set chain with punch instead of spinner?

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

I don't really go thru enough chain for a spinner to be a great investment, otherwise I'd have one by now. But I a big loop of milling chain for my saw and I just found out its the wrong size, 2 links too long i think. Local hardware store apparently only has 1 employee that knows chainsaw stuff and knows if the shop can or can't shorten the chain for me... So I'm on the fence to just buy a spinner and shorten it myself for $100, or just punch it with a rivet setter. That must be a viable option? I've set rivets before, just never in chain. I think I can do it no problem, besides when you buy strap links you get like 20 to a pack so it's not like I don't get a second chance if I don't like the looks of it.

thoughts?

 

[Del_]

Yes it will work and there are punches designed for such.

https://www.google.com/search?q=riv...rome..69i57.6171j0j1&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Leeroy]

https://www.baileysonline.com/oregon-2-piece-pocket-chain-breaker-punch-39470-orf-39470.html

 

[Del_]

https://www.baileysonline.com/oregon-2-piece-pocket-chain-breaker-punch-39470-orf-39470.html

I believe that he is asking about 'peening' the rivet.

 

[Leeroy]

I believe that he is asking about 'peening' the rivet.

I missed your post Del, and yes I thought he was looking to break it, then peen it with a hammer.
Have you used either or do you a typical breaker and spinner?
There are these as well: https://www.baileysonline.com/oregon-2-piece-pocket-chain-breaker-punch-39470-orf-39470.html but probably not worth it for one use.

 

[ammoaddict]

I don't really go thru enough chain for a spinner to be a great investment, otherwise I'd have one by now. But I a big loop of milling chain for my saw and I just found out its the wrong size, 2 links too long i think. Local hardware store apparently only has 1 employee that knows chainsaw stuff and knows if the shop can or can't shorten the chain for me... So I'm on the fence to just buy a spinner and shorten it myself for $100, or just punch it with a rivet setter. That must be a viable option? I've set rivets before, just never in chain. I think I can do it no problem, besides when you buy strap links you get like 20 to a pack so it's not like I don't get a second chance if I don't like the looks of it.

thoughts?

I have done 6 or so with a ball peen hammer. Haven't had any failures. Takes a couple minutes but works fine.

 

[Oldtoolsnewproblems]

perfect, thats what I expected, something had to exist before spinners! and I hate buying garbage tools, so its either an oregon spinner or a punch, I'm not gonna waste time and effort on a $40 amazon spinner.

 

[HansFranz]

I bought a kit on ebay for like $5 for doing this. It worked fine.

 

[ammoaddict]

There is a video on YouTube that I watched. The guy took a grinder and ground off the rivet heads, punched out the old preset, put the new one in and laid the chain on a piece of thick metal. Put the new tie strap on and held it in place with a small screwdriver and started tapping them with a ball peen until he got them like he wanted them. If you don't hold it down, it will jump off every time you hit it.

 

[Del_]

I missed your post Del, and yes I thought he was looking to break it, then peen it with a hammer.
Have you used either or do you a typical breaker and spinner?
There are these as well: https://www.baileysonline.com/oregon-2-piece-pocket-chain-breaker-punch-39470-orf-39470.html but probably not worth it for one use.

I have both and prefer the bench mounted spinner, with a drop of oil.

I had a vice grip like device 30 years ago that did both functions but have no idea where it is now.

I also have a bench type punch but prefer the hand held punch with the associated base plate. The reason for this is I at one time would take a 100ft roll of Stihl RS and spin it into 20" 72 drive count loops. I had a 'chain board' with a finishing nail in it's side and would lay it on the floor and put the drive tang rivet hole over the nail. I would then count the drive links and trace the end of the chain onto the pine 2x4. I had 3/8 of various length, a couple of .404 lengths, some .325 lengths and some 3/8 mini lengths all laid out on the my 8ft. 2x4 pine 'chain board'. It saved a lot of time counting and making mistakes. The punch I used was portable of course and I would grind both rivet heads off with a dremel tool before punching. I'd then spin the loops on the bench spinner. I'm not so sure that a bench punch is even worth having as even using it I would dremel down the rivet head.

 

[Bango Skank]

Reminder; most bench vises have a built in anvil that’s suitable for peening a rivet or two.

 

[HarleyT]

Yeah, it doesn't really matter too much how pretty the flattened metal is, it locks it in real good.

 

[northmanlogging]

if yer gonna use a ball peen hammer... use the round side and tappy tap tap it, one big hit will upset the innards and lock the rivet down tight, otherwise I see no issue with peening vs spinning.

 

[Maintenance supervisor]

I used to do all my .404 chain with a very small ball peen hammer, as mentioned tappy, tap,tap....

 

[heimannm]

Riveting takes place starting around 8 minutes.



Mark

 

[HansFranz]

I used to do all my .404 chain with a very small ball peen hammer, as mentioned tappy, tap,tap....

A real small ball-pein hammer (like 4 to 8 oz) is a damn handy thing to have. Great for riveting...I remember my Dad teaching me how to upset the brass rivets that held the finger guards on a sheath knife I was making from a kit as a kid...you just go real slow and it makes the rivets expand in their holes...if you try to go fast, it just makes a mess...it's all a finesse thing...you think you're not making any headway, but then you look and the rivet is way shorter (and therefore a lot fatter)...after it was close to flush, we filed it down flush and it was IN THERE FOR GOOD.

 

[trains]

Yep, use hammer and punch to break, and smaller ball pein to flatten and create the rivet head.
Spinner makes it a neater fininsh and easier to get the rivet set correctly.

 

[Philbert]

Lots of chains have been mended like that. ‘Old time’ loggers used to carry those anvil kits, and repair links, in the field, according to many reports.

The Granberg ‘Break-n-Mend’ is the Vise-Grip chain tool. I have used it, but prefer a good bench style spinner and breaker set.

https://www.granberg.com/product/g605c-break-n-mendbreaks-rivets-chain/
Spinning does not just uniformly mushroom over the end of the rivet to keep the tie strap on, but it expands the softer shaft of the rivet so that it does not rotate in the tie strap, leading to ’chain stretch.’ Ideally, you only want the hardened center of the rivet to pivot in the drive link.

As a practical manner, most users won’t notice a carefully peened rivet head.

Philbert

 

[Pioneer]

Here's a good video.

 

[Husky77]

I was reading an old manual last night which had a diagram of peening a rivet on a chain link. All done with a ball pen hammer, this was done long before river spinners because available to the general public. Like most things it's a dying art, take your time and if it messes up donit again. A little practice you should get a perfect job just dont make it too tight or too loose. I got oregon bench breaker and spinner that makes it so easy, maybe worth the investment.
Good luck in your quest.