Gordon, on the first chain guard I made a few years ago (and I had never even seen or looked at a real one), I just shaped angle iron to fit across the back of the mower (and a straight piece across the front) and when I cut the chain, then I just used half links and welded them flat to the edge of the angle iron with the other links hanging from that off the edge. They did serve a purpose, but those twist links from tire chains tended to get twisted into some odd shapes, I made the chains too long - or too close to the housing (the blades shortened them for me), and they tended to flip up and hang on top of the angle iron at times. In other words, an all round lousy job/w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif, but it didn't cost me anything but a little time and some welding rod.
This time I'm using 3/16" chain, which is what my finish mower came with, (might should be using bigger, heavier chain for a brush hog), and on the rear I had to cut, bend, and re-enforce the angle iron, then put it under the drill press and drilled 7/64" holes one inch apart. When I cut the chain, I take the cut piece, with 3 links hanging below it, insert the open end into the holes in the angle iron, from the bottom of course, and spot weld them in place.
For the front one, I intend to drill larger holes 1" apart, but closer to the edge of the angle iron, and when I cut the chain, I'll cut the top, or end, of a link, open it a bit, and hook it to a hole in the angle iron, and spot weld that link back together.
In other words, I'm just experimenting with material on hand, except that I did buy some more chain, and the plan may change if someone gives me another idea that I like better. Unfortunately, there's been a small delay./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I was almost through with the rear one when my little welder died. I don't think there's anything wrong except the range selector switch burned up, so I went to town, 7 different places, this morning and with my usual luck, couldn't find one and had to ask the dealer to order one. They're supposed to call when they find out how long it'll take to get it. However, my brother took a little gasless, wire feed welder in on trade on a new one he sold this past week, so we may just keep it and I'll try it next week.
Bird