Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Attaching a 2x4 to a metal purlin

I have drilled and then screwed them together, tried using self-tapping screws, that was a pain in the butt.

I have heard that a Ramset could be used, but haven't found the correct "nail" yet.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

Get a bigger hammer!

Easiest but not the cheapest. Used to have one of these but you need a Maxair 500psi compressor to run it.
https://www.maxusacorp.com/nailers_compressors/products/concrete-steel-pin-nailer-hn120-powerlite/

Get two cordless drills. Put a #7 bit in one and a 1/4-20 tap in the other. Clamp the 2X4 where you want it then drill through both the 2X4 and the steel with the #7 bit. Remove the 2X4, dip the 1/4-20 tap in some dark thread cutting oil then run it into the holes in the steel. Instant tapped 1/4-20 holes

Then open up the holes in the 2X4s with a 1/4" bit.

Fasten them together with 1/4-20 flat head screws.

Right on Bristoe. But depending on the load, may want to go bigger than 1/4" screws.

Tek wood to steel screws.

I’m not sure what you’re trying to do but you can use black and decker pilot point drill bit to drill a hole in the Putin then screw through that into the 2x4. It makes an easy way to put up panels.

Use "Riv-nuts" in the metal piece and bolt the wood to it. They're basically pop rivets with a female thread that puts a thread into the metal piece. Kits are available on Ebay with the nut inserts and the installer tool, with a selection of different thread sizes. I use them frequently when mounting lights and other items to the walls of my metal shop building.

www.ebay.com/itm/305223098104?

So is this overhead in a metal building ?
Backing for some kind of a ceiling system ?

I have used "wing tek" screws. Self drilling, the wings shear off and they self tap. Perfect for attaching blocking to steel.

Tag

Why would someone use a concrete nailer to secure metal to wood? It's no wonder you enjoy hiring illegals, but cheap construction always has a cost even if you don't realize it, but your customers will...eventually.



A 1/4-20 bolt in a 1/4" hole won't hold a half hard dick in wood, even if the hole was undersized. If you were planning on using 1/4-20 threaded inserts in the wood, then that will work, but the inserts are over 1/4".

For ease of installation, I would drill slightly oversized holes in the metal for the shank diameter of the wood screws needed to provide sufficient clamping force and ensure the use of adequate washers throughout. You could use pan head machine screws for this as well if the load is light, but they are NOT rated for use in wood without the threaded inserts.

grip-rite #16x1 7/8” phosphate
Bloack drywall screws.
I have used these for same application.

Without pics it is kinda hard to guess exactly what is going on here...

Purlins are typically the furring strip just under roof sheathing (or direct roofing)... running horizontal/parallel with the ridge.

This would make me think your "2x4" is actually the top cord of a truss maybe?

If this is the case... your trusses are 4' O/C... and the metal you are running horizontally is called a "high hats" or "girts"... and those are 18 or 26 gauge?

If I am even close on my guessing... please advise and I will help you solve.

If I am all backwards... and your trusses are metal... and the purlins are wood... the solution would be totally different.

Sometimes it looks like this..



There can be different styles



He might have a building such as this.

Is this what you used:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Teks-12-x-...hAYtEAQYAiABEgIeY_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds


Yeah, they’re kind of a pain in the rear, if you’re not applying pressure EXACTLY level to “point of entry”. I don’t really know what would work better, though. Some of these, I have to make a point to go slow-moderate on drill speed, or it seems to burn the tip of the screwup, and make them worthless.

No pre-drilling of the wood required with these (they’re “winged”).

I need to secure a 2X4 or 2X6 ti the inside wall and ceiling of a metal building to screw drywall to.

I am not going to use rivnuts. I don't want to drill and tap for threads. The ceiling in one room is vaulted with a peak of 24 ft.

I should have been more specific in my original post.

The ones I linked above are technically the “ones for the job”. Are you using them, or a DIFFERENT product??

I have used those to secure trailer decking. I was not impressed. It may be different with the thinner gauge purlins.

Thanks