Chris C Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 I brought home a couple of motorcycle chains yesterday. One of them is 6 feet long and weighs 5 1/4 pounds. (the other is smaller, shorter and as a result, lighter) If I pop a pin out and make myself two 3 foot sections would that be long enough to work as hold downs or do I need it to be 6 foot long? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Pre-measure the required length with twine? (or string or rope, etc.) An empirical approach. SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Don't really need to do that. I can see it will go from my stump stand, over the top of my anvil and back down to the stump. I just need to know if that's enough length. I've never seen one in operation and have never used a chain hold down, so I don't have anything to reference to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Take the thickest piece of stock you will be working on. Lay it on the anvil and drape the chain over it from where you will anchor it to the stump and see if it is long enough to have a foot pedal to stand on to hold it tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Well, that's why I'm asking. Why can't I have cable that goes from the end of the chain down to weights? (or as you suggest, a foot pedal) I don't see why the chain has to go all the way to the floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 Ya, a cable would work just fine or even a round bar with eyes depending on the offset of the stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLAG Posted June 20, 2020 Share Posted June 20, 2020 An automobile timing chain is more substantial than a motorcycle chain. Just sayyin' . SLAG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Thanks IFC. I've been considering a lot of options. Thanks, SLAG. I've never seen a timing chain, but I'll check around at some shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Roller chain comes in all sorts of sizes. If there's a company that runs or maintains road graders ask the mechanic if he has an old drive chain from a walking beam. If you've ever wondered why a grader sounds like it has a chain drive when it goes by that's because the drive wheels have a big honkin drive chain liking each wheel to the drive sprocket in the center of the walking beam. Chain hold downs don't have to go to the ground or be anchored or anything special, they just need to keep your work from rolling off the anvil. Heavier holds more securely but is harder to handle. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBones Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Chris, timing chains are kind of a thing of the past. Most cars now a days have timing belts also timing chains rarely go bad. So it may be harder to find than you think. My suggestion, transmission shop. Ask for a transfer chain out of a front wheel drive trans. Transfer cases also use a big chain, and some trans pumps are chain driven. Explain to them what you are looking for and they provably got 4 or 5 in the scrap barrel. Trans parts are very rarely mild steel too. So you may be able to also score some input or out put shafts, usually higher carbon steel or bearing races, CV shafts, etc. All but 1 shop i worked in was more than happy to just get rid of the scrap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 Thanks for the tips, Frosty. Biggest problem around here, BillBones, is that all of these shops have someone who contracts to come and pick up their scrap steel. I've been trying to make points with some of them, but not having much luck. I need to start dropping off a dozen donuts when I go begging! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Chris, you were fortunate to find motorcycle chain. Most bikes nowadays are using belts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 I know, Arkie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 Find an implement dealer with a nice bone pile out behind the repair bays. Lots of chain driven stuff in the oldies! (I've worn out a timing chain before; old Toyota pickup, over time the chain stretched enough that the slop wore a hole through the cover. My mechanic replaced the chain but the cost of the simple cover was a good fraction of the worth of the truck. As all it had to do was to keep the oil inside I asked him why they didn't just weld it up and slap the old one back on. They did so and I drove it to the final big ticket repair showed up.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 I use a motorcycle chain, but hopefully can get a timing chain, as they lay a bit flatter across the anvil than the motorcycle chain. Just been too lazy to drop by my shadetree mechanic's shop and with COVID-19 still rampant, running around is not on my list of priorities! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn S Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 I have some monster chain from a Steel Mill that I have a good amount of feet that I will use for this. I bordered it around my vise table and just wrapped some around base for weight. I don’t know why it is sideways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 13, 2020 Share Posted August 13, 2020 Really heavy chain can be a bit of a pain to use as a hold down as it's more difficult to maneuver when you have hot stock and it also pulls more heat out of the stock in contact. I use a fairly light chain and just have a bar on the end to step on when I need greater grab. Use as a weight looks like it works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 Hey, Chris....somewhere here on IFI are a couple or more threads about hold downs, specifically chain types. Try a search using "XXXX iforgeiron" on Google, where XXXX is the subject; chains, hold downs, etc. The search function here is not really that good. I use the motorcycle chain as well and it works great. I just hung a 2-3# weight on the free end and hook the static end on the anvil block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swedefiddle Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 Good Morning, One way, is put a hook on the far side of your anvil base. The hook will grab a link or a pin to go through a link. Drap the chain over your anvil to a stirrup for your foot to hold pressure on. Or, a big bungee cord to hold tension, then you aren't doing the 'One Foot Hookie-Poockie', forget about whistling or chewing gum. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 I took a piece of 1/2" sq stock and forged down one end to a strip that would fit and curl around the chain link end. It slants to the ground in use and I can step on it at a convenient spot as needed. I don't like a stirrup with your foot in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
671jungle Posted August 19, 2020 Share Posted August 19, 2020 On 8/13/2020 at 6:31 PM, arkie said: somewhere here on IFI are a couple or more threads about hold downs, specifically chain types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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