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Ball chain sizes #2 to #30: ball (bead) diameter and the connector hole sizes (#3, #6, #10, #13 and more)
What are the ball sizes of #3, #6, #10 and #13 ball chain, and which connector fits? · Standard part · basis: McMaster-Carr's bead-chain tables (trade size, bead diameter, link mounting-hole diameters) cross-checked against Lucky Line's #3, #6, #8, #10 listings; numbers only
Also called: ball chain sizes, #6 ball chain diameter, #3 ball chain size mm, ball chain connector size chart, #10 ball chain ball diameter, #13 ball chain size, bead chain size chart, dog tag chain size, ball chain pitch, lamp pull chain size, ball chain connector hole size
Exact dimensions. True size, with no tolerance added.
- sizes
- 8 in table
Notes
- Ball chain (also bead chain) is sold by a trade size number. McMaster-Carr prints the bead diameter per size: #2 and #3 3/32 in, #6 1/8 in, #8 5/32 in, #10 3/16 in, #13 1/4 in, #20 3/8 in, #30 1/2 in. Lucky Line's listings agree for #3 (3/32), #6 (1/8), #8 (5/32) and #10 (3/16), and Wikipedia calls #3 a 2.4 mm steel ball chain (3/32 in = 2.38 mm). An Eaton lamp-chain listing gives 0.13 in for #6 without saying whether that is the ball or the chain, so it is not used.
- Connectors are matched by trade size: McMaster sells connectors, loop links and couplings by the same size number, and Lucky Line's listing says the connector 'matches' the chain size; neither printed a size-by-size chart of connector body dimensions. The hole diameters in the table are McMaster's mounting-hole diameters for its screw-mount and push-mount links, as printed, and vary by material and finish.
- Ball spacing (pitch) is not given in any source read, so it is not on this page; neither are the chain's overall width or the connector body. McMaster also lists bead-chain loop links (4, 6, 8 and 12 in), lanyards (3 to 18 in, 3/16 in bead) and tag rings (ID 1-7/16 to 3-7/8 in, 1/8 in bead); not tabulated here.
- No file: with the pitch unpublished, a chain drawing would be invented. McMaster-Carr sells ball chain and fittings with per-part STEP; linked, not copied.
Ball chain sizes #2 to #30: ball (bead) diameter and the connector… size chart
| trade size | bead diameter | screw-mount link hole (in) | push-mount link hole (in) | source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | 3/32 in (2.38 mm, computed) | not listed | 0.13 (nickel-plated brass) in | McMaster-Carr |
| #3 | 3/32 in (2.38 mm, computed) | 0.13 in | 0.13 in | McMaster-Carr; Lucky Line agrees |
| #6 | 1/8 in (3.17 mm, computed) | 0.13 in | 0.16 in | McMaster-Carr; Lucky Line agrees |
| #8 | 5/32 in (3.97 mm, computed) | 0.19 (nickel-plated brass) in | 0.22 in | McMaster-Carr; Lucky Line agrees |
| #10 | 3/16 in (4.76 mm, computed) | 0.19 in | 0.22 in | McMaster-Carr; Lucky Line agrees |
| #13 | 1/4 in (6.35 mm, computed) | 0.19 in | 0.31 (nickel-plated brass) in | McMaster-Carr |
| #20 | 3/8 in (9.52 mm, computed) | 0.26 (nickel-plated brass) in | not listed | McMaster-Carr |
| #30 | 1/2 in (12.70 mm, computed) | not listed | not listed | McMaster-Carr |
Where the files are
Other publishers' files are linked, not hosted. "verify" = check the license at the link before commercial use.
| McMaster-Carr | Ball (bead) chain, trade sizes 3 to 30, with bead diameter and connector hole diameters (free STEP/IGES per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) | STEP, IGES, PDF | McMaster-Carr site terms: personal design use, no redistribution verify |
| McMaster-Carr | Ball chain fittings (connectors, loop links, couplings) (free STEP/IGES per part, for your own design use; no redistribution) | STEP, IGES, PDF | McMaster-Carr site terms: personal design use, no redistribution verify |
| Lucky Line (listed by Mr. Lock) | Ball chain #3, #6, #8, #10: ball diameter per size (3/32, 1/8, 5/32, 3/16 in); connectors and couplings sold by size | web | Retailer page; numbers only |
| Wikipedia | Ball chain | web | CC BY-SA 4.0 (text) |
Xem scan
File coming
No downloadable true-size file yet: the published figures do not fix the whole shape, and Xem never guesses a number. A measured scan is planned; request it and it moves up.
https://xemstudio.com/mcp to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client (free, no account, one minute) and it can look up exact sizes, mating fits and free STEP/STL from every chat.Plain text: sheet.txt · JSON: /api/geometry?object=ball-chain-sizes
Fits with
Questions
What size is #6 ball chain?
Bead diameter 1/8 in (3.18 mm), per McMaster-Carr and Lucky Line. Its connectors are the #6 ones; McMaster's screw-mount link hole for #6 is 0.13 in, push-mount 0.16 in.
What is the ball size of #10 and #13 ball chain?
#10 is 3/16 in (4.76 mm) and #13 is 1/4 in (6.35 mm), per McMaster-Carr. No source read gave the spacing between balls.