Thread: welding high tensile chain??

Good question. And if you weld it does it lower the high tensile strength?

High tensile chain should not be welded ever,you need to bye a joiner for joining high tensile chain called a ''hammer lock'' available at most hardwear stores.

Lloyd.

Attachment 109864

Originally Posted by Golden Ash

Attachment 109864

Looks a bit wide to go through the block and tackle but I'll definitely measure one and see if it will fit through

thanks ---mat

Originally Posted by Rossluck

And if you weld it does it lower the high tensile strength?

It shouldn't if it was done properly...After all the chain links are welded when they are made..

HOWEVER, the welding process is carefully controlled and monitored and I am sure the chain is proof tested after manufacture..

If you have snapped the chain, it will mean other links will most likely be fractured beyond repair...Throw the lot and get a new on if it is being used for anything where something could be damaged/injured if the chain fails..

How do they manufacture high tensile steel?

Originally Posted by Rossluck

How do they manufacture high tensile steel?

It is a cast in an alloy mix suitable to intended application.It
is worked and fabricated and then heat treated. heat treatment maximised strength and refines the grain for toughness.
It is rolled into a wire or rod in this case.

• Forging of chain shaped links
• Flash Butt welding of the links
• Heat treatment of the completed chain

Oxy cutting or welding destroys the effects of heat treatment.

It is way beyond what most DIY guys have available to them. While you have not mentioned the application, there is too much to go wrong if safety is involved.

Bite the bullet a get a new one.

Grahame

Originally Posted by Rossluck

How do they manufacture high tensile steel?

No different to most other forms of steel....It just has different alloys added to it when it is molten, them after it is formed into bars and rods it would be heat treated in some way...

I saw a video back in high school of the chain making process...It was made extremely quickly, the links are bent around each other and welded together by what looked like a resistance welding process that melted each end the melted ends were pushed together...It took a few seconds for each link.

If you are looking for chain to go into a chain block there are some considerations.

I know most of the cheaper chain blocks have relativly short chains. 3 meters is standard

you can order them with longer chains... standard long chain option is 6 meters.

of you wnat to get a longer chain fitted you will have to buy it in a complete length.

If it is the lifting chain......no you certainly cant weld it because the whole rating will go out the window.

and you almost certainly will have to buy metered chain..... this is chain with a specific and guaranteed link length so that it tracks properly in the wheels.
It will need to be certified lifting chain.

then you will also have to extend the hauling chain which is far less critical....... you probaly will have to weld that because it has to be a continuous length...... that chain is often mild steel long link chain....and will be way heavier than you will ever be able load it by swinging on it.

this to may need to be metered.

cheers

>>>>>"S-7016.H can be used for welding of high tensile steel, such as bridges, buildings, shipbuilding, high pressure vessels and rolling stock. Soft stable arc.Good fluidity and removability of slag. Smooth appearance. Good mechanical properties. No undercut formation. Excellent crack resistance and X-ray performance."<<<<

Seems like there are innumerable rods available for welding high tensile steel on the net .Obviously in the case of bridges or boats, pre heating or post weld conditioning would be very difficult if not impossible .Of course with a chain link it shouldn't be too difficult to follow the best practice procedure .Thats if I can just find some one who regularly welds smaller high tensile components and knows the industry standard.

I want the pulling/lifting chain to be a continuous loop so i dont have to always be winding the hook back in and out .Just hook onto the chain at the appropriate distance and un hook after the pull .That way its always the right lenth and no need to wind it back in or out all the time to get the right lenth ,or wind it right out again to do a second pull .Should save heaps of time and muscle and tendons.

I think you r mad to weld HT chain. Maybe contact your nearest specialest chain co. before you do it. I like your idea though

Originally Posted by Mathuranatha

>>>>>"S-7016.H can be used for welding of high tensile steel, such as bridges, buildings, shipbuilding, high pressure vessels and rolling stock. Soft stable arc.Good fluidity and removability of slag. Smooth appearance. Good mechanical properties. No undercut formation. Excellent crack resistance and X-ray performance."<<<<

Seems like there are innumerable rods available for welding high tensile steel on the net .Obviously in the case of bridges or boats, pre heating or post weld conditioning would be very difficult if not impossible .Of course with a chain link it shouldn't be too difficult to follow the best practice procedure .Thats if I can just find some one who regularly welds smaller high tensile components and knows the industry standard.

I want the pulling/lifting chain to be a continuous loop so i dont have to always be winding the hook back in and out .Just hook onto the chain at the appropriate distance and un hook after the pull .That way its always the right lenth and no need to wind it back in or out all the time to get the right lenth ,or wind it right out again to do a second pull .Should save heaps of time and muscle and tendons.

Mat,
welding chain with electric arc is prone to major problems it need s to be heat treated to retain its integrity. While you are heating up one link the next one is being annealed. And so on around the chain.
You have not mentioned what loads you intend to lift or what size chain and chain block you are using?
Regards Whitworthsocket

Mathuranatha,

What's still not quite clear to me is the load that the chain is expected to be submitted to.
If it is a matter of making the endless pull chain on a chain block longer ,I would not hesitate to make a recommendation.

However if the application is cutting a link on the lift chain ,I would earnestly advise against it. While you, might be aware of a non standard link in your equipment, things have a way of happening that some one unaware of the non standard link may use the chain to its limit and a disastrous failure could occur.

Safety revolves around fitness for purpose which possible extreme loadings are a design factor built into load bearing chains. To modify any rated lifting device would void any manufacturer warranty responsibility that goes with it.
The questions remain that if you do indeed add links ,how much is the safety rating reduced and what would you to make sure the unit will be used at a safe limit?

The contributions above show that we all care for your safety and welfare evidenced by the number of responses.

That's my 2c worth for today

Cheers
Grahame

I"ve always been told is illegal to modify lifting chain, other than to shorten it (Absolutely NOT with the oxy). If a longer one is needed, you have to buy lifting chain as a complete length. It's not cheap, but it's definitely cheaper than life or limb.

From memory, once the chain exceeds 400 degrees C, it must be discarded. Ditto with any stray arc strikes, grinder marks or deformation, such as stretching or bending. I am a licensed crane driver/dogman and this is from our theory.

As Whitworthsocket said, you can't heat treat one link without affecting the adjacent link.