I am having a terrible time trying to drive 1/4" x 4" hex-head Tapcon screws into our basement walls (approx. 2" of drywall + insulation, then the concrete): I have used a 3/16" drill (not a genuine Tapcon bit, because the store did not have any long enough), but any wrench I have tried (ring or socket) starts slipping and chewing up the head before the screw is deep enough.
I know the blue coating is supposed to have lubricating properties, but am I supposed to use any additional lubricant? Or is there something special about a genuine Tapcon bit that would have made life easier?
Make sure the hole you've drilled is free of the dust and chips. Ream it with the bit a few times, then blow it out somehow. I've also used slightly oversized bits and filled the hole with softer materials like a few toothpicks or steel wool. Tom Someday, it'll all be over....
First, it seems like you're running about 2" of that tapcon into the concrete. I think this is more than what is intended and it will be hard to drive it in that far. Usually, about an inch of penetration is all you need.
Next, make sure your hole is equal to the depth the screw is going plus another
1/4". Then, make sure the hole isn't filled with dust or chips.
I use magnetic nut driver bits for the cordless drill. Holds the Tapcon while getting it in place.
When you buy a box of Tapcons, they come with a drill bit in the box. It is the same bit, no matter which length you purchase. And it is just a carbide tipped bit, nothing really fancy.
No, not all packs of Tapcon screws come with a bit: none of the 25-packs of 1/4" x 4" screws at Menards included bits, although some of the shorter ones did; Lowes did not have 4" screws, but 75-packs of some lengths included bits whereas 25-packs of the same length did not.
I have now bought a genuine Tapcon bit the right length, plus the spacial Tapcon installation tool, so we'll see how that goes.
MB
On 01/27/04 09:09 am John Hines put fingers to keyboard and launched the following message into cyberspace:
Lead anchors are not on the market now, probably because of the lead, they all seem to be made of a much harder alloy and don't grip the concrete as well as lead. I have found Tapcons work well if the right drill and length are used, as long as they are driven into solid concrete or brick. They don't seem to be able to grip mortar as it is too soft.
I was having the same problem, so I bought the phillips head tapcons and it works much better. I can get a lot more driving force with it without slipping off. Plus, the phillips head doesnt stick up above the wood, so it dont get in the way if a stud has to be placed there.
Hammer-drill helps drill the hole-- but I wouldn't want to use it to drive the screws. I've followed the Company directions and haven't had any trouble sinking various size tapcons in block, mortar, cement or limestone. I do use the hex heads and a driver in my 1/2" variable speed drill-- not the hammer drill.
From
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TapCon® Concrete Screw -Installation: (1) Drill hole into base material using the drill bit provided with the screws. The depth of the hole must be at least 1/4" deeper than the TapCon embedment. (2) Place object to be fastened over hole. (3) Insert point of Tapcon into hole and drive screw in using a nut drive or #3 bit tip. Do not over torque the screw.
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There is also a table on that page which tells how deep you need to put them to hold securely. Remember these aren't going into pine where a couple inches is needed-- For concrete block & a 3/16 Tapcon, the pull out value at 1" is 229 pounds-- the shear value at 1 3/8" [why didn't they give the 1" data?] in that hollow block is 690 pounds.
I wonder how many of us, more used to working with wood than masonry, try to overdo the penetration? [I just put up a shelf on a limestone wall & bought 1/4x2" tapcons - 3 per bracket, a bracket every 2 feet. Can any engineers tell me how much weight I should be able to put on that shelf?]
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