Are these chain joiners OK?

[Mike Banks]

Most of these joiners are for agricultural purposes. The only really strong joiners I have seen are Keystone Links, used in the raising of cargo etc. Unless tied closed they would be unsuitable for anchor rode, and they are not galvanised anyway, so the use could only be temporary.

There is a type of joiner which is galvanised and looks like a slightly longer link that has been sliced diagonally in one leg then prised apart.

These, when cleaned up on the inside of the sliced faces, then hammered or pressed together and bound with a couple of turns of stainless steel gas welding wire, then the whole slice plus bindings carefully fluxed and silver brazed--would be my way of dealing with the problem other than by replacing the entire chain.

Silver brazing involves lower temperatures, does not destroy temper, will not rust and is still strong enough to lap-braze together big tempered steel bandsaw blades in sawmills where logs are fed in at forty miles an hour and the blade tension is measuerd in tons.

[Ken Z]

I purchased two of the joiners that you pictured, I tried them on land joining chain because they seemed failure prone they failed and came apart. I am glad I didn t lose an anchor. I would and did discard.

[Steve Bedford]

“These, when cleaned up on the inside of the sliced faces, then hammered or pressed together and bound with a couple of turns of stainless steel gas welding wire, then the whole slice plus bindings carefully fluxed and silver brazed--would be my way of dealing with the problem other than by replacing the entire chain.“

Another option is to take a length of nylon rope (suggest 3/4” or larger 3 strand) and connect the two chain pieces with a chain splice on each of the two ends of chain that will be joined. It will be strong and it will fit in most windlasses without binding.

Steve

[SaltyMetals]

Originally Posted by Steve Bedford

“These, when cleaned up on the inside of the sliced faces, then hammered or pressed together and bound with a couple of turns of stainless steel gas welding wire, then the whole slice plus bindings carefully fluxed and silver brazed--would be my way of dealing with the problem other than by replacing the entire chain.“

Another option is to take a length of nylon rope (suggest 3/4” or larger 3 strand) and connect the two chain pieces with a chain splice on each of the two ends of chain that will be joined. It will be strong and it will fit in most windlasses without binding.

Steve

I believe the Crosby C-links are actually for industrial lifting purposes so their strength is critical to avoid industrial accidents, claim, liability, etc. They are already galvanised. Small enought to put a few in a strong envelope and ne mailed to anywhere- even kangaroo locations! They are made in USA but i live in London (no roos in sight) so i just ordered online and they were mailed to me from USA.

Read Vyv Cox's study and you will discover that many of these C links of other origins come from dubious sources and do not have the same strength as the chain you are joining. I am sure must be other equivalents to Crosby but i know which brand i will stick to.

[SaltyMetals]

Originally Posted by SaltyMetals

I believe the Crosby C-links are actually for industrial lifting purposes so their strength is critical to avoid industrial accidents, claim, liability, etc. They are already galvanised. Small enought to put a few in a strong envelope and ne mailed to anywhere- even kangaroo locations! They are made in USA but i live in London (no roos in sight) so i just ordered online and they were mailed to me from USA.

Read Vyv Cox's study and you will discover that many of these C links of other origins come from dubious sources and do not have the same strength as the chain you are joining. I am sure must be other equivalents to Crosby but i know which brand i will stick to.

BTW, if sourcing from USA and you hv 8 or 10mm chain there is a slight clash between equivalents for metric and imperial sizes. I have fitted the Crosby links to both 8mm (previous boat) and subsequently 10mm (current boat). The Crosby equivalent for 10mm was an easy fit. It was more fifficult for the 8mm but not impossible. Both pass through the gypsy w no prblm.
Andrew

[insignia]

I don't know where numbnuts gets his information from but stainless steel is exactly that and is called non ferrous for a reason. no matter what is done to it or however it is worked it can never become magnetic as it contains no ferrous particles which is what a magnet is attracted to

[TravelingAussie]

