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Setting tapcons, SDS or impact?

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#21 ·
heavy_d said:
I use sds to drill then impact to set. I have never sheared the head off a tapcon in my life. I didn't know you could do that. Even when the hole isn't quite cleared out enough and the impact is just struggling... Never sheared a head. I do use 1/4" always though. Maybe you guys are using real thin ones?
Click to expand...
1/4" are hard to snap, 3/16" snap pretty easy.
 
#22 ·
Sds and impact for me also. Drilling the hole deep enough and clearing as much dust out as you can by running the bit in & out several times helps a lot. I always felt those combination setups weren't beefy enough and would strip or snap to soon.
 
#24 ·
Why not just use plastic expansion anchors? We use the blues and they work great......Never have I used a tapcon. We go from using 1/4" Hex head lags with blues( plastic expansion anchors) to 3/8" Redhead Expansion anchors and then if the material is brick or a non-dense masonry/concrete we have to use 3/8" lag shields with lags.

It's interesting to see what everyone uses though.
 
#25 ·
I don't like the combo bit thing either.
SDS plus to drill (cordless)
impact to drive

Watch the tapcon. If you are running the impact and it doesn't zip in like a screw, stop...
Back it out.. Re-drill if needed.
Then drive back in.

BTW, I use a ton of tapcons.
 
#28 ·
I don't use any less then 1/4" tapcons, even for metal track. Anything less then that snaps way too easily and doesn't seem to have chit for sheer strength.
 
#30 ·
PacificCanvas said:
Why not just use plastic expansion anchors? We use the blues and they work great......Never have I used a tapcon. We go from using 1/4" Hex head lags with blues( plastic expansion anchors) to 3/8" Redhead Expansion anchors and then if the material is brick or a non-dense masonry/concrete we have to use 3/8" lag shields with lags.

It's interesting to see what everyone uses though.
Click to expand...
Because you can't drill through the item you are fastening, then drive the anchor directly into it. For instance fastening a sheet of plywood to the wall, you would have to take the sheet off, insert your rawlplugs then hang it back up. Plus they fatigue overtime. Once you try a one piece anchor you will never go back.

Lunicy said:
I don't like the combo bit thing either.
SDS plus to drill (cordless)
impact to drive

Watch the tapcon. If you are running the impact and it doesn't zip in like a screw, stop...
Back it out.. Re-drill if needed.
Then drive back in.

BTW, I use a ton of tapcons.
Click to expand...
Yup, if they slow down, back em out.

maxwage said:
I don't use any less then 1/4" tapcons, even for metal track. Anything less then that snaps way too easily and doesn't seem to have chit for sheer strength.
Click to expand...
Often times the item I'm mounting won't accommodate a fastener that big.
 
#31 ·
SDS for the hole. 3/16". Impact for putting the tapcon in. 1/4" tapcons. Rarely break one. Smaller tapcons, I can break almost all of them.

One thing that happens is when you use the drill bit that comes with them, the hole is a little smaller. Technically correct, I'm sure, but easier if you use a 3/16" bit. Since I use a SDS, I always use the 3/16". I'm sure the pull out strength is altered, but not enough for the work I do.
 
#34 ·
I do use a SDS for the holes if it will be more than 15 or 20, or if after the first hole the material is just way to stubborn. But I do like using a regular drill to drive em in, the clutch setting makes it more brainless.
 
#35 ·
Inner10 said:
Because you can't drill through the item you are fastening, then drive the anchor directly into it. For instance fastening a sheet of plywood to the wall, you would have to take the sheet off, insert your rawlplugs then hang it back up. Plus they fatigue overtime. Once you try a one piece anchor you will never go back.


I normally hand tighten a few threads on the plastic expansion and send them right through the material and into the wall. It may chip or scrape a bit of plastic off but it works fine. I know tap cons were the discussion but I use the plugs a lot in lath, plaster, and stucco where stud connections are not possible. I would like to know what your preferrable anchor device in those situations are.

I do keep 3/16" snap/strap toggles on the truck for those times when plugs or expansions just can't get a good bite. The brackets I use have a 3/8" hole for the anchor so all the smaller type of fasteners just don't have a big enough head on them.
Click to expand...
 
#36 ·
PacificCanvas said:
Inner10 said:
Because you can't drill through the item you are fastening, then drive the anchor directly into it. For instance fastening a sheet of plywood to the wall, you would have to take the sheet off, insert your rawlplugs then hang it back up. Plus they fatigue overtime. Once you try a one piece anchor you will never go back.


I normally hand tighten a few threads on the plastic expansion and send them right through the material and into the wall. It may chip or scrape a bit of plastic off but it works fine. I know tap cons were the discussion but I use the plugs a lot in lath, plaster, and stucco where stud connections are not possible. I would like to know what your preferrable anchor device in those situations are.

I do keep 3/16" snap/strap toggles on the truck for those times when plugs or expansions just can't get a good bite. The brackets I use have a 3/8" hole for the anchor so all the smaller type of fasteners just don't have a big enough head on them.
Click to expand...
I don't find rawl plugs work well in plaster either, I'd rather run a #8 in to see if it bites on the lath, failing that it gets a snap toggle.

If my devices had 3/8 holes I'd be using 1/4" snap toggles all day:

Image
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