Any tips for making you own chains

MrDiesel

Hi all,

Ive come across an oregon chain breaker and chain riviter at a clearance sale. Its in good condition so i thought i would like to make some chains.

I was wondering if there are any tips etc out there as i have never done this before. Im planning on making 3/8 lp chains for a husky 338 (12inch bar)

Thanks all

MCW

Hi mate.
Making chains is easy. All you need is bulk chain and presets/tiestraps (the joining parts). Just count how many drivelinks you require for your particular saw/bar, then break the chain at this point, stick a new preset and tiestrap on, use a bit of oil, and turn the handle on the rivet spinner while winding the other handle. Hard to explain but easy to work out when all the gear is in front of you. Just be careful not to overtighten as this can either damage the tie strap, lock up the link, or both

kemper

I have a breaker and a spinner, it's nice to be able to make up chains but it seems that you can buy already made loops cheaper than buying it by the roll?

Bruce Hopf

How do you figure, already loops are cheaper than buying by the roll? Don't take this the wrong way, just curious. I can get a 100 Ft. roll of Carlton 3/8 X 0.050 gauge, semi chisel, for $420.00 CND + Tax. Chain at the dealers,I paid $22.00 for a 16" .325 pitch chain, 66 drive links, and $27.00 for a 20" 3/8 pitch chain, 72 drive links.
Pre Made chains, you are paying for someone Else's labour to do the job, while you can save that extra money, make your own, and that extra money saved can buy yourself a . Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

kemper

I guess it depends on what part of the country you reside, here i can buy 2 loops the same price or maybe a little less than your paying for one.

I Suppose if you want to compare full retail price from shopping at a dealer,then you sure can make your own chains...

MCW

When you have a breaker and spinner you can also fix your own chains. I've thrown a couple on my 7900 and torn the drivelinks up pretty bad. I was able to fix it myself otherwise I'd have been up for probably AUD$15 to get a AUD$30 chain fixed. Casual chainsaw users will rarely recover the costs of a breaker and spinner but if you use a bit of chain or a few different saws it is well worth it.

Bruce Hopf

Here is a link I found on You Tube, of a guy making loops of chain saw chain. . Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

southsoundtree

As mentioned, don't overtighten.

As with cutting, you can un-overtighten. So take it slow at first and keep comparing your spun rivets to machine spun rivets. Take it out of spinner and check the motion for stiffness.


Watch out for any cracks in the rivets, too.

Overall, pretty easy once you do a few.

TreeCo

I've found that a single drop of 3 in 1 oil on the rivet before it is peened works good. I also use a dremel tool to grind off a bit of a rivet head before trying to press it out of the chain.

__________________
Grow more vegetables!

Eric Frei

If I buy a roll they'll make the chains in loops free, so I haven't used my breaker and spinner for some time.

__________________

Bruce Hopf

I've found that I also had to use a chain saw chain file, to make the hole a little bigger, by taking off the burr, because the rivet was going too tight, and was going to bind otherwise.
I also can see where using a Dermal tool to grind off some of the head of the rivet, being a big help with pressing out the rivets. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

MrDiesel

Thanks all, I had a bit of a play. The first 50 were the first. It seems that the best way is to add plenty of oil and not spin the riviter to quickly. Slow and steady seems best.

I had a look at a youtube link where the guy does it with a drill and ill be buggered if i can see how he does it without putting cracks in the rivets. Im assuming he been doing it for years and has the touch

Cut4fun

Dont do it while really drunked up. What you find looped together the next day when you can see straight might surprise you.

Willard Holmen

In all these years I've bought rolls of chain and made my own loops, I have never owned a spinner only a bench mounted breaker. I don't even use the pre set links that come with the rolls. I got a pail full of them.
I'm able to break the link out straight and reuse it to join the loop. Ball peen hammer does the spinner work. Even my racing hot saw [ 10X the h.p of a regular saw] has had all its chain done the same way. Never had a problem.
Willard.