Buying rivetter tool for cam chain

LTGTR

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Getting prepared for a top end rebuild and need to buy a chain breaker/rivetter tool.
I dont want to buy a cheap one that will break/bend but one that will do a home mechanic - may not get used again but its nice to have the tool handy in case.
I dont intend to use it for breaking the chain without grinding the heads off the rivets first ( my research shows the tool will last longer that way) - so its main job will be for the rivetting.
* Is there a specific tool for cam chains versus rear drive chains e.g. size of pins in the kit ?
* There have been 2 excellent write ups - Jims and Mailmans. I found Jims but I cant find Mailmans - could somebody point me to Mailmans "cam chain page" or others that may help ?
Thanks for any help - Ray.
 
I could never get those to work like I thought it should so I just use a chisel with a flat end in my air hammer to set the rivets. Same as using a punch but I don’t need a third hand…..
 
I have the tool from MikesXS. I got it years ago when it was still relatively cheap (about $35) and it worked well until I loaned it to the ham fisted kid down the street and he buggered up the rivet pin head, lol. But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I bought replacement pins from Motion Pro and they work better than the original. The rivet pin head is shaped a bit better and works better.

Today, I wouldn't get the MikesXS one because they raised the price too much. Instead, I would get the cheapo eBay one (about $20) and some Motion Pro pins for it.

Reading the reviews on the Motion Pro tool Bosco linked to, I see even Motion Pro tells you to grind the rivet head off before using the tool.

And a tip for riveting the link - tap an X cut into the rivet pin end using a small, sharp chisel. I found the rivet pin end had the tendency to want to slide off to the side as you tightened it down. The X cut grabs the pin and keeps it centered on the chain pin. It probably also lets it mushroom out a little easier .....

X Cut.jpg


Pins After Tool.jpg


I finish the job using a small ball peen to peen the ends down better .....

Cam Chain Link.jpg
 
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