Tapcons Vs Powder actuated fastening devices

[dmanda24]

Hi I have always used tapcons, but I am thinking of using these nail guns in your experience, Which one is better and faster, I borrowed a friends hilti dxe72 today and had a hard time with 3/8 straps on concrete, sometimes I had to do it 3 or 4 times for the nail to go in right Are there any secretes any nails that you favor using any cartridges? any help would be appreciated.

 

[480sparky]

It takes some experience with a PAT to learn what size loads work with what size fasteners and with what material you're fastening.

A metal box may need a more powerful load that if you were attaching a 1-hole strap (through the hole).

But once you get over the learning curve, it's far faster.

Noise may be a problem sometimes, and you'll need hearing protection.

 

[peter d]

When I worked for a big company we always used the powder actuated guns to install the hangers for our tie wires to lights, as well as to hang the "j jooks" for MC cable, etc.

Noise may be a problem sometimes, and you'll need hearing protection.

Don't forget eye protection too.

 

[480sparky]

....Don't forget eye protection too.

You should already have that, PAT or not.

 

[chris kennedy]

Tapcon always. No guns ever.

Want to move something? 5/16 nut driver or breaker bar?

 

[480sparky]

Tapcon always. No guns ever.

Want to move something? 5/16 nut driver or breaker bar?

Naaa. I just do it right the first time. :grin:

 

[peter d]

You should already have that, PAT or not.

PAT? I have no clue what that means.

Edit...nevermind...powder actuated tool. I'm slow with the acronyms. :roll:

 

[dmanda24]

Also sometimes the nail would not go in all the way and sometimes it would go through the hole on the one hole strap, are there nails for these guns that have a washer attached?

 

[480sparky]

Also sometimes the nail would not go in all the way and sometimes it would go through the hole on the one hole strap, are there nails for these guns that have a washer attached?

Yep.

 

[quogueelectric]

There is no tool faster than the hilti gx100 or similar tool fasttrack by paslode.
It is a gas powered tool with strip nails that work well in block and cement. The powder actuated are much better in concrete yet a little slower than the gx100.
They are both much faster than tapcons I use both gx 100 and dx36m gas and powder actuated you also need an operators license to use these tools.
Work out a class when the Hilti rep comes by the job to try to sell stuff....

 

[dmanda24]

can you recommend any? (brand)

 

[tyha]

hilti sells all sorts of those types of fasteners. if you can think of a type you need they sell it

 

[480sparky]

I currently have a Remington. Not much problem with it, but I don't use it every day. Bought 4-5 boxes (various sizes) of nails with it, and have yet to buy another box after 4 or 5 years.

 

[quogueelectric]

PAT? I have no clue what that means.

Edit...nevermind...powder actuated tool. I'm slow with the acronyms. :roll:

Tla's Three Letter Acronyms.

 

[480sparky]

Tla's Three Letter Acronyms.

The first known use of the term "TLA" was by Texas Instruments Inc. employees in the Industrial Systems Division circa 1984. Engineers used to mock the marketing department's tendency to define new products with three-word descriptions, such as "CVU" for a product line called "Control Vision Unit" and "ACM" for "Automation Configuration Module." Due to the seemingly excessive use of three-letter abbreviations or initialisms at the company, the employees started to simply report that they were working on product "TLA" as an ironic self-reference.

Use of "TLA" spread through both industry and academia, and now has become a generally understood initialism.



This concludes today's history lesson in TUI.

 

[iaov]

I don't have to do high volume attaching to concrete so I like Tapcons. IMHO one of the best modern inventions.

 

[quogueelectric]

can you recommend any? (brand)

You can pick up a used hilti dx36m on ebay for about a hundred bucks they will get you later for the price of the fasteners.
Dx36 m is an excelent tool they also have a conduit hanger strap for concrete. Exposed just snap a chalk line or spin a laser and go to town shooting the clips in.
They have a threaded 1/4 20 reciever in it for mae west straps.

 

[chris kennedy]

Naaa. I just do it right the first time. :grin:

I was talking about something you screwed up that I had to move.

 

[480sparky]

I was talking about something you screwed up that I had to move.

What's 'screwed up'? I don't understand that phrase.

 

[cadpoint]

.... I borrowed a friends hilti dxe72 today and had a hard time with 3/8 straps on concrete, sometimes I had to do it 3 or 4 times for the nail to go in right Are there any secretes any nails that you favor using any cartridges? any help would be appreciated.

If this is new construction, yes you well could have a problem shooting and retaining the shoot. Concrete cures like boiling an egg from the outside to the inside. A shoot will be different if this is a just exposed formed wall as opposed to the same shoot taken thirty days down the line. The same can be noted in drilling, easy when new, tougher with age.

I'll take a long sleeve shirt in when drilling into the over head ...
PPE is a must!