Buy 2 chains or buy 3 and make 2

[Ryan'smilling]

Is this the one? Good Price!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tecomec-Ch...322108?hash=item58e9d7483c:g:LOkAAOSww5JZfg4A

Yep, that's the one. I bought the set of both the breaker and the spinner. Very happy with the quality.

 

[MacAttack]

I used to make the new chains at the tree service years ago, I really need to get a rivet spinner and chain breaker so i can just buy rolls of chain and make them, it's so easy once you have the hang of it.

 

[Philbert]

. . . when the chain loops were on sale at the whole sale prices was pretty close to using 25’/100’ rolls cost wise.

. . .It is difficult to make up the price of the spinner and breaker and the initial investment in the spool of chain versus just buying premade loops at a fair price using 2 or 3 chains a year.

If you plan ahead, and watch for sales, standard size, pre-made loops are often less expensive than buying full reels. Even my STIHL dealer told me that at his wholesale cost, it was not worth his time to spin standard loops of chain, although, he kept several reels for custom lengths. Some dealers offer 'buy one get one' or 'buy 2 and get one' deals periodically. Bailey's offers '10 loops for $100' periodically for their re-branded Carlton chains. But full reels are sometimes the only way to find very specific types of chain (cutter type, sequence, etc.) if you are picky.

My spinner and breaker have paid for themselves many times over, repairing damaged chain, and resizing chain loops to fit other saws. 10 good, 'free' chains and I am even. I often get good, used loops cheap at garage and estate sales, and have bought an number on eBay. I have re-sized a number of loops for friends.

I saw a video where a guy "spun" a tie-strap with a punch and hammer.

With a file, screwdriver, and hammer, along with a few presets,you can break and 'mend' chain; but it won't be pretty, or efficient. A lot of old school cutters carried a chain anvil and punch for field repairs - this is the topic of a current thread on another forum. And some guys are into 'good enough' repairs. But with a basic, good quality breaker, you don't need to grind off rivet heads, and can reuse many tie straps (I don't reuse rivets). Same thing with a decent spinner: it can be hard to tell repairs apart from factory spun with a little practice.

Most of my spinner / breaker comments, and input from a lot of other guys, is in this thread:
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/baileys-chain-breaker-and-spinner.144859/

Granberg makes a spinner breaker that is built on a vise grip. It works surprisingly well.

I was hopeful, but not impressed. They have been around a long time. About the same cost as a bench spinner, and easier to carry in the field.
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/granberg-break-n-mend-can-it-work.115165/
Philbert

 

[Huskybill]

Wear wise and longivity how good is the huztl/farmtec saw chain hold up.?

The only thing I shouldn’t of purchased is my oregon chain grinder. I think I used it six times in ten years, I sold it.

 

[user 122190]

Wear wise and longivity how good is the huztl/farmtec saw chain hold up.?

The only thing I shouldn’t of purchased is my oregon chain grinder. I think I used it six times in ten years, I sold it.

My grinder got me over the hump of learning to hand file. Hand filing puts the best edge on a chain. It is when I hit dirt hard, that I wish I still had the grinder. I'm good about not hitting dirt, but it still happens. Seems at least once a year I hit the ground, and as with my luck it is when the chain is new or nearly so.

 

[Huskybill]

When hitting the dirt I’d put an edge on the tooth with the file n guide but not completely sharp. With the larger power heads they still cut decent till the chain wears more.

 

[Wood Doctor]

A logger friend likes to give me his used 114 DL chains that fit his 36" bars. I make three used 72 DL chains out of two of these because he does not like to drop the rakers. The chains are usually still good for five more runs after I drop the rakers down a tad and sharpen evenly all the way around. Then the new shorter chain loops don't throw powder. All it costs me is a couple of breaks and three connections with master links to make the loops. I call that recycling, but I could be wrong.

 

[svk]

If you plan ahead, and watch for sales, standard size, pre-made loops are often less expensive than buying full reels. Even my STIHL dealer told me that at his wholesale cost, it was not worth his time to spin standard loops of chain, although, he kept several reels for custom lengths. Some dealers offer 'buy one get one' or 'buy 2 and get one' deals periodically. Bailey's offers '10 loops for $100' periodically for their re-branded Carlton chains. But full reels are sometimes the only way to find very specific types of chain (cutter type, sequence, etc.) if you are picky.

My spinner and breaker have paid for themselves many times over, repairing damaged chain, and resizing chain loops to fit other saws. 10 good, 'free' chains and I am even. I often get good, used loops cheap at garage and estate sales, and have bought an number on eBay. I have re-sized a number of loops for friends.


With a file, screwdriver, and hammer, along with a few presets,you can break and 'mend' chain; but it won't be pretty, or efficient. A lot of old school cutters carried a chain anvil and punch for field repairs - this is the topic of a current thread on another forum. And some guys are into 'good enough' repairs. But with a basic, good quality breaker, you don't need to grind off rivet heads, and can reuse many tie straps (I don't reuse rivets). Same thing with a decent spinner: it can be hard to tell repairs apart from factory spun with a little practice.

Most of my spinner / breaker comments, and input from a lot of other guys, is in this thread:
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/baileys-chain-breaker-and-spinner.144859/

I was hopeful, but not impressed. They have been around a long time. About the same cost as a bench spinner, and easier to carry in the field.
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/granberg-break-n-mend-can-it-work.115165/
Philbert

Speaking of “gudenuf” repairs, do failed chains sling off the nose of the bar or whip back at the rear handle? Or does it depend where the failure happens?

 

[Philbert]

Speaking of “gudenuf” repairs, do failed chains sling off the nose of the bar or whip back at the rear handle? Or does it depend where the failure happens?

The consequences of chain breaks, for any reason, depend on the location along the guide bar, if part is buried in wood, etc.

If the loop breaks on the top of the bar, just as it leaves the power head, the remainder of the chain (almost the full length) can whip around, as it is pulled, until it falls away from the drive sprocket.

If the break occurs on the bottom of guide bar, just before it reaches the power head, the chain will lose contact with the drive sprocket almost immediately, with a large portion of the chain being 'pushed' by the sprocket, and falling off.

Philbert

 

[tug]

Again not sure where you are at in Montana. There is a chain breaker and spinner on the Missoula craiglist for $50 that looks OK

 

[user 122190]

The Tecomec Spinner showed up today. It is a lot bigger then I had imagined. Seems like a high quality device. I'll mount it on a 2x4 that I can secure in the vise. Not something that I will be using day after day.

 

[Wood Doctor]

The Tecomec Spinner showed up today. It is a lot bigger then I had imagined. Seems like a high quality device. I'll mount it on a 2x4 that I can secure in the vise. Not something that I will be using day after day.

It is a high-quality device, Just be sure the 2 x 4 is dead flat and preferably hardwood. I used 3/8" bolts and a narrower tounge underneath for my vise to grab it. Allow for the chain to hang below as you secure the connecting link.

 

[Philbert]

The Tecomec Spinner showed up today. It is a lot bigger then I had imagined. Seems like a high quality device. I'll mount it on a 2x4 that I can secure in the vise. Not something that I will be using day after day.

They can be a lot of fun!

A lot of good info in this thread, that applies to several different brands of spinners and breakers:
https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/baileys-chain-breaker-and-spinner.144859/
My mounting was originally intended to use cleats in a bench vise, but I usually just use clamps:


Philbert