I was just researching this exact same thing after seeing a failure - be warned of corrosion issues on these links. I'm considering the Crosby one already mentioned, Osculuti which I found written about somewhere (have emailed them for their WLL) and interestingly this figure 8 link from McMaster-Carr which has a superior WLL than the chain iteslf - apparently it fits in the gyspy of the windlass ok? https://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/123/1484/=1amzeo5

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by insignia

I don't know where numbnuts gets his information from but stainless steel is exactly that and is called non ferrous for a reason. no matter what is done to it or however it is worked it can never become magnetic as it contains no ferrous particles which is what a magnet is attracted to

Not sure who you are calling numbnuts, but stainless steel is a ferrous Metal because it contains iron. It can definitely be magnetic.

[TravelingAussie]

Originally Posted by TravelingAussie

I was just researching this exact same thing after seeing a failure - be warned of corrosion issues on these links. I'm considering the Crosby one already mentioned, Osculuti which I found written about somewhere (have emailed them for their WLL) and interestingly this figure 8 link from McMaster-Carr which has a superior WLL than the chain iteslf - apparently it fits in the gyspy of the windlass ok? https://www.mcmaster.com/#catalog/123/1484/=1amzeo5

FYI - got word back quickly from Osculati on their BLL of their connecting links and it seems they are strong. Not sure on corrosion resistance. For compatibility with the gypsy, I'll probably go with these ones. https://www.osculati.com/en/11004-m-...librated-chain
Osculati no. Break load

01.672.06 1630kgs

01.672.08 3200kgs

01.672.10 5000kgs

01.672.12 6500kgs

[HopCar]

Following is a link to a Scientific American article concerning stainless steel and magnets. I’ve always thought type 304 (18-8) was magnetic. Turns out it’s not, until you work it. Then it is attracted to a magnet.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...gnets-work-on/

[Mike Banks]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Following is a link to a Scientific American article concerning stainless steel and magnets. I’ve always thought type 304 (18-8) was magnetic. Turns out it’s not, until you work it. Then it is attracted to a magnet.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...gnets-work-on/

So--that explains why aluminium, nickel and cobalt, none of which are particularly magnetic if at all, when alloyed forms one of the most powerful magnets known to man and was responsible for effective RADAR.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by insignia

I don't know where numbnuts gets his information from but stainless steel is exactly that and is called non ferrous for a reason. no matter what is done to it or however it is worked it can never become magnetic as it contains no ferrous particles which is what a magnet is attracted to

I thought so too.

We use 304 and 316 grade stainless steel plates to conceal hall effect switches and magnets to monitor the position of parts in our locks. Some of these are critical.

Both of these grades while usually considered not to be attracted to magnets because of the low rate, they do have a small degree of magnetic attraction, you can feel it on a thick piece with good magnets.

If we machine it, fold it, or weld it it increases the attraction significantly.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by insignia

I don't know where numbnuts gets his information from but stainless steel is exactly that and is called non ferrous for a reason. no matter what is done to it or however it is worked it can never become magnetic as it contains no ferrous particles which is what a magnet is attracted to

FYI:

304 stainless contains roughly 8% Cr, 18% Ni a wee tad of C and 2% Mn, plus small additions of trace elements.

The rest is Fe (that is iron, of course).

Similar formulae apply to all t he 300 (Austenitic) series... they are all mostly made of iron with varying alloying elements.

304 and to a lesser extent 316 ss are inherently non-magnetic, but if cold worked (as in rolling, stamping and some forms of machining) it can and does become magnetic.

You owe "numbnuts", whomever he is, an abject apology.

Jim

[model 10]

You guys are confusing me. How is a screw made? I think it's what you are calling cold formed. I try to not buy magnetic screws.

[Dave_S]

Originally Posted by Ecos

You guys are confusing me. How is a screw made? I think it's what you are calling cold formed. I try to not buy magnetic screws.

They are annealed after forming.