HI John

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 06:29:10 -0700 (PDT), John Nagelson
wrote:

On Mar 20, 9:07*am, Adrian wrote:
HI John

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:56:55 -0700 (PDT), John Nagelson

wrote:
On Mar 20, 8:42*am, Adrian wrote:
HI John

On Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:14:05 -0700 (PDT), John Nagelson

wrote:
Hello, I am planning to build a well-insulated 'shed' type of
office with timber walls secured to thick timber posts, and
withconcrete foundations.

I realise I could dig deep holes at each corner for the posts,
and leave it at that. But could someone tell me what those
things are called, made of galvanised steel, that you insert
into theconcrete and then secure the posts to (or inser them
into), and then tighten up to make them rock solid?

In a bigger version they are used to secure tall signs to on
petrol-station forecourts; and at well-made 'temporary'
buildings such as some bird hides. I guess hundreds of
uk.d-i-yers will know what they are called! I'd be very
grateful if someone could remind me, so it will be easier for
me to check them out.

Do you mean 'Metposts' ?
Come in a range of sizes, and with 'spikes' on the bottom or flat
plates with bolt-down holes....

Thanks Adrian. Aren't they for fence-posts? I'm after something a
bit tougher, used e.g. for whopping great lamp-posts maybe?

All depends g
There's three of the 4" spikey jobs holding down (or up ?) the
supports for my car port. Spikes were 18" long but we didn't have
18" of earth to put them in - so shortened them and then set them
inconcrete. Survived the gales last week - so can't be that bad g

There's probably a 'commercial' version available with larger
sizes - but I'm not aware of it. How many did you need - and what
size ?

Probably 4, maybe 6. Was thinking, to hold 6" square posts.

I guess it depends on 'precisely' what you want them to do.
If it's just a case of stopping the wooden posts from moving, then the
angle-iron solution might do the job for you.
A 'socketed' solution might be a bit overkill - but then, I don;t know
how exposed the location is...


Would angle-iron set (or maybe 2 x ) do the job -
bolts through the angle into the wood ?

Maybe. I'm not up on the lingo - does this mean L-shapes??

Yes - sort of right-angled....
traditionally made from old metal bedsteads (had a little trailer to
go behind the garden tractor that was made of the same stuff - worked
well !) - but you can buy, reasonably cheaply, metal fence posts made
from thickish angle iron - embedded in the concrete with a decent
coach-bolt through then your shed's not likely to be going anywhere...


FWIW - when they built my new studio (12ft x 24ft) they embedded 3"
x 1.5" steel frames into theconcrete(one at each end and one in the
middle) and then used enormous self-tapping bolts (!) to screw the
timber framed panels to the supports. Very solid !

I think maybe the things I'm after are like this:

http://www.powrfab.com/Pages/ConcreteB.html

I.e. three steel rectangles at right angles forming a
|_| shape (shown at the left),

or shaped:

|_|
|_|
(shown at the top).

Looks like joist hangers to me.....

You could use a couple of the u-shaped ones, bolted together so as to
make a

[_]
[ ]

Shape - and embed the bottom half in the concrete - then big bolts...


The latter must be even stronger. Just so long as the concrete gets
all the way round the thing and holds it down for a few decades, I'll
be happy. :-)

Don't know where in the world you are - but try making a simple
drawing of what you want and ask around either builders' merchants or
agricultural suppliers - I'm sure there will be something 'off the
shelf' that could be adapted.

HTH
Adrian