Lower your overhead

Make overhead anchor installation faster, simpler and safer

Drilling overhead can be some of the most arduous work on a jobsite. It’s hard on the shoulders, the neck, and the tool. On large jobs, it can entail hundreds or thousands of holes, each one taking time and causing fatigue.

There are many ways to reduce the toil of overhead work and suppliers continue to come out with new products that reduce the personal and real costs associated with overhead fastening.

They also work closely with end-users, finding ways to make jobs easier with best practices and new tools. Here is what some anchor installation experts suggest:

Consider tool weight and design
“The weight and balance of a tool is important, especially for drilling overhead. A corded tool would be your best option for projects that require thousands of holes,” says Jason Feldner, public relations manager, Bosch Power Tools and Accessories, “but the advent of Li-ion technology, such as 36-volt 1" SDS-plus rotary hammers or 1/2" hammer drill-drivers, offers up to twice the power and runtime over traditional Ni-Cd tools without increasing weight for jobs that either lack a power source or where cordless is more convenient.”

“Is the tool configured in a way that it is easier to use in overhead applications, such as a longer D-handle design? How will it affect the user over a long period of time of use? Is it powerful enough to do the job but not weigh too much? A larger tool may drill faster, but it may also cause twice the fatigue, which can delay progress, too.

“Match your tool’s optimal drilling diameter capacity with your application and comfort, and pick the right tool,” he says.

The power tool is only half the system for installing overhead fasteners. If you’re drilling holes, the bit plays a very important role and greatly affects productivity.

“Bit tips must be sharp and the right length and diameter to drill the proper hole as efficiently as possible. Even though you have gravity working for you, an efficient bit needs good fluting to remove concrete dust out of the hole. Consider accessory extensions or magnetic holders when driving fasteners. They can eliminate the need for extra tools and save time,” adds Feldner.

Consider shooters
Gas-powered tools are gaining attention for overhead work, says Mark Ziegler, director of engineering at Powers Fasteners. “Gas-powered tools are very popular in metal framing due to productivity and our C3 gas-powered fastening system has good balance and weight. There is no need to drill a hole and it’s fast and easy to use. It’s durable and doesn’t require licensing like powder-actuated tools. It can install 1/2" or 1 1/2" pins into steel, concrete and masonry,” Ziegler says.

Powder-actuated tools are a good choice when several fasteners must be installed, says Craig Pratt, Simpson Strong-Tie product manager.

“You can install 3/8" studs with our new PT27HD powder-actuated tool that can be used in a variety of overhead applications. We have also developed a sectional pole system made with nylon fiber reinforcement that is electrically insulated and ideal for installing threaded studs or pins with a powder-actuated tool. The sections come in a 2', 4', 6' and 8' lengths, so they can be mixed and matched to reach the desired height. It breaks down to fit in a gang box. It’s very light, yet sturdy.

“Workers who use the sectional pole system find it’s best to use a scaffold with a shorter pole. If you adapt the pole length in combination with a scaffold, you can work faster because you aren’t handling the pole as much,” says Pratt.

Try new anchors
Companies continue to develop tools and supplies for overhead work. “The Snake anchor is probably one of the best anchors as a replacement for drop-in work. Instead of requiring the installer to use a hammer to set the anchor into the hole, which is awkward, they are driven into place with an impact driver. Small cordless impact drivers work well and reduce installation time to 20 percent of a conventional drop-in anchor,” says Ziegler.

The Snake anchor comes with its own setting socket that won’t overdrive the fastener and meets requirements for building codes. “It will soon be recognized for use with strength design and applications in cracked and uncracked concrete,” he adds.

Cast-in-place inserts, such as Powers’ Bang-It/Wood Knocker and Simpson Strong-Tie’s Blue Banger-Hanger, are gaining interest.

“The only challenge with cast-in-place inserts is the subcontractors who typically use these products must work closely with the general and/or concrete contractor to get them in place before the concrete is poured. However, with laser measurement systems and building information modeling, the locations can be quickly pinpointed and the anchors are simply popped through the decking before the floor is poured,” says Ziegler.

If installers are working with suspended ceilings, the Powers Tie-Wire spike may be the most economical way to install hangers.

“These 3/16" or 1/4" diameter spikes are simply hammered into concrete. They are a fast, easy and inexpensive alternative to shooting powder-actuated tools to fasten clips for the ceiling hangers, especially in concrete with hard aggregate or high compressive strength,” says Ziegler.

Published in the March/April 2007 issue of Contractor Tools and Supplies magazine.

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