Shortening blind chains

Angle grinder.

There is usually one bead that is oval and actually comprises a metal shell that crimps round the two end beads of an unjoined length to make a loop.

AWEM

When I first read this, I was going to say chains don't have eyes in the first place, but that would be just silly. Are these the beaded things that engage in a mechanism at the top. Its my experience that if you want the full pull down of the blind, you cannot shorten them. The connector that is at the join is also the stop, so if there is less chain, it will only open or close part way according to which end you chop and reconnect. Would it not be simpler to simply hook it over a hook out of childrens reach when you adjust it?

Brian

Can't for the life of me remember the details, but there most definitely

In message , Brian Gaff writes

There is definitely no visible connector or end stop.

On close examination, each bead shows a join where the two halves of the sphere have been brought together. I hope there is not a Chinese girl with a miniature fly press whacking these together:-)

In the absence of knowledgeable advice I intend to form a hollow in a block of wood (I value my fingers) and prise one open with my trusty Swiss Army knife.

Some do use connector blocks but often ...

That's the way I do it. When you open the sphere, you'll find a little dumbbell that joins them together. You can get special pliers to re-close the spheres, but it can be done with ordinary small pliers -- you'll have plenty of spheres to practice on.

Chris

Ball chain joiner.

These ones (if like ours, which I think they are) raise and lower the blinds. We wanted ours not to hang as low as they did - so removed a chunk. It was very, very easy - but as I said in my other response, I cannot remember the details.

that joins them together. You can get special pliers to re-close the spheres, but it can be done with ordinary small pliers -- you'll have plenty of spheres to practice on.

Anyone remember "poppet beads" from the 1950s?

dumbbell that joins them together. You can get special pliers to re-close the spheres, but it can be done with ordinary small pliers -- you'll have plenty of spheres to practice on.

Those DIY pearl necklace kits in the dressing up box at Grandma's house?

No Frank, I don't remember those ;-)

I checked and found that, once shortened, any connector would need to pass over the drive sprocket:-(

Otherwise, just the job.

You don't say whether it is a roller blind or Venetian/vertical

On the roller blind there is a joint section. One of the "beads" is a tube instead of a sphere. The whole length of the chain is needed to work the roller. The join bead provides a stop to prevent overrun. It can't be shortened as the blind wouldn'tf ully open/close

One the Vertical/venetian blind the chain (that rotates the slats) is endless. But only a short length of it is in use so you can cut the chain and there is then no dangerous loop. You could fit a "bobble" of some sort on the ends so you can catch them more easily. The real danger arises from the string (which moves the slats) which is used full length and so can't be cut. The only thing you can do is shorten the loop so it is well out of reach. The ends of the string are located in the first part of the blind to move when you pull it.

They are actually *Roman* blinds where the chain drives a hexagonal horizontal rod which shortens tapes attached to the curtain. This causes the curtain to fold although still covering too much window in my opinion.

Triumph of sales/engineering over the two bits of string that the Romans used successfully:-(

A lot of blinds these days come with a sort of hook for the bottom loop of chain to run around, so there is no free loop for a kids head to get stuck in.

Are you concerned about the kids safety or do you just want to stop them fiddling?

Safety and appearance.

For an adult to use, these particular chains are too long.

You want to DIY some sort of motor drive then. ;-). How about those battery powered barbecue rotisserie motors?

Tim