Cutting chain

[Twister_Ken]

Is a hacksaw the best way? Short length of chain I want to cut into two to go around some bollards on a quay.

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've found that steel chain is easily cut with a hacksaw. Preferably sharp new blade and some way of clamping chain.

 

[Lakesailor]

I hold the chain in mole grips or a vice and use a 1mm cutting disc on an angle grinder.

 

[Poignard]

Is a hacksaw the best way? Short length of chain I want to cut into two to go around some bollards on a quay.

I bought some short lengths of chain for that purpose from a chandler and he cut it with heavy duty wire cutters. The sort you might have on board for cutting away your rigging off The Horn.

Another possibility is a heavy hammer, a cold chisel and an anvil.

If you do use a hacksaw, I'd suggest you do the cutting ashore to avoid rusty marks over your deck.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Mostly when I've cut chains its been on my mooring which has no power available within half a mile. I usually put my nail bar in the sand through a link which holds it well enough. Stainless chain is harder to cut.

 

[pmagowan]

I use a cold chisel. It is quick and easy.

 

[Boo2]

Is a hacksaw the best way? Short length of chain I want to cut into two to go around some bollards on a quay.

Yes, IME chain (the normal galvanised stuff at least) cuts very easily with a hacksaw and you should have no problems. Try to catch the filings in a cloth though or do the work off the boat otherwise you'll get rust stains in the gelcoat.

Boo2

 

[prv]

Is a hacksaw the best way? Short length of chain I want to cut into two to go around some bollards on a quay.

Yes - quick and simple. Some sort of clamp or vise is useful although you might be able to wrap/jam the chain around something to secure it.

Pete

 

[vyv_cox]

I agree that a hacksaw is the easiest way but it is preferable to hold it in a vice. My DIY chain testing technique, shown on my website, illustrates how easily it is cut. I find that the jaws of a decent sized pair of bolt croppers are too wide for 8 mm chain but will manage 10 mm.

 

[Ammonite]

I have one of these with the 4Ah battery pack. Not quite as powerful as a mains version but not far off. It's a cracking bit of kit for use on the boat, particularly if you have the drill, sander, vacuum, torch etc to go with it and a pure sine wave inverter on-board for charging (apparently the batteries don't like the cheaper types). The batteries are £75 each but B&Q sell the drill with two 4Ah batteries and a charge for £154 which makes a great starter pack.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryobi-R18AG-0-Angle-Grinder-Body/dp/B00B8AFJYI
http://www.diy.com/departments/ryob...-drill-2-batteries-llcdi18ll40s/546421_BQ.prd

Not suggesting it's necessarily better than a hack saw for cutting chain but it ate through a couple of chunky stainless steel fittings when fitting my spray hood recently.

No connection etc...

 

[Plevier]

otherwise you'll get rust stains in the gelcoat.

Boo2

Which will come off with oxalic acid. Been there etc...

 

[PCUK]

Mostly when I've cut chains its been on my mooring which has no power available within half a mile. I usually put my nail bar in the sand through a link which holds it well enough. Stainless chain is harder to cut.

You could with a 20 quid inverter for running power tools.

 

[30boat]

What size chain? I always use my bolt cutter.It's so Chinese it was bought in Macau 25 years ago.My chain is 8mm.

 

[Lon nan Gruagach]

Hacksaw or angle grinder, clamping is by far the most important part. If its wriggling around like a bag-o-rats then you will do twice the work.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Why should I go to all that trouble and expense to do a job that takes about 2 minutes with a hacksaw that weighs about 200 grammes. It would take longer to connect up the inverter etc than to do the job. I can't understand you guys who think that some kind of power tool is required for trivial jobs.

You could with a 20 quid inverter for running power tools.

 

[Poignard]

(...) I can't understand you guys who think that some kind of power tool is required for trivial jobs.

Puts me in mind of that programme on one of the Freeview channels called 'American Workshop' (or something like that). I don't think the presenter owned a single tool that didn't have wires coming out of it.

 

[sailaboutvic]

What size chain? I always use my bolt cutter.It's so Chinese it was bought in Macau 25 years ago.My chain is 8mm.

+1 and mine is 10 mm

 

[grazbo]

I use a cold chisel. It is quick and easy.

+1 with a lump hammer. Worked for me.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Don't you need an anvil to smite if against?

+1 with a lump hammer. Worked for me.

 

[grazbo]

Don't you need an anvil to smite if against?

I just used the ground - found a solid patch of boatyard. Not as solid as an anvil, and no doubt it took more whacks than it could have as the chain dug in a bit -- but it cost me nothing to try.