Custom Quick Link

I needed a quick link I cannot buy so I can attach a special tool* to the handle on my weed trimmer and always have the special tool available. This Instructable will demonstrate how I made it by means of photos showing the making of a second quick link.

Materials--

• Steel rod (usually the same diameter as the coupling nut)
• Coupling nut (I am using a 1/4" x 20 coupling nut from the hardware store.)
• Threaded rod

Tools--

• Vise
• 3 pound hammer
• Hacksaw
• Grinder
• Welder

*My weed trimmer releases the choke at the moment the throttle is squeezed the least amount. There are times I want some throttle combined with the choke. My special tool holds the choke "on" even while the throttle is engaged.

I put steel rod in a vise with a piece of black iron pipe to use as a form for making the curves. Begin bending the rod around the pipe.

See the second photo. I repositioned the rod in order to advance the bend.

See the third photo. Close the loop of the link.

Cut an opening for the threaded rod and coupling nut. The opening should be more than one and one-half the length of the coupling nut, but does not need to be quite two times the coupling nut length.

Align the ends of the steel rod as in the first photo.

Trim the bent steel rod to make a sufficient opening for threaded rod and trim the ends to make a "V" opening. See the second photo.

Put the coupling nut onto threaded rod. mark and cut to length.

Align the ends of the steel rod with the ends of the threaded rod. Weld, but be careful to keep the bead as small as possible to preserve as much thread as possible.

The second photo shows the quick link after welding is complete.

I turned the coupling nut back as much as possible to one side. I cut out part of the threaded rod. The ideal is to have an opening at least equal to the diameter of other links that might be joined by the quick link. I found I was a bit short, so I cut away part of the coupling nut.

One of the challenges is to be certain the ends of the threaded rod align for the coupling nut. The easy way to insure that is to cut the opening in the threaded rod after it has been welded in place.

It is also important that three or four threads are on the short portion of the threaded rod to make a secure link when the coupling nut has closed the quick link.

See the second photo. The special quick link I needed for hanging a tool on my weed trimmer handle had to be bent before welding the second end of the threaded rod. The opening was cut after the welding was completed.

File or grind any rough edges that could cut and scrape.