Was in home Depot and saw a small "kit" from RamSet that sold
for only $20. Has a bunch of "nails" for concrete included in various sizes,
the cartridges, and the handle where you place the cartridges and nail.

Wish to fasten some 2X4's against a concrete wall to enable the
building of shelves there.

Is this Ram Set approach "better," than, e.g., drilling a hole
with a concrete drill and using one of the expandable fasteners
in the hole to hold a screw (not sure if they also have for nails with this
approach - do they ?)

Which is better ?
Why ?
Pros and Cons?

Thanks,
B

Hmmm. It depends alot on what you are trying to fasten.

In court - if you tell the judge you were trying to hang some shelves,
when your drill slipped and bored 5 holes through your wifes skull -
well, it's just not very believable.

Now, on the other hand, if your ramset slips, its entirely possible
that an errant nail or two may be sent flying.

Robert11 wrote:
Was in home Depot and saw a small "kit" from RamSet that sold
for only $20. Has a bunch of "nails" for concrete included in various
sizes,
the cartridges, and the handle where you place the cartridges and
nail.

Wish to fasten some 2X4's against a concrete wall to enable the
building of shelves there.

Is this Ram Set approach "better," than, e.g., drilling a hole
with a concrete drill and using one of the expandable fasteners
in the hole to hold a screw (not sure if they also have for nails
with this
approach - do they ?)

Which is better ?
Why ?
Pros and Cons?

Thanks,
B

So many questions!
Have you used a ramset before?
Does the kit have different charges for different hardnesses of
concrete?
How old is the concrete? (Age determines hardness)
How thick is your wall?
What's on the other side of the wall?

powder fasteners are very fast to use, after finding out which load strength
works best.
holding strength is pretty good, but I think many people use adhesives on
the boards as well.
one drawback is that concrete is not a very homogenous material, and some of
the fasteners
are may not penetrate as far as desired. you then can't do much with the
protruding nail heads.
if you're going into brick, etc, i think i would use drilled anchors.
bill


"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Was in home Depot and saw a small "kit" from RamSet that sold
for only $20. Has a bunch of "nails" for concrete included in various
sizes,
the cartridges, and the handle where you place the cartridges and nail.

Wish to fasten some 2X4's against a concrete wall to enable the
building of shelves there.

Is this Ram Set approach "better," than, e.g., drilling a hole
with a concrete drill and using one of the expandable fasteners
in the hole to hold a screw (not sure if they also have for nails with
this approach - do they ?)

Which is better ?
Why ?
Pros and Cons?

Thanks,
B

"bill a" wrote in message
m...
powder fasteners are very fast to use, after finding out which load
strength works best.
holding strength is pretty good, but I think many people use adhesives on
the boards as well.
one drawback is that concrete is not a very homogenous material, and some
of the fasteners
are may not penetrate as far as desired. you then can't do much with the
protruding nail heads.
if you're going into brick, etc, i think i would use drilled anchors.
bill


"Robert11" wrote in message
...
Was in home Depot and saw a small "kit" from RamSet that sold
for only $20. Has a bunch of "nails" for concrete included in various
sizes,
the cartridges, and the handle where you place the cartridges and nail.

Wish to fasten some 2X4's against a concrete wall to enable the
building of shelves there.

Is this Ram Set approach "better," than, e.g., drilling a hole
with a concrete drill and using one of the expandable fasteners
in the hole to hold a screw (not sure if they also have for nails with
this approach - do they ?)

Which is better ?
Why ?
Pros and Cons?

Thanks,
B

If you use it once for 20$ it pays for itsself right away.

if using it in old concrete it may spall the concrete. and the nail may not
hold.
I use a roto hammer and a rawl pin or a tapcon screw now.