Bailey's Chain Breaker and Spinner

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I know a few that have them.
I haven't heard any complaints.
I've been wishing Santa Claus would bring me one but it didn't happen last year.


Mike
 
Yes.
But then when I go to break I first grind the rivet down a bit with my NT grinder, which sits on the same table. I've resized about 5 chains.

My Stihl and JD take a few links different for the 28" bar. I had a bunch of chains for my JD which I shrunk to my Stihl.

The breaker would probably do well by itself, but a quick touch with the handy grinder makes it REAL quick.

So with my $200 worth of tools (breaker, spinner, NT grinder) I've saved 5 trips to the dealer to get chains resized/repaired.

But I'm ready when I run across a dirt cheap spool of chain!
 
I have the WP set and use it perhaps once a month or so as needed. The only problem I found was the key use to position the die portion of the breaker is not located correctly and I would break a punch nearly ever time I used it.

Now I take the key out and just eyeball the chain under the punch and have not broken a die since. I never grind the rivets first, just punch them out.

To make it a bit easier to use I mounted mine on a piece of MDF with a cleat on the bottom so I can just clamp it in the wood working vise a long work bench.

Spinner 2.JPG

Mark
 
Yes.
But then when I go to break I first grind the rivet down a bit with my NT grinder, which sits on the same table. I've resized about 5 chains.

My Stihl and JD take a few links different for the 28" bar. I had a bunch of chains for my JD which I shrunk to my Stihl.

The breaker would probably do well by itself, but a quick touch with the handy grinder makes it REAL quick.

So with my $200 worth of tools (breaker, spinner, NT grinder) I've saved 5 trips to the dealer to get chains resized/repaired.

But I'm ready when I run across a dirt cheap spool of chain!

I seem to end up with all kinds of used chains , just keep your eyes open for them . Most can be gotten cheap or free . Re size them for your need give them a good sharpening and you are good to go.
Heck I even know guys that didnt know saw chain could be sharpened .
 
I think you'll find there are a variety of these spinners/breakers on the market under different names. They all seem to work well (with the odd fault - my first spinner wasn't centred properly and had to be replaced). I've never ground any rivets before either, just punch them out. I have the adjustable anvil - works a treat.
One trick I've found is to grind down the two "tabs" on the face of the spinner. I found these were digging into the tie straps before the rivet heads were spun properly, making for an ugly finish :cheers: Now my rivet heads are just like the factory except for 3/8"LP .043" which still gives me grief sometimes :censored:
 
One trick I've found is to grind down the two "tabs" on the face of the spinner. I found these were digging into the tie straps before the rivet heads were spun properly, making for an ugly finish... Now my rivet heads are just like the factory

Are these 'tabs' pretty obvious? Don't see them in the photo.

It sounds from these posts like getting a few spare punches makes sense. Anybody ever break or wear out the sinner anvils?

Thanks.

Philbert
 
Are these 'tabs' pretty obvious? Don't see them in the photo.

It sounds from these posts like getting a few spare punches makes sense. Anybody ever break or wear out the sinner anvils?

Thanks.

Philbert

The spinner anvils do break occasionally, the two Oregon ones that came with mine both broke in the first year of operation so I made my own from the stock of an Allen key. They have done 4 times the amount of chain the stock ones did and not one has broken so far.
Pioneerguy600
 
I have not had any problems with the spinner anvils, I understand how it might help avoid scuffing the tie straps by grinding the tabs a bit but mine makes a good looking rivet on the .404 if I stop just when the tab first makes contact. Maybe it would help a little on the .375 chain, I will have to try that next time I'm making up some .375 chain.

I have not had any problems with the anvils in in WP unit, but then I only have only made up 20 or 30 chains so far.

If you buy a set up, I would buy a few spare punches just in case, they are a lot more fragile than the anvils in my experience.

Mark
 
Are these 'tabs' pretty obvious? Don't see them in the photo.
Thanks.

Philbert

I've circled the tabs I'm talking about mate. Another mod I did was to polish the face of the spinner which also helped with a nicer rivet head finish but also allowed the use of less lube. Without any lube you will nearly always gall up or mark the rivet heads unless some oil has remained on the head - a fair amount of pressure is applied to form rivet heads. It's also very easy to over do it if you get too heavy handed :cheers:

Both very easy mods and made the world of difference to this particular unit and the finished chains...

DSCF1145.jpg



I have not had any problems with the spinner anvils, I understand how it might help avoid scuffing the tie straps by grinding the tabs a bit but mine makes a good looking rivet on the .404 if I stop just when the tab first makes contact. Maybe it would help a little on the .375 chain, I will have to try that next time I'm making up some .375 chain.

Mark

Hi Mark.
Without modification .404" chain was the only one mine spun properly :) My spinner and breaker are the Italian made Precision Tooling units. I have had no issues at all with the breaker - it's one very tough unit and has no trouble punching out bar nose rivets no matter how jammed in they are.
I know why the anvils are there (to cut off any rivet head excess) but by the time the rivet head has panned out far enough to reach the anvils the head is well and truly "overspun". Even if I ground them right off I wouldn't miss them.
 
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If your going to buy them, get some extra tips as well. As others reported, if you aren't exactly in the center of the rivet when you try to break the chain, the tip will break off the chain breaker. Also, practice spinning the rivets on some spare chain when you first get it. It took me 2-3 times where I spun the new rivet too tightly and it binds the chain. You'll have to start all over again and will quickly learn to "feel" the right pressure when spinning. Maybe buy some extra links to get started with. Have fun!
 

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