What’s your favorite anchor in masonry. Both block or poured concrete?

[Eddie702]

I’ve always liked the caulking lead anchors like Dennis posted, a lot of our guys use the tap cons, but I’ve never had any hold like I wanted. Ok for screwing 2x4’s to concrete. I also like drive pins, and have a tool that works well in driving them in deep boxes, but nobody makes that tool any more.

I agree about the drive pins I like those

 

[electricman2]

Nobody has mentioned lag screw shields but I have had good results with them in block and brick. Plastic anchors for light to medium loads.

 

[retirede]

I use an impactor nearly exclusively and have never had a problem, in fact I find non impact driving is far more likely to break the tapcon. I think I do have a very good "feel" for tapcons though, some people seem to have problems with them.

I wonder if different impact tools have varying impact characteristics?
I use Bosch and it will strip out a Tapcon every time.

 

[James L]

I wonder if different impact tools have varying impact characteristics?
I use Bosch and it will strip out a Tapcon every time.

You use 12v or 18v?
I have Bosch 12v impact for small stuff, I carry it in my pouch. Never stripped out a tapcon. It's pretty beefy for 12v

My 18v stuff is Makita, though, and it's a complete beast.

 

[acin]

I recall a test question that wood plugs were not compliant but i cant find in nec

 

[Jerramundi]

Phillips White Ultrashield. Now that I've seen the look of a white screw compared to that blue nut, I'm forever a fan... and then there's the whole ease of use and strength things I guess... but it's white!

 

[rnatalie]

Nobody into powder-activated fasteners?

 

[Greentagger]

I recall a test question that wood plugs were not compliant but i cant find in nec

110.13(A).

 

[kwired]

I recall a test question that wood plugs were not compliant but i cant find in nec

I do remember that being in NEC once, don't know that it is anymore, probably would be in art 300 maybe 110?

Problem with wood is it could dry out and shrink or simply rot away in some circumstances, making it ineffective after that happens.

 

[retirede]

You use 12v or 18v?
I have Bosch 12v impact for small stuff, I carry it in my pouch. Never stripped out a tapcon. It's pretty beefy for 12v

My 18v stuff is Makita, though, and it's a complete beast.

I have both, but only ever used the 12V on Tapcons.

 

[Frank DuVal]

Nobody into powder-activated fasteners?

I am! You do have to aim carefully.... Do not need a nail coming back towards you!

Works good for setting 1900 boxes on steel posts too.

Remember your safety gear! Glasses or shield, muffs, gloves....

 

[retirede]

Nobody into powder-activated fasteners?

I have problems with them on a lot of older concrete - they don’t penetrate fully even with the most powerful load.

50+ years ago, a lot of concrete around here was formulated with what they called “river run” gravel. Harder than heck. If the fastener hit one of those rocks, it stopped.

 

[gadfly56]

Makes sense, but I remember years ago using a tool that had the drill bit, after drilling the hole you slipped a sleeve type accessory over the bit and it had the driver tip on it to drive the screw. We used same hammer drill in hammer mode to drive the screw - sounds like that would give you about the same issue.

I had something similar, you flipped the bit end for end. I always went out of hammer mode when running in the TapCons.

 

[gadfly56]

I have problems with them on a lot of older concrete - they don’t penetrate fully even with the most powerful load.

50+ years ago, a lot of concrete around here was formulated with what they called “river run” gravel. Harder than heck. If the fastener hit one of those rocks, it stopped.

When I was with a contractor, we used to see a lot of concrete with "bluestone" aggregate. You could not fire anything into that.

Also, as concrete ages, it gets harder. 50+ years old could be at 10,000 psi, even if mixed for 5,000.

 

[euboss]

Being in Florida most of our buildings commercial and residential are made of concrete blocks. My electricians run a lot of conduit s and cable on the masonry walls. We have discovered that the best fastener we have found to work in most instances is to drill a 5/32" hole with a masonry bit and install a 1-14" drywall laminator screw. Wide thread "rock to rock" screws. They rarely ever strip out and are cheap to buy. I'm sure someone is going to saw they are not approved for this application but they work great. i do nor recommend using them outside. There we use tapcons.

 

[LarryFine]

Nobody into powder-activated fasteners?

I have the pistol type. The first time I ever used one was to mount boxes, conduit, and equipment to steel beams and columns, using the purple loads in the hammer type of gun. You had to hit that sucker hard!

 

[ritelec]

I'm with Dennis & Eddie.. heavier loads I always used the lead anchors.

Same here. Love them. However haven't used them in years. When I was at the airport they were prohibited. If there was a fire, lead melts and pipes and racks would be falling.

 

[SSDriver]

lead anchors here with the greenlee installation tool. The pin anchors are good too. McMaster sells a pin anchor you can hammer in, but has a phillips head to remove if needed. They work great.

 

[rnatalie]

I have the pistol type. The first time I ever used one was to mount boxes, conduit, and equipment to steel beams and columns, using the purple loads in the hammer type of gun. You had to hit that sucker hard!

I have a RAMSET now mostly used for poured concrete walls. I used to have a HILTI "short pin" one that was good for boxes and the like. I swapped it out because occasionally I did want to drive longer pins to mount a plywood backer, for other non-power wiring.