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making loops?

Started by maple flats, August 18, 2011, 05:02:29 PM

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maple flats

I just bought a chain breaker and a spinner for making loops of chain at a yard sale, no directions. What do I need to know and besides the proper chain, what other necessities do I have to get? The breaker is just the vise grip style but the spinner is real heavy duty and appears to be very well built.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

Al_Smith

There's really not much to it .There should be different sized anvils fo the spinner such as 3/8 "/.404 ,.325 and 3/8" lo profile .

You just measure off the correct driver count,break the chain and use a preset connector and tie strap .Baileys sells all that stuff if you don't have it already .They might even have the anvils if you need them .

I imagine if you do a google search you could find the method much easier than I can explain it .A little tip though ,put a drop of oil on the rivet head before you spin it down .Makes things go a little easier .

maple flats

Thanks Al_Smith. I'll have to find a name on the spinner to see about anvils. Also, I am going to buy a coil of chain. Likely 25' to make sure this is something I can do in a reasonable time, before buying 100' coils. The first saw I will make loops for is my Husky 359. I have a 20" .058 bar on it. The chains I have are Husky H48, Oregon 73 LG and 73LGX. I am trying to decide what to buy. I see that the H48 and the 73 LG are crosses but I do not find any reference for 73 LGX. What does the X mean? I want a fast chain and do not need anti kickback features. I do well with all 3 chains.
I will be going to the NYS Woodsman's Field Days tomorrow and want to know ahead which chain to look for. Your help will be appreciated.
Dave
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

chevytaHOE5674

Make sure you get the proper tie straps for the particular brand and model of chain you buy.

IE a tie strap for a oregon chain won't work on a Stihl chain last I tried.

John Mc

If I recall correctly, LGX is just the new version of LG. The tooth is a little longer, so you can get a few more resharpenings out of it.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Al_Smith

If you want a fast chain but don't know how to file a race chain then just order a loop of square ground chisel from Baileys .

Other than that I normally use Oregon 72 series round ground .There a couple variations such as blue steel cutters or chrome but I forgot the specifics .All that info is on Baileys or Oregons web site .

Now myself I seldom spin a chain except for the antiques or to repair or salvage a chain .Like cutting a 24" down to 20" or something like that .

Generally speaking you can buy loops from Baileys or several other suppliers for maybe a buck more than spinning your own if they happened to be on sale .Occasionally you can find 25 reels on sale also .Oregon and Stihl chain parts do not interchange .The only place you can find Stihl chain parts is at a dealers and some of them will not sell repair links unless they install them ,depends .

quietrangr

LGX is the low vibe model of LG. The only difference is the back heel of the cutter is shorter and does not hit the bar as much, thus making it smoother cutting. The right tie straps come with the chain roll.

Al_Smith

Say I might add that it's possible to join a chain by peening the rivets and they work just as well as spinning them .Very few people use such a practice but it was the standard method some many years back .It takes a little patience but once perfected you can make a joint that looks just about as nice as a spun rivet head .

lumberjack48

I've used and sold a lot of chain over the yrs, among the 3 , Stihl, Oregon, and Carlton.

Sthl is spendie, its a harder chain, stays sharp longer, also takes longer to get the edge back on. I had trouble in cold weather -20 with chain breakage.

Oregon chain is good all around, but its a little soft, gets dull quicker, so leads to more filing.

Carlton, dollar for dollar I've had my best luck with, when i had 6 saws running, i used a lot of chain, i bought by it buy the 100' roll

If your going to be cutting a lot of dirty wood, you want to run a semi chisel, a guard link chain stays sharp longer, than a full chisel . 

I see i can buy  Silver Streak chain cheap, i have never used it, i hope the guys on here can give us some feed back on that. 

Al, i put many chains together on the bumper hitch with a ball peen hammer           
Third generation logger, owner operator, 30 yrs felling experience with pole skidder. I got my neck broke back in 89, left me a quad. The wife kept the job going up to 96.

