Cutting Chain Hoist Chain On-Site

[ship]

I'm replacing a bunch of 100 year old, really crappy and rusty pendant light chain with black 1/4" 1-Ton chain. Believe it's Sch. 80? Experimented with de-rusting or coating the old chain - not going to be worth doing. Nor-would tumbling in removing the old patina & just re-rusting.

I have in scrap chain stock just enough 48" sections of chain hoist chain - which is black and will be just fine for the look. Tried spraying the black chain with oak tint stain w. polyurathane... to add more of a brown tint (same thing I'm using on all the fixtures to refresh their original appearance after cleaning,) but the chain wasn't tinted enough by it to be useful. Hopefully the zinc plated, than sand blasted lap links, that were re-painted Epoxy enamel black, will take the stain/poly paint... Otherwise I'll have to just use Krayon "Dulling Spray" on them. Too gloss in connection points. Easy enough.

Problem is, I'm am not installing the lighting fixtures on-site - just restoring them, the electrical contractors will be installing them as they pull new wiring. Good thing - the old wiring not just to age, but the over-wattaging of the lamps has made all wiring feeding the fixtures & feeding thru the outlet boxes... unsafe.

So given the chain is long, and many fixtures will be installed in new locations - many links will need to be cut during the install.

I'm fairly certain a bolt cutter will not cut this chain, at best more than a few times before the jaws are too damaged. Is this true - even if a say quality brand of large bolt cutter? Next choice on-site would be a cordless grinder with cutoff wheel. Advise them to put the chain in a portable bench vise to hold it stable?

This grinder cutoff wheel the best choice on site where there is no real say abrasive cutoff wheel chop saw or pneumatic die grinder options?

 

[TimMc]

Abrasive cutoff wheel.

 

[avkid]

Almost every commercial EC should have a portable bandsaw, that's the best bet.

 

[What Rigger?]

Cutoff wheel is do-able but throws sparks. Like, a lot!
Not sure about a band saw. Never done it.

Uncle Bill's got manual cutters, but I don't think they will cut Sch. 80. from the spec's on the website. You could probably call/email them.

5/8" Chain/ Bolt Cutter

Check out the deal on 5/8" Chain/ Bolt Cutter at Sapsis Rigging Inc.

www.sapsis-rigging.com

Thoughts, @egilson1?

 

[MNicolai]

Uncle Bill's got manual cutters, but I don't think they will cut Sch. 80. from the spec's on the website. You could probably call/email them.

I've done this before on Grade 80, ranging from $40 bolt cutters to $200 bolt cutters. The cheap ones dull out immediately. You can cut a few links but after that you're chewing on the chain more than cutting it. The $200 cutters last longer but eventually a chunk of the jaw breaks off and shoots across the room. Not sure I would recommend either unless you're in a real pinch and it's the only option you have available to you.

Whichever method is chosen, wear eye protection.

 

[egilson1]

Funny enough a dremel with a cut off wheel works well. Less sparks. You will need a lot of wheels, as you usually only get 2 or 3 likes cut per wheel.

 

[What Rigger?]

Funny enough a dremel with a cut off wheel works well. Less sparks. You will need a lot of wheels, as you usually only get 2 or 3 likes cut per wheel.

Harbor Freight Tools sells dremel size cutoff wheels in packs of 20. Lowe's/Home Depot would have that too. I've been modifying a few bike parts lately.

 

[ship]

I'm curious on the portaband? I know a Sawzall will cut gr. 8 and alloy truss bolts with say a 18tpi blade, a better quality 14tpi blade and even carbide blade will also do so (subject for debate what works best). You will trash the blade of course. Given the teeth of the band saw would be similar to - but longer cutting contact surface area in longer cutting surface area to cool. Perhaps also add cutting wax? Might it work say with an 18tpi blade with cutting wax assuming no better blade available, and in assuming a 14tpi wouldn't work well?

[Calculation - 14tpi for mild steel, 18tpi for thinner steel, or in this case harder steel.]

Obviously clamp the chain in a vise and cut half a link at a time.

As for sparks.... should have seen me cutting apart the 40' strip lights with my 7.1/4" Worm Drive mounted with a cutoff wheel.... That was a Fourth of July type of display, but sparks to be concerned about clearly.

Can't see using a heavy duty Dremmel, even with the EZ Change wheels, die grinder at most, but I prefer grinders. Thanks on the bolt cutter notes, and help and thoughts from all.