How do you make your own chain?

[emr]

You see bulk chain, spinners, and breakers for sale all over the place but dont you have to buy some individual links and or rivets to make your own loops? If so, where do you buy those at. If not, how do you do it then? I always thought it would be fun to get the equipment and start making our own loops.

 

[SkwerI]

When you buy a roll of chain it comes with enough master links to make all the loops you will get out of that roll. With the up front costs of buying the spinner, breaker and a couple rolls of chain, it will probably take a couple years to break even. I prefer it because of the convenience and it keeps me out of the local saw shop (where I would end up spending lots of money on stuff I 'need'). I also make sure I always have extra chains on the truck for each saw at all times. No need to be stuck on a job because you trashed a chain on buried metal in the tree.

 

[emr]

The way we go through chains it would take us a couple of decades to get the pay back. I think last year we only used 3-4 chains up. I just think it would be fun to know how to do..... just like splicing and welding. I know how to splice and weld but I am sure that those skills dont really save me any money, but they give me enjoyment.

 

[Cobleskill]

You could probably sell some loops to get back to break even. A guy around here used to sell arborist supplies. I used to buy 10 loops at a time for a real savings. I wished I knew he was gonna go out of business, I woulda stocked up.

 

[sotc]

It's pretty easy, if you don't use much you can get a portable rivet breaker and use a ball peen hammer to peen the rivits over. We never had a rivit spinner when I was logging, did em all with the ball peen, nearly as fast, just not as perfect looking but you can't tell when the chain is doing 600 rpms

 

[Stumper]

The Granberg Break and Mend (Vise-grip type) chain breaker/riveting tool is slightly more tedious to use than bench mounted tools but it works great and actually allows you to successfully re-use the rivets- Only $45 bucks and will take care of you for years.

 

[sotc]

If you don't chuck it over the bank one day You gan grint the rivit head down and punch it out if you wanna, little more of a pain.
Under $50 bucks

 

[stig]

I go through at least a roll of 3/8 a year, logging.
So for me the saving are great.
On top of that, a roll of chain bought in the US ( Bailey's!) is a bit less than ½ of what it costs here, so importing it by the roll and making my own chains really makes sense.

Also, when I throw a chain and bend a couple of links out of shape, it ias easy to replace those on a rainy day.

 

[Cobleskill]

Speaking of throwing chains, Stig. Do you think it happens more now than it did 25 or 30 years ago?

 

[stig]

No, less actually.
Or maybe I just got more skilled with a saw.

 

[Cobleskill]

I never had a chain come off until they slimmed the bars down. I questioned the dealer why it would happen, when it never had before. He had a line of BS a mile long. Anybody would think I was trying to get a setttlement out of him. Never bought another saw from him.

 

[Cut4fun]

I go through at least a roll of 3/8 a year, logging.
So for me the saving are great.
On top of that, a roll of chain bought in the US ( Bailey's!) is a bit less than ½ of what it costs here, so importing it by the roll and making my own chains really makes sense.

You might want to check with these guys Madsen's for rolls of chain. I save big time compared to baileys bulk chain prices.

Only thing that could stumble this is shipping to you and last time I ordered you have to call them. I dont know if it is still that way or not.

http://www.madsens1.com/

Per madsens website Buying From Madsen's

Doing business with Madsen's is easy. You may call or fax us anytime at the following numbers:

Phone: 360-736-1336

Orders: 1-800-822-2808

Fax: 360-736-9522

Email Address: Yes, we have one, it is madsens@madsens1.com., but please don't send us email. We prefer talking to our customers! This gives us an opportunity to answer your question or clear up a potential midshipmen in real time. Many of our products are complicated. Dialog is necessary. We believe a phone call is still "the next best thing to being there."

 

[stig]

Thanks, but the cost of shipping will kill it.
I buy about 1½ tons of logging/arborist supplies from Bailey's about every second year. Chain, bars, oil, files,ropes, you name it.
Usually about 20-25 000$ worth of stuff. Shipping a whole pallet is about 1000$ which is peanuts when most of the stuff I buy is ½ price of what it costs here.

So that works out really well.

 

[woodworkingboy]

I think that hard nose bars tend to throw chain less than sprocket nose, even though the chain is looser. They tend to be wider too, so maybe the reason. I use one with a carbide chain on bamboo, and it hasn't thrown yet, even though bamboo can be nasty binding stuff.

 

[Al Smith]

The biggest reason I have a spinner is because of all the old saws I have that take odd ball driver lenghs of chain .It comes in handy .The spinner cost me under 15 bucks via flea bay ,Oregon .

Every so often I might cut down some of the chains I get from the trimmers that they've screwed up some how .Good race chain stock plus they're free .

I've peened them too and with some practice it's hard to tell a peened rivet from a spun one .

 

[CurSedVoyce]

I know my narrow bars are more likely to than my other ones. Just an observation..

 

[woodworkingboy]

Spinners are real useful if you modify bars that aren't intended to work on your saws, and make them work. You get into some non-standard drive link counts, and who wants to wait if you have to order chains, or drive some distance if a dealer isn't close. My local Husky dealer can't make up chains, never learned is the impression. The Stihl one can, but it's a long ways.

 

[Magnus]

If it is the craft part of riveting chain you wish to learn you need only a ball hammer, center punch and a good dorn.
It was pretty common with repair kits before, but now it is more expensive to fix than replace. I think it is available still

Cutters, tie straps, Preset with rivet or not, drive links and rivet is available.

As mentioned you get preset tie straps in the box along with boxes for chain.

You can reuse rivets, many do, me too on occasion.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Stihl and Oregon have different sized rivets and holes. Somewhere is a post with the specs, I think courtesy of Eddie.

 

[Al Smith]

FWIW I've made and gave away several sets of concave punchs I've made out of grade 8 bolts for the purpose of rivet head forming .They work just fine but they aren't a quick way by any means .

Little chain like 3/8" lo pro and .325 are the most difficult to hand form without a spinner .

 

[flushcut]

You see bulk chain, spinners, and breakers for sale all over the place but dont you have to buy some individual links and or rivets to make your own loops? If so, where do you buy those at. If not, how do you do it then? I always thought it would be fun to get the equipment and start making our own loops.

If you want come on down and you can play with my spinner and breaker and make some loops.