Best Method To Cut Grade 70 Chain?

[Stargeezer]

I have some 3/8" grade 70 transport chain that I need to cut to length. I need to do this myself and don't have access to a hydrolic chain cutter or a blow torch. I do have a reciprocating saw, an abrasive cut off saw and also a metal cutting carbide blade type cut off saw. I also have an angle grinder with various cut-off wheels.

I'm wondering which way to go. I know I have to hold it down starters. I have a bench vise and a drill press-style machinist vise, & various clamps. Anyone have any tips on cutting heavy chain like this? Thanks

 

[Buckgnarly]

Of the choices I'd go with a cut off wheel.

 

[cnc-me]

Cut off wheel for sure.
Don't ruin that carbide blade on chain.

 

[larry_g]

Use the cut off wheel and make two cuts opposite on the link that go 75% through and then finish from the other side.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[Jack Olsen]

Cut off wheel or bolt cutter.

 

[Ign]

Cut-off wheel on angle grinder. I do this all the time w 3/8 and 5/16 chain.

General rule is that if it's hardened, not much metal will cut it. Carbide can under proper conditions, ie VERY rigid and controlled setup = proper machining.

Abrasive will cut just about any hardened steel the average shadetree is likely to encounter, altho the inherent heat may of course "undo" the original hardening process. In this case you'll be discarding the link of chain you cut so no matter.

 

[Stargeezer]

The cut-off wheel gets the nod then.

Thanks All:

 

[mjozefow]

Abrasive wheel on the angle grinder.

I just had unpleasant thoughts flash through my head of the cutoff saw grabbing the chain and wrapping it up into the blade.

 

[larry_g]

Abrasive wheel on the angle grinder.

I just had unpleasant thoughts flash through my head of the cutoff saw grabbing the chain and wrapping it up into the blade.

Mjoze
Ya secure the chain in one of those things you show under right arm in your avitar.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[tdkkart]

Mjoze
Ya secure the chain in one of those things you show under right arm in your avitar.

Wha, Huh??
The hell you say?? Here I thought it was a shovel fer leanin' on??
Ya mean you're supposed to clamp stuff in it??

 

[mjozefow]

Abrasive wheel on the angle grinder. WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

I just had unpleasant thoughts flash through my head of the TEETH OF THE CARBIDE BLADE ON THE cutoff saw grabbing the chain and wrapping it up into the blade.

I should have been a bit more clear. I have cut a lot of chain with an angle grinder. A bench mounted cutoff saw with a toothed blade is what I was referring to as a scary way to cut chain.

 

[9c1nova]

We used to buy GR70 chain from a large Wire & Chain company.Their prefered method of cutting the chain was with 4 ft. bolt cutters. That was until the day they were making a cut, one arm of the bolt cutter on the floor under the fellows foot, when he pushed down with all his might, the top jaw broke off and embedded itself in the gyproc wall 20 ft. away.

I'd go with the angle grinder.

 

[strike a poser]

Use the angle grinder on the rivets on one side of a connecting plate and grind flush with the plate. After you have ground them flat use a smaller than the pin size drift punch to drive the pins and opposite connecting plate out of the rollers. Now you have two pieces of chain that you can use with a master link.

 

[strike a poser]

Just read the post a little better, and realized we wern't talking roller chain. Carry on.

 

[s_ontario]

go to local Hardware store buy their biggest bolt cutters take it out to your car and cut the chain then return the cutter

or take chain to a tool rental place they would likely cut it for free of for a buck better than a cutoff wheel blowing up in your face

 

[Torque1st]

I use a diamond blade in my angle grinder for hard chain. Clamp the chain in a vice. All you need to do is cut it 50% or more thru on both sides of the link then whack it with a hammer.

 

[jklingel]

Damage 'em badly from both sides w/ an abrasive wheel, clamp 'em in a vise, and whack 'em w/ a hammer. Hard steel is often pretty brittle. Too bad you don't have an oxy-acet torch; easy as pie. GOOD EXCUSE TO GO BUY ONE!

 

[jerseywild]

Cut off wheel or bolt cutter.

Jack the bench you built with the arch, what was the thickness of the metal and did you use the dies that came with the bender? Did you make the bend in the first shot?

 

[Stargeezer]

I use a diamond blade in my angle grinder for hard chain. Clamp the chain in a vice. All you need to do is cut it 50% or more thru on both sides of the link then whack it with a hammer.

Thanks for this suggestion (jKlingel too).

Makes total sense to me. I do happen to have a diamond wheel for the makita Angle grinder. So I'll use the vise, the hand grinder part-way through and then use a BFH to finish the job.

I found a place that sells china-made 3/8" Grade 70 Transport chain at a good price with free shipping. So they sent 2-20 foot chains. Guess how they ship these? The 20 footers with grab hooks are stuffed into a small cardboard box. Then they take these two heavy boxes and cram them into a USPS Priority flat rate mailer box. The ones that are 12"X18" X 4". Fits like a glove. They must have designed those inner boxes to fit into that Priority box; because it takes up 100% of the space. So 2 X 20 foot 3/8" chains with hooks are shipping for like $9.75 from coast to coast!

My particular mail carrier is sadly a lazy- assed public servant that I doubt even reads all that well based on the amount of misdelivered mail we get.

The initial chains shipment was "Lost". I waited a week or more while the shipper had it investigated. Tracker showed that it made it to my local po and then vanished. Then I asked for a second shipment. That was sent and I happened to be home when the mail man came three days later-=a Friday afternoon. He dropped the regular mail into the little envelop box in the alcove and did not ring the bell. So I went out and in the box was a "Sorry We Missed You" note saying to pick it up at the PO. I raced out to the street and found the Carrier. Said-"Hey I'm home and I'd like the package please." He informed me that he didn't even load it on the truck because it was "heavy". Picked it up Monday AM from the PO and a lil gal from the window had to shlep it to the back dock for me..

Not sure the chain merchant is doing the post office any favors-but playing by the rules. I'm sure the first shipment was chucked in a USPS dumpster so that no one would have to lift it. That little box was solid steel

 

[Jack Olsen]

Jack the bench you built with the arch, what was the thickness of the metal and did you use the dies that came with the bender? Did you make the bend in the first shot?

All the pieces except the one that I bent were pretty heavy (I think 1/8"). But the piece I knew I was going to bend was lighter, I'm pretty sure it was 16 gauge. (If they'd had thinner-walled stuff I would have gotten that -- but I don't think they did.)

I used the 2" round dies that came with the bender, and tried several times back and forth before I made the helper cuts. It curved it slightly, but was not going to work the way I wanted. Once I made the helper cuts it was very easy -- I think one or two passes to get the curve I wanted.

Okay -- now, back to the chain thread:

 

[Stargeezer]

Mission accomplished: Equipment: Leather gloves, face shield, ear plugs, Makita 4.5" angle grinder, Diamod Blade, Bench vise & hammer. The 3/8" hardened chain cut very nicely with the diamond blade. Thanks for the info on cutting the chain properly and safely. Cut up several while I was set up.

 

[Torque1st]

-Glad you got it done!