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Roger Mills[_2_] Roger Mills[_2_] is offline
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Default hollow wall anchor setting tool

On 06/11/2011 19:16, Fred wrote:
Hi,

In the past, I have always tightened hollow wall anchors like these:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Scre.../sd1930/p53569
using a screwdriver, without troubles.

Today when I did this, I had one anchor spin in the wall and erode
away the plaster, presumably weakening the fixing. It didn't help that
I then over tightened it, pulling even further into the wall!

I have seen fixing tools like this:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Scre.../sd1930/p96740

and always thought (wrongly) that when you pull the handle, it must
turn the bolt. I have done some googling and it would appear that
actually they just pull the bolt without rotating it.

Are these a case of you get what you pay for? Should I buy a dearer
brand (if so, which?) or are these cheapies at Toolstation and Amazon
as good as any other?

I just wondered what you had used these anchors to hold? I found
examples on the web of people holding radiators with them and wash
basins. I would have thought these were best into noggins. Surely
something as heavy as a full radiator would be pulled off?

TIA
Fred


I bought a setting tool from Screwfix - which looks very similar to the
Toolstation one, and at a similar price - and it works fine.

It definitely *doesn't* rotate the screw - it pushes the body of the
fixing against the plasterboard and pulls the head of the screw away
from the wall - thus compressing the gubbins at the back to be a tight
fit on the plasterboard. You then have to unscrew the screw, pass it
through whatever you are fixing to the wall, and re-screw it into what
is now a very secure captive nut.

Whilst it's always good to screw into a frame member or noggin when
possible, these fittings will take a lot of weight - and are as strong
as the plasterboard. Plasterboard is actually quite strong as long as it
is adequately supported.

I have used these fixings for all sorts of things - including a ceramic
washbasin, albeit on a pedestal so that the fixing wasn't taking the
whole, weight. [I had to buy some longer screws to go through the tiles].

I don't think I've actually used them for a radiator - but I would have
no particular worries about doing so - as long as the plasterboard wall
was sound.

The only limitation I've found is when you need two screws very close
together. They must be a certain minimum distance apart - otherwise the
spready bits at the back interfere with each other. You can put them
*fairly* close if you pay careful attention to the orientation so that
'petals' of one fit in the gaps between those of the other.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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