Buying parts. How much chain do I need?

Technical Details
1

I’m going through the list here https://github.com/MaslowCNC/Mechanics/wiki/DIY-Kit-Mechanical-Equivalent-Parts and buying parts.

How much #25 roller chain do I need?

Peter.

2

2 x 11 feet.

The bill of materials is here: https://github.com/MaslowCNC/Mechanics/blob/master/BOM.txt

Hope that helps!

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Thanks! I’ve never worked with the stuff before. It is easy to find ten-foot lengths, lots of sources on ebay and amazon have chain in that length.

How difficult would it be to buy three ten-foot lengths and splice them into two eleven-foot lengths? How difficult is it to add and remove links?

Peter.

4

There is a tool for driving the chain pins out. It’s not terribly expensive, and I’m sure you could source it for cheaper than McMaster sells it for. The particular one I linked only removes the pin, but you could use a master link to connect the pieces together for an 11 foot chain.

There are also machines that do both, but they are probably cost-prohibitive for your needs.

5

You can use a hammer and pin punch. I’ve done it with a hammer and nail on motorcycle chain in my starving student days (Honda CB160), might need to do a little filing first

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6

I’m planning to raise the motors on my build a foot so that I can cut 5X5 pieces. I know I’ll need to lengthen the chains as a result of the increased height, so I purchased 10 feet of chain and I bought an inexpensive chain tool.

Amazon chain tool

It will press the pins out as well as push them back into place. I’ve only played with it a little bit, but it does work with #25 chain.

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7

The Amazon description says #35 to #630 chain, so it may not work on #25 chain. If you’re lucky you can drive out the pin some other way and maybe it will reinstall the pin. Plan B would be to use the rounded end of a small ball peen hammer to peen over the ends of the pin

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Often times chain will ship with a “missing link” which lets you easily join the two ends of the chain together to make a loop, but it could just as easily be used to join to sections. If you use a missing link you can cut the chain with a hacksaw

9

There are chain breakers out there that are sized to work with #25 chain.

Splitting the chain is easy, you can use a saw to do that :slight_smile:

reconnecting it later is the harder part (especially if you use a saw)

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10

I can confirm that the linked chain tool does work to break and make up #25 chain.

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