Show me your chain!

[Will W.]

Good day. I forged this out a little while ago. I wasn't even planning on making chain, it just happened haha. I burned a few of the links a little bit, but all in all, I learned SO MUCH about forge welding through this little project. The links are kind of odd shaped too, but this is my first go.

Show me your chain! I would like to see what others have made. 

Shoddy picture, sorry. 

[arkie]

My first chain...lots of fun making it.  Thanks to Bob Patrick for demo-ing the making of chain links at one of our recent meetings; really got me inspired to make a chain!!

The real fun part is trying to hang on the the other connected links and their weight while trying to forge weld the last connecting link (middle one).  Made from 3/8" round rod.

 

[TwistedCustoms]

Very cool arkie. I wonder how many feet a chain maker could make in a day.

[ThomasPowers]

With how many assistants and at what technology level?

[MrDarkNebulah]

From my understanding all that people would do would to make 3 links at a time, then join two sets of three, then join two set of seven, then two sets of 15, and so on. So it would probably be designated to different people along the way.

[swedefiddle]

Good Morning,

When you are forming your chain links, 1-Bend the U-shape, same length Tails. 2-Scarf the tips of the ends, at an angle about 45 degrees. 3-Bend the tips and close up the 2 Scarfs. 4-Reheat and weld with a small Hammer. 5-Finish the weld and finish the Shape.

Chain Link Math is 1+1=3, 3+3=7, 7+7=15, etc.

The Missing Link,

Neil

[JHCC]

Seems more likely that at some point, it would be easier to add short sections to a longer chain, rather than hauling around equal-sized (and heavy!) lengths. So, for example, 1+1+1=3, 3+1+3=7, 7+1+7=15, 15+1+3=19, 19+1+3=23, and so on, with the longer chain piling up behind the anvil until the correct length is reached.

[Glenn]

 

The videos show the long section of chain supported while the new links are added.

 

 

[JHCC]

3 minutes ago, Glenn said:

The videos show the long section of chain supported while the new links are added.

Vindication!

On a side note, that flip-down top swage in the upper video is pretty cool.

[Glenn]

No mention has been made of stress reliving the hand made chain when it is completed. Is it necessary or recommended?

[arkie]

46 minutes ago, JHCC said:

Seems more likely that at some point, it would be easier to add short sections to a longer chain, rather than hauling around equal-sized (and heavy!) lengths. So, for example, 1+1+1=3, 3+1+3=7, 7+1+7=15, 15+1+3=19, 19+1+3=23, and so on, with the longer chain piling up behind the anvil until the correct length is reached.

Either way works.  Lengths of three links each connected together or one link at a time at the end of a long chain...depends on how you are set up to handle the chain as it gets longer.

[Michael Cochran]

1 minute ago, Glenn said:

No mention has been made of stress reliving the hand made chain when it is completed. Is it necessary or recommended?

Do you mean, is the chain normalized after forging? I've never thought about it myself but since you bring it up, wouldn't it be a good idea to do so? I don't know if it would make for a huge difference on a few feet of decorative chain. If you're talking about a chain meant to be used for serious working weights and of some length, I would imagine it would make a huge difference in performance. 

[bigfootnampa]

Pulling/lifting chains are usually hardened and tempered.  

[ThomasPowers]

There is a video out there of them strain testing anchor chain at the factory...

[Will W.]

Thomas

Now that I want to see! From a safe distance, of course (in case a link pops.)

Glenn

I think I'm on the same page as Michael Cochran. I would think you would want it normalized to releive stress and provide decent ductility. I wouldn't imagine you would want it hardened and tempered. I definitely don't know for certain though. 

[JHCC]

4 hours ago, ThomasPowers said:

There is a video out there of them strain testing anchor chain at the factory...

That's this video, I believe. The strain testing section starts at 1:57. No mention of whether or not they do any normalizing between forging and testing, but I suspect that it it had been done, they would have mentioned it.

[Michael]

I just learned how to make chain at the last CBA Spring Conference. Showed up for the demo late, with the gentle coaching of a very experienced smith, got walked thru the forge welding process. The admonitions to '' be gentle', 'get it back in the fire, and shape the link at welding heat' made a huge difference. I'd been hitting the links too hard in the past. Later that conference, they ran out of 3.8 mild steel so I pulled some long carriage bolts brought as scrap stock. Turned out they were Grade 8 bolts (hi carbon steel)! That was a lesson in forge welding! Had to get them to sparkling heat, deep in a "cave" fire  to weld, burned all the hair off my hands that weekend but now I can weld chain!  The hi carbon links sound different than the mild steel

 

Now instead of making nails when I fire up the coal forge, I make my practice chains longer.

 

Forged a hook on the end of the practice chain and hung the hammock from it.

 

Of course, every time I post a chain pick, my siblings response is 'you know, you can just buy chain at the Home Depot!"

 

[ThomasPowers]

Funny because high carbon steel forge welds at a lower temperature than low carbon steel.  Was there any plating on the bolts that had to be removed by high heat?

[Michael]

Bolts weren't plated, though they did have an odd sheen at red heat, Like silver spray paint (if paint wouldn't boil off at red heat) , before the metal went up into the oranges and yellows. None of the yellow or whitish dust that you see when plating is burned off.  We were working in a very windy locale. Maybe that had something to do with it.  Tone of links made from the bolts is higher and brighter when they bang together, compared to the mild steel links.  The links didn't weld till they were up right at sparkling, Could they be some other alloy?  Doesn't really matter, the welding practice was good.

[Will W.]

Attempt #2! I need to work on my scarfs and consistency, among other things. I plan on making this a longer chain, so it shall be interesting seeing the quality (hopefully) progress from link to link. 

JHCC 

The link (no pun intended) didn't work for me for some reason. No clue why.

Those are good looking chains, both Michael and arkie. Nice work guys. 

 

[JHCC]

12 hours ago, Will W. said:

JHCC 

The link (no pun intended) didn't work for me for some reason. No clue why.

Try this: 

 

[Will W.]

Thanks. That's interesting. Much like expected, I cringed a little when they were strain testing the chain haha. The part about making the anchor was fascinating, I assume they would need HUGE forges to get those pieces up to temp to weld. They probably used coke as fuel, I take it?

[JHCC]

I wish there were a better angle to see the use of the two-man sledgehammer when they're making the chain.

[Glenn]

At 7:32 in the last video, there are 9 (nine) fellows with hammers standing shoulder to shoulder swinging sledge hammers forming the metal. All are using round house swings. Then they switch to lighter hammers and smooth out the surface of the metal.

 

From the earlier videos. The forges have a full load of fuel and are HOT, with a lot of air to the fire. There is most always a door that lifts to access the fire, and then slides back down to block the radiant heat. 

In all videos you can see the amount of work being done by the pile of slag being produced. They do not clean up after each link is formed. 

[ThomasPowers]

I've seen pictures of them forge welding ship components on a factory "floor"  by piling up an enormous coke fire on the dirt floor with blowers shooting air into it form all sides.