DarkSoul alternative?
 

Our DarkSoul broke, and Dave's Motors is all out of stock. Does anyone have any good alternatives that allow you to make continuous loops of #25 chain?

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Maybe this? https://www.amazon.com/Koch-7725010-.../dp/B004HKIU4C

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

http://www.tetrixrobotics.com/TETRIX_Chain_Breaker_Tool

This seems to be semi popular in the FTC world. Looks to have similar functionality to a dark soul.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

OMG my mind jumped to the video game as soon as I saw this.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

It's awful by comparison. My FTC team hated working with chain until we got a Dark Soul tool, and now neither I nor anyone else on the team knows where our tetrix tool is and none of us care.

It'll be a shame if there isn't anywhere else selling the DS chain tool anymore. I recommend them to pretty much everyone.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Ah! That explains why it's so much cheaper haha. Looks like the DS are coming back in stock in a few weeks according to Dave's Motors.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

This thing is terrible. My team has one and we abhor it.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

This is the one we use on a regular basis, and it works fine. A few weeks ago, we somehow managed to break the pin (after many years of use), so for a temporary solution we just dremeled the links between the chain to break it. Dremeling works just as well honestly. Just as fast, and if done right, doesn't leave any marks on the useable chain.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

I think he means without using master links. Those kinds of tools are the absolute worst to work with.

We've used this one for #35 chain before if that helps any. It's no Darksoul tool but it works alright:
http://www.jegs.com/i/JR-Race-Car/574/654-8800/10002/-1


There is apparently at least one DarkSoul tool on Ebay if you feel like giving that a try:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331693252632

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

:( :( We're going all-belt this year, largely for this reason. :(

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

If you're fine with #35 chain:
http://www.bmikarts.com/35-Deluxe-Chain-Tool_p_648.html
https://cometkartsales.com/-35-Space-Chain-Tool.html

Can't recommend it highly enough. Worlds better than the Koch Industries chain breaker.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Thanks, Sean. I had been looking for that. It has been a few seasons since we last used #35 chain, and I refuse to allow a master link on our robot.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

There is a quote "friends don't let friends use master links"

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Master Yoda embodies the light side of the Force. :)

Master Link, the dark side. :eek:

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Darksouls Prepare to die edition is on sale right now on steam...

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Oh, if you're fine with going up to #35 chain, I'll second what Sean suggested. We have one of those and boy is it a godsend. We absolutely love ours.

Re: DarkSoul alternative?
 

Our mechanical lead is a MacGuyver-type, and has maintained machinery with #25-#40 chain at Micron and Amazon. He tells me all the time, "Don't be an idiot, master links work fine".

He thinks most people's troubles with them is that they bend the plates or stress the pin joints when breaking the chain to begin with. When he oversees our #25 chain installs, with master links, the chains do not break. He does like the Dark Soul tool, but not because it can create a continuous chain.

However, we can all agree that half-links are the devil.