Chain cutting recommendations?

My method is to use vice grips and an angle grinder like so: 

I've been thinking of constructing a Grindomatic 3000 where I would have an angel grinder on a swing arm with clamps holding the chain down, but before I go on a project like that I wanted to see if there's an obvious solution I'm missing. 

How do y'all cut your chain down to manageable lengths? I mostly use one link or three links between quicklinks whether I'm using mussies or not. Would love to hear some advice from y'all experienced route developers out there. 

Cheers 

30 dollars well spent: bolt cutters. Chomps through 5/16 chain with minimal effort.

Big Red wrote:

30 dollars well spent: bolt cutters. Chomps through 5/16 chain with minimal effort.

O rly. 

I'm not sure why I thought bolt cutters would struggle with chain, but I'm glad to hear they don't. Looks like I'm making a run to harbor freight soon. Appreciate ya! 

I use bolt cutters. Works well, cheap, and pretty indestructible.

Used to have a cheap harbor freight abrasive cutoff saw that was similar to what you propose, but it didn’t work very well, and the motor burned out quickly. 

I use the 24" harbor freight one for 5/16" chain and it works with just a bit of muscle. The bigger one is probably worth it though.

I use 3/8" chain and clamp it in a bench vise. Then zip through with a beefy angle grinder.  A bolt cutter sounds more civilized, but I don't own one.

Funny story, I was at the Home Despot and this tweaker walks right out the front door (without paying) with a brand new bolt cutter.  I suppose if you are already a thief in CA, why bother paying for your thievery tools, lol.  

Harbor freight bolt cutters won't hold up long for stainless.  Get yourself a quality set, tyler tool or kobalt. It helps if you cut one side at a time or go back and forth a couple times (or even better align the chain vertically so that you'renot hitting the opposite side of the chain link).  Most bolt cutters will struggle to go through both sides of stainless chain in one go.  

For folks using bolt cutters, does it work for 3/8” chain?

Max Tepfer wrote:

For folks using bolt cutters, does it work for 3/8” chain?

With big enough ones, yes

Max Tepfer wrote:

For folks using bolt cutters, does it work for 3/8” chain?

Yes.. I have the biggest one Harbor Fraught sells and it works fine. Bought it a few years ago after a smaller one finally broke. Not sure how long it'll last but so far so good. As others have said, a better quality set would probably work a lot better though. 

For the occasional batch of cutting my local Ace hardware let's me use their hydrolic chain cutter. I ask nice and bring my own PPE including a small towel so when the second side of a chain link is cut and goes flying it doesnt hit anyone/anything. 

Sometimes for free, sometimes they charge a 'cut fee' (typically $0.25 per cut). 

If it's just one or two links I do same as OP: vice grips and angle grinder. 

I think I broke 3 or 4 cheaper pairs of bolt cutters early on and have stuck to the angle grinder method since. Any tips what to look for? 

These are awesome. You can buy 8 ton version for about 50-60, but this will handle wayyy more.
https://www.amazon.com/4mm-22mm-Hydraulic-Cutting-crimper-Crimping/dp/B0CXJ6S47K/ref=asc_df_B0CXJ6S47K

Last batch I had to use a cut off wheel to make an initial cut and then 3 foot long bolt cutters to finish.  Decided to only buy pre cut chain from hownot2 from that day forward 

Bolt cutters for sure, though that hydraulic tool intrigues me. I don't know about the Harbor Freight products, I tend to be very judicious in the tools I'll buy there, for bolt cutters I recommend Rigid. I have the 30", they go through a lot. Lifetime warranty. If you're going to use them a lot get quality, if just a couple cuts a year, I'm sure the HF is fine.

https://www.amazon.com/RIDGID-14228-Cutter-Heavy-Duty-Cutters/dp/B0014114R2/ref=asc_df_B0014114R2?mcid=528f535c34e431859cb14200aa5148fe&hvocijid=8535551038139322813-B0014114R2-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8535551038139322813&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9061099&hvtargid=pla-2281435177618&psc=1

Check out this vid by the LPL.
Gives a great idea of how easy it cuts....There is a reason bike theives love this kind of tool.

I go back and forth between porta band saw and 18volt 4.5 in Makita angle grinder. With a vise at home and vise gtips out and about. Porta band is much quieter...

Worth noting for using bolt cutters - the if you do one side and then the other to cut chain, the 2nd cut will likely send the piece you're cutting like shrapnel. Throwing a t-shirt or towel or anything over the cut you're making prevents this from happening, but I paid for that lesson with a split lip or two before I found out.

bob steed wrote:

Funny story, I was at the Home Despot and this tweaker walks right out the front door (without paying) with a brand new bolt cutter.  I suppose if you are already a thief in CA, why bother paying for your thievery tools, lol.  

Seen today in a Home Depot in CA. Not sure they really thought this through...

I wonder which boltcutter still works

Austin Donisan wrote:

Seen today in a Home Depot in CA. Not sure they really thought this through...

Are they expecting you to test the bolt cutter before buying it? I guess that will prove how good they are on chain.