other academic courses that I have studied are physics, maths, design technology and electronics, all at an 'A level' standard. With my main interests being towards the latter of the four. I currently have many projects under construction at the moment, some will be finished shortly, while others may take much longer to complete while others may never reach a final end point, below are some of them.

Chain Mail

I have recently started constructing various test segments of mail, made from many different materials such as key ring loops, electrical wire, and now finally aluminum wire and HS3 spring steel washers. The last two materials were obtained from www.theringlord.com and www.armchair-armoury.co.uk respectively.

After the test pieces, I started to make a skirt of mail, this was made from a 4 in 1 European style with the aluminum rings. To create the skirt so that it would be able to stretch with walking, but not fall from the hips, I joined the 4 in 1 chain to a 6 in 1 pattern, this was done by using the bottom row of the 6 in 1 and attaching it to the 4 in 1 as if they were both 4 in 1. This meant that when the 6 in 1 was fully stretched, then the 4 in 1 was closed together. After completing the skirt project I will be starting to create a chain shirt with full sleeve. This will then be added too by making scale mail tassetts, and then having plate mail for the vambraces, greaves, spauldrons, and either a plate or leather gauget, and finally a possible breast plate.

Live Action Role Play (LARP)

During the past year, I have joined a group of people who role play, but with a difference. Instead of working out things with dice, you actually physically do the action. The system that we use is heavily combat orientated, which means that you need weaponry and armor in order to survive a quest. The group that I have joined is the shattered reality group, found at www.shatteredreality.co.uk . We tend to get together every Sunday go into a forest and hit each other with latex weapons for several hours. Again I have started to create my own weaponry. The first was a dagger. This was built from spare material that I had from my main weapon. Therefore the dagger was very thick. The weapon that I'm currently building is my main weapon. It consists of a 1.8m fiber glass rod which is encased in foam. It is being cut to shape to form a very large sword, which will be nearly 2m long. I'm also starting construction of a small shield to use on days that I monster.

Chain Mail

Live Action Role Play (LARP)

Rats