Hi all,
Only just found out about this type, which the manufacturers claim require no plastic plug. It seems you just drive them naked into stuff like breeze blocks and whatnot (still have to drill a pilot hole though).
Anyone used these? Common sense seems to indicate that without a ribbed plastic sleeve/liner/plug to bite into, they'd simply swivel around and never tighten up!
Ta.
Some of those came with a keysafe I fitted a while ago.
They worked surprisingly well.
I'll bet they made a fuggin' 'orrible & deeply unsettling scraping noise as you screwed 'em in! Seriously though, I've never heard of them.
I've used them for wall anchors for scaffolding. They are very firm and won't pull out as long as the masonry is good. Pilot hole has to be the right size. When fully in you shouldn't be able to turn them further at all. If you can the masonry is too soft.
Bill
I have used them many times and they do hold well. The first time was to fa sten a post socket to a concrete drive way only removed them last year afte r about 4 years and the socket was well bolted down no movement in the sock et or bolts. They are a fix once device and will eventually destroy the thr eads they create if repeatedly removed from the hole but having said that t he previously mentioned socket was fixed to a sloping drive and needed pack ing underneath to level it this meant loosening the screws a couple of time s but they did go back tight and as I said were still holding well 4 years later.
I have used some recently to secure a newel post to a stone wall and again the fixing is solid, I will be fixing another post to a stonewall next wee k and will use concrete bolts again. I would recommend using the hex bolt t ype as they can get tough to drive in the last few turns but a good impact driver will have no problems driving Torx head versions. One other hint, cl ean out as much of the dust as possible out of the drilled hole and drill a deeper hole than required. I also had to fix a post socket to a 900 X 600 X 50 concrete flag, some of the holes were about 50mm from the edge but the re was no break away.
Richard
On solid concrete and brick they are very secure, on foam concrete the material is too friable . The drill must be the correct size and the hole drilled must be good - no wobbly drilling - so SDS is preferable to masonry drills. They work by having a parallel, not tapering, shaft with broad very hard wings which dig into the material being drilled. Screwing the bigger sizes in by hand in is quite hard work.
There are (at least) two types, one which looks a bit like a beefy modern type screw, and the Multi Monti which has a distinct cylindrical core and an external thread a bit like a helter skelter (without an outside wall).
The latter are superb; you do need to drill a pilot hole of the right diameter, but you can use them down to about half an inch from the edge of a brick. Also, they can be removed and replaced a limited number of times.
The other type needs a pilot hole into ordinary concrete blocks, but will drive into lightweight blocks (just not too near to the edge).
That's the Multi Monti. But there is another more screw-like type.
I've used the hex headed ones and used my socket set and ratchet drive for the car to turn them in.
No the slight spiral is enough to give them bite, very strong.
I use Multi-Monti* screws without hesitation for belays when working on the roof. AIUI they are also use routinely these days by cavers and climbers.
*or equivalent as I think their original patent has either expired or been worked aroundSo what are they going to be like if the usage has some side to side varying stresses, ie fixing brackets for aerial masts etc? Brian
I've used them for a satellite dish mount, no problems
Generally fine, they tighten very firmly with no movement once tight. The only one I've ever seen come loose had been used by someone who didn't fully tighten the fitting so the movement of the mast it was supporting started to loosen the fixing. Even then it slowly became loose rather than falling out. People realised it was loose from the rattling noise in high winds. The "quick fix" of fully tightening it was still working several years later.
There seem to be two or three very similar designs in SF etc.
As someone else pointed out, the "parallel shank" ones tend to have hex heads, the slightly tapered ones countersunk heads with torx drive.
I've used Lightning Bolts from Toolsatan for years, fixing awning brackets & ledger plates for decking (10 x 100 or 75).
They work great in concrete & brick but aren't good for block. Rule of thumb - if I can see the brick I use them, if it's rendered I use resin anchors.
To get them really tight I use a socket & 15" breaker bar. Incredible fixing.
The big benefit is that they don't expand, so you can use them near edges & corners of bricks & they won't crack it.
What's a resin anchor and what makes it so effective in render?
essentially car body filler
Its a glue that can hold loose stuff together as well as providing an A1 screw insert.
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