Need some advice on chain spinners/breakers Which to buy?

[watsonr]

Good thread!! The reason I'm buying is because my dealer doesn't break chains or won't. Some BS about he doesn't know what kind of chain and he can't be sure it'll work....doesn't even carry .404 and doesn't make chains, you have to order the size you want. I want to shorten and lengthen as I need, take two apart and make one long one and......

Bought the Oregon one and now just need the extra links or whatever they are.

 

[madhatte]

When I first got the HF unit, I watched the guys at Madsen's spin me up a couple of loops, then went back to my shop and proceeded to break and reassemble a couple of old chains. Took me about five tries before I had the tension figured out. Don't go too tight or the link can't flex. Don't go too loose or the chain dimensions can change, and of course the chain can break at the "weakest link". When breaking a rivet, center the punch as well as you can. This will save bent drivers and cutters. Don't re-use tie straps, no matter how much metal is left on them, except for practice. Mess a couple of chains up to figure out what NOT to do. Oh, and above all, COUNT DRIVERS TWICE at least, every time, because you WILL come up short or long.

 

[Arrowhead]

Where do you guys get your straps/rivets. My local shops are pricks, unless your going to buy a new saw, they don't want to talk.

 

[DavdH]

In a pinch you can reuse the straps and links if you use a chain breaker or punch. If you buy rolls of chain you get a life-time supply. Mostly in the field an the landing the loader fork makes a great bench that is really solid...

 

[flushcut]

Where do you guys get your straps/rivets. My local shops are pricks, unless your going to buy a new saw, they don't want to talk.

Tie straps and presets come with a reel of chain. You usually get enough to make 25 chains which is enough for a reels worth of 18" chains. If you should have to break a chain at a cutter take care not to mangle the cutter because it will come in handy later. You can use the cutter as a tie strap and spin a preset against it.
You can also order them from Baileys and I am sure others like Madsens.

 

[67 Mustang]

Make sure your chain is not twisted when you spin it up. Ask me how I know. :msp_rolleyes:

 

[epicklein22]

When I first got the HF unit, I watched the guys at Madsen's spin me up a couple of loops, then went back to my shop and proceeded to break and reassemble a couple of old chains. Took me about five tries before I had the tension figured out. Don't go too tight or the link can't flex. Don't go too loose or the chain dimensions can change, and of course the chain can break at the "weakest link". When breaking a rivet, center the punch as well as you can. This will save bent drivers and cutters. Don't re-use tie straps, no matter how much metal is left on them, except for practice. Mess a couple of chains up to figure out what NOT to do. Oh, and above all, COUNT DRIVERS TWICE at least, every time, because you WILL come up short or long.

Good advice.

Here's another tip, if you spin it too tight and it doesn't flex, put it back under the punch and give it a little pressure. Loosens them right up.

 

[ncfarmboy]

Make sure your chain is not twisted when you spin it up. Ask me how I know. :msp_rolleyes:

Also, when making 1 chain from pieces make sure all the cutters are going in the right direction. PLEASE DO NOT ask me how I know.
Buying extra punches is very solid advise.
If your not in a hurry look on Ebay for used. I picked up the set for $60. A week after they came in a friend of mine gave me his Dayton set. Then I picked up another set in a bunch of misc chain repair stuff. Guy that I was teaching how to spin a chain broke the Dayton spinner. I liked it better than the Oregon it had roller thrust bearings on the spinner handle. Very smooth to operate. Having 2 spinners I set one up with "A" take up handle for 3/8 .404 and one up with "B" take up handle for 1/4", .325, 3/8" lp.
Shep

 

[Philbert]

When I first got the HF unit, I watched the guys at Madsen's spin me up a couple of loops, then went back to my shop and proceeded to break and reassemble a couple of old chains.

Same thing here. I practiced on some junk chain to get the idea right. There are a couple of other spinner/breaker threads with good advice if you search through them. There were some comments about 3/8" low pro being a little fussier than some of the other sizes, which i found to be true.

Where do you guys get your straps/rivets.

You may be able to re-use some tie straps. I put together a list of the chains I might encounter (mine, and my friends), and made up a list to order from Bailey's. Again, get a bunch because the postage will be much more than a few, small parts. They have stuff that fits Oregon, Windsor, Carlton, Woodsman, but not so much for STIHL.

Philbert

 

[madhatte]

My local shops are pricks, unless your going to buy a new saw, they don't want to talk.

That's weird. 'Round here, if you ask for one, they give you three.

 

[Arrowhead]

That's weird. 'Round here, if you ask for one, they give you three.

I wish it was like that here. Unless your going to buy a new zero turn mower, or new saw, they treat you like garbage. I went to my Stihl dealer to get seals for an 044. They were all pissy cause they had to order them and do paper work. :msp_angry:

 

[mdavlee]

Madsens threw in the oregon chart that sticks down to a surface with the counter on it. All you do is set up a nail and then space it out and it will count 125 3/8s dl. I've got mine mounted on a 8' 2x8 right now. I might cut it down and loop nails for different lenghts so it doesn't take up as much room.

 

[chuckwood]

My experience has been that the HF model is OK, but the anvil and punch are both weak....Don't bother with the vise grip type except for emergency field use.

My work sometimes takes me near a Harbor Freight store, so I've become an HF fan, even though I've been burned a few times. Today, I was in the store looking at this breaker/spinner. Later I got online and the few reviews I found also say that the metal quality in the anvil and punch are not good enough, but that the HF spinner works fine. A while back, I had the vise grip type and tried without success to punch out a rivet. I ended up using a die grinder to remove the rivet head before I could do any punching. This gives me an idea. The rivet head can be removed quickly with a grinder. Could I use the inferior HF breaker with no problems if I just grind the rivet first? I'm about to start chainsaw milling again, and I'm going to need a bunch of chains. I've got one of those 20% off HF coupons sitting on my desk, and I've got to find an excuse to use it.....

 

[heimannm]

I bought the Baileys set and the only problem I ever had was the "key" that locates the anvil for punching out the rivets was not properly located under the punch. I probably broke a punch on every chain until I took the key out and just eyeball the center of the rivet under the punch. I may have knocked out a hundred rivets with the one punch now.

I mounted them on a piece of MDF with a cleat so I can fasten it in the vice while working on chains, then put it up on the shelf when finished.

The stick on chart is handy, I mounted mine on a board that hangs on the wall when not needed. Certainly does make it easier that counting all those DL's every time. I have even gotten into the habit of writing down common chain sizes & DL counts to help speed the process of making up new chains.

Start visiting shops and asking about presets and tie straps, undoubtedly someone will offer you some spares. As Philbert pointed out, it seems that each chain manufacturer does things a bit differently so make sure to use Stihl for Stihl chain, Carlton for Carlton chain, etc. etc.

When you buy a 100' roll of chain they normally come with plenty of preset and tie straps, but it never hurts to ask & scrounge around to have some spares available "just in case"...

Mark

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