How to weld chain neatly?

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Been having a go at welding some chain links together, and to be honest, the results have been pretty dreadful.
(Mig welder)

So far I've laid the chain in some angle iron, tightened it at both ends and tried to weld the links together, but it ends up very messy....


Also stretched some chain between the shed roof and the bench so I could get in "on top" of the links which worked a bit better.

Just curious how people go about this and which welder settings are the best as I'm ending up with far too much weld, making the welds "too obvious" if that makes sense....
Volts up, wire feed down?


Didn't think it was gonna be this difficult, but clearly it is
Wanna do some bits and pieces for my projects.


Pics of your welded chain along with some pointers much appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Main reason I have not tried it yet is that most of the chain I can find is Galvanised, almost impossible to weld nicely...

Luke.

 

[Walker]

I made a bunch of bicycle chain items. getting all the grease and oil out of the chain is a challenge, especially since as soon as you put the heat to it any hidden oils liquefy and run. Also difficult to get a neat weld with a MIG. I just do the best I can and clean up with a grinder or dremel.

 

[Rockit!]

How thick are the links?

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Main reason I have not tried it yet is that most of the chain I can find is Galvanised, almost impossible to weld nicely...

Luke.

Yeh gal sucks.
I have a bunch of old lifting chains and old block n tackle chain here which isn't gal and a nice size

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

I made a bunch of bicycle chain items. getting all the grease and oil out of the chain is a challenge, especially since as soon as you put the heat to it any hidden oils liquefy and run. Also difficult to get a neat weld with a MIG. I just do the best I can and clean up with a grinder or dremel.

Was more talking about "normal" chain

Would be difficult to do bike chain though I imagine, yes.

Have you tried chainsaw chain?
Done that once.

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

How thick are the links?

Ummm...

Some 6mm I guess.
Some 8, some more.

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Biggest problems are spatter and I'm getting too much weld, which in turn makes the "holes" look smaller.

Too obvious it's been welded.
Wanna get it so it just "looks like a chain."

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Terrible iPad pic but you get the gist

 

[ozzmonaut]

Are you using flux core or gas? I've been welding for several years now with flux core, and it is almost impossible to get too neat. When the flux burns , the pocket of gasses it creates just isn't enough to fully protect the weld area. Try it indoors, so a breeze doesn't expose the weld to oxygen. I'm guessing most chain projects we see are brazed. That way you can force the filler between the links, keeping it neater. But that's only a guess. Try the process in this link but add more heat:

 

[Rockit!]

OH. It's little chain.

You're screwed

 

[patman73]

ther is build thread where someone tried to make a chain bicycle !

 

[Mr. Gangrene Genes]

Not with a wire feed. Do wonder what would happen if you hooked the ground cable from a stick welder to one end and struck an arc on the other end. Would the links join enough?

 

[g-ratter]

Wonder how Indian Larry did his chain frames???
Would assume a tig welder would allow you to get in and make nicer welds.

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Are you using flux core or gas? I've been welding for several years now with flux core, and it is almost impossible to get too neat. When the flux burns , the pocket of gasses it creates just isn't enough to fully protect the weld area. Try it indoors, so a breeze doesn't expose the weld to oxygen. I'm guessing most chain projects we see are brazed. That way you can force the filler between the links, keeping it neater. But that's only a guess. Try the process in this link but add more heat:

Gas.


Thanks for the video.
I'll get my magician's hat on

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Not with a wire feed. Do wonder what would happen if you hooked the ground cable from a stick welder to one end and struck an arc on the other end. Would the links join enough?

I've seen this discussed online before but no concrete answer.

In theory it would probably work but you'd need a pretty big welder I think.

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

Yeh I'm guessing Larry used TIG.


It should work with MIG too though, with the right settings.
Max heat and less wire seems logical.
Just gotta keep trying.

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

OH. It's little chain.

You're screwed

It's not THAT little
(....said every man at some point in his life....)

 

[patman73]

check out the thread who built the eddy munster bike page 2 there is pictur of a lowride chain bicycle

 

[Dirty_Vinylpusher]

check out the thread who built the eddy munster bike page 2 there is pictur of a lowride chain bicycle

Where at?

Build section?