Replies

1. 
   WayneL5 | Jan 21, 2004 02:45am | #1

   They are an excellent product.  The work especially well near a joint or edge of a slab where an expansion anchor would blow out a chuck.  Contractor's supply houses carry kits.  They can be ordered for delivery within 2 days from mcmaster.com.

   If your load is non structural, say, fastening down some light machinery, you can just use all-thread and 5-minute epoxy.  But, if you are going to be carrying a real load, you're better off with the kit, because some all-thread has quite a low load capacity and some epoxies are less strong than others.

   In any case, it is imperative that you clean the drilling dust out of the hole.  A blast of compressed air is the usual method.

2. 
   RalphWicklund | Jan 21, 2004 06:55am | #2

   I use the two part product from Hilti. It requires a special dispenser that resembles a caulk gun but holds the side by side epoxy cartridges. Each cartridge set comes with a special mixing nozzle that can be discarded when the cartridge is empty or can be disconnected and washed out to be reused if you don't use all the mix in one application.

   I think each cartridge set costs about $25 and the gun is half again as much. I got my gun at cost for buying the cartridges.

   You must follow the directions which include drilling the proper sized hole for the threaded rod, cleaning the hole completely with air AND a wire brush that looks like a long bottle brush. The stuff will not hold in a dirty hole.

   If one of the compressible plastic bags breaks (it happens) as you use the dispenser the epoxy will not mix properly. My supplier just replaces the product at no cost.

   The trades are becoming so specialized these days that framers no longer have to anchor their work. Just hire a company that comes in after the framing to drill all the holes, epoxy in all the threaded rod tiedowns and nail up all the straps.

3. 
   mikeys | Jan 21, 2004 07:52am | #3

   We use Simpson brand. Uses regular calking gun. We just do a few here and there so we never called for inspections on them. Had one inspector say we should have had him on site as we epoxied. He made us hire a company to pull on the bolts and certify they held to specs. Another inspector said he never watches the install but save the packaging so he can check the use by date. That "use by date" is important on the Simpson product.

   Smile. It could be worse. You could be me working for you.

1. 
   davidmeiland | Jan 21, 2004 09:38am | #4

   Also use Simpson but it's not a regular gun, more the side-by-side as described above. It's a real pain to squeeze the stuff out so I rent the pneumatic gun if I have a bunch to do. The spiral mixing tips have a very long, thin end and make it easy to get the stuff in the hole. Wait 24 hours or more before adding the washers are nuts and tightening.

1. 
   brownbagg | Jan 21, 2004 03:28pm | #5

   make one point clear. I need to instal eight inch bolts. Will the simpson work on these longer bolts.

   nuthing but happy thought.

1. 
   mikeys | Jan 21, 2004 03:55pm | #7

   simpson will work on 8"Smile. It could be worse. You could be me working for you.

4. 
   diddidit | Jan 21, 2004 03:55pm | #6

   Bagg man:

   Readt this: http://westsystem.com/ewmag/21/basketball.html

   and this: http://westsystem.com/ewmag/21/testing_bolts.html

   Good info there.

   did

   Blah, yada, whatever, Hi how are you today

5. 
   kaorisdad | Jan 22, 2004 08:59pm | #8

   One more thing to keep in mind if the bolts are seeing substantial load - there should be proper edge distance and spacing to obtain the bolt's full capacity.  Edge distance is the distance from the center of the bolt to the edge of concrete.  Spacing between bolts to get the full load values should be 16-inches if you are going 8 inches deep, but vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.

6. 
   MikeCallahan | Jan 23, 2004 12:58am | #9

   Your engineering shear schedule should specify the distance between bolts and placement. If you have compressed air and a nozzle then buy a section of plastic tubing that fits over the nozzle. The tubing should be long enough to bottom out in the hole. Blow the hole out till the air coming out is clean. That should be clean enough. If you don't have a compressor then a longer tube so you can stand back and lots of lung power should do the trick too. A hilti hammer drill you can rent will make the work go quickly. The hole should normally be a sixteenth inch over the size of the bolt. The epoxy should have specs about the size of the hole in relation to the diameter of the bolt..