Al_Smith

I've only done a few that way mainly because I didn't have the proper anvil for the spinner .1/2" which is rarely used except on old gear drives of course is the easiest .3/8" low profile is the worst because it's so tiny .

Say though I did turn out sets of concave forming punchs that worked pretty good for forming rivets .Lawdy I sent them them all over the country and to Canada .Ha ,I think I saved one set for myself the exact where abouts being unknown at the moment .

maple flats

At the NYS woodsman's show I found that loops were sold so reasonable that I would save less than a dollar a loop to make my own, so I bought some loops. I looked much closer at the tools I bought. It appears the heavier tool does both, break and spin. It looks like the lighter hand held model (Granville?) also might do both. I may buy some chain in the future but for now I'm on hold. Along with the tools came some chain that I can practice on. I'll look up the number first to see what size it is and see if it will fit either my 359 or 365 husky saws. I have both a .050 bar and a .058 for the 359, the 365 only has 2 different lengths of .058 bars. I'll need to see what chain I have, but I do know it is not 73 LG or LGX. The box has about 10-12# of chain in it plus a partial reel of a number I don't remember. I'll get the info and check a chain chart.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

ladylake


I've gotton 100' rolls off Ebay for as little as $185 shipped, most are around $275 now but a deal comes along once in a while.   Steve
Timberking B20  18000  hours +  Case75xt grapple + forks+8" snow bucket + dirt bucket   770 Oliver   Lots(too many) of chainsaws, Like the Echo saws and the Stihl and Husky     W5  Case loader   1  trailers  Wright sharpener     Suffolk  setter Volvo MCT125c skid loader

maple flats

I checked out the assortment that was in the box with the breakers. I have some new Oregon 51LP chain, some new McCulloch with a #350 on the driver and #25 on the cutters. I also have several assorted Mac tie straps in packages. The rest of the box looks to be just used and abused loops of several assorted sizes and lengths. I wonder if maybe the original owner might have been a Mac dealer. I'm thinking I will practice on some of this odd ball chain. I may count the Oregon 51LP drive links and make a loop for someone. It looks to be 404 chain for a .058 bar. I used to have an old Mac super 250 with a couple different bars, if I remember correctly I had a 24" & a 30" bar, the bigger bar might have been a little longer, it has been a long time. That chain might have fit that saw.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

Al_Smith

.404 by .058 is kind of hard to find in North America but they say it's used in Oz . As far as McCulloch chain as far as I know Mac never relly made their chains or bars for that matter .The bars often times were Windsers .Not sure about the chain but I've got a lot of loops still in the boxes from probabley 40 years ago .

John Mc

Those used and abused loops might be good to practice on.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

Al_Smith

I've got a couple of Macs from the early 90's both with Mac branded chisel chain .At first appearance it looks exactly like Oregon 72 series with the exception of the M embossed in the drive links .One on an 805 with the innards of an 850 has never had a file put to it .

maple flats

Many of these have the M logo but does anyone know how to cross ref the numbers? Thanks John Mc, I will practice on some of those old used loops. Before I can I'll need to find a place to mount the breaker- spinner. I might need more bench space. I may need to mount it on a pc of plywood and attach it to the bench when needed, then remove it. My bench is 16' + 8'+16' but I'm out of room. If I were better organized I'd likely have plenty of space.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

Al_Smith

Mc Bob might have the specs on Mac branded chain .

maple flats

It was raining yesterday morning so I made bench space, mounted the breaker/spinner and practiced on one of the old loops that were in the box. I just broke the loop so far after getting the adjustments right as I perceived on that size chain. Then I popped some rivets out. Looks like I'll want a light mounted directly over the tool to see where the ram point lines up. That seems to be manual on this and poor lighting made it difficult. Next time I get back to it I'll add another light or a mirror to reflect the existing light to where it is needed.
logging small time for years but just learning how,  2012 36 HP Mahindra tractor, 3point log arch, 8000# class excavator, lifts 2500# and sets logs on mill precisely where needed, Woodland Mills HM130Max , maple syrup a hobby that consumes my time. looking to learn blacksmithing.

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