Unistrut/channel usage

[Armeg UK]

Hi Fellas,
Just tossing an idea around here at Armeg Towers.
I'm curious as to what sizes of Unistrut/channel are in most common usage.
In my mind 41mm is head and shoulders above the others (I'm not wrong, am I?) but how much do you use 81/83mm or 21mm?
Cheers
Phil.

 

[Sharpend]

41x41 by the pallet and occasionally 41x21.

 

[roys]

Used miles of the 41mm stuff also the 41mm back to back stuff used a fair bit but not as much as just the standard 41mm. All other sizes very minimal usage.

 

[Sharpend]

Ah yes the 41 double back use that to a tune just not a song as the single!

 

[Armeg UK]

Cheers fellas, just as I suspected.
As an aside - what's the back to back used for? Is it really just a case of the need to fasten on both sides of an upright, for example?

 

[Sharpend]

We use it to span larger openings say 6m it just adds extra strength to stop it flexing.

 

[Armeg UK]

We use it to span larger openings say 6m it just adds extra strength to stop it flexing.

Aaaah, interesting.

Thanks for that

 

[roys]

Yip as sharpie said less flex on longer spans also made frames out of it where we had panels on both side and so much easier to use the Zebadees.

 

[Sharpend]

I heard that Kerching uses it for wrapping around the head of the apprentices, but it might only be a rumour?

 

[Andy™]

mostly 41x41, sometimes 21x41 but not too often

 

[UNG]

These days I mainly use the 41 x 41 and 21 x 21 channel but in the past I have used back to back channel and back to back channel welded side by side for some heavy duty jobs. It's hard to beat the versatility of channel when building things

 

[kerching]

I heard that Kerching uses it for wrapping around the head of the apprentices, but it might only be a rumour?

Not had apprentices since the 'troubles' and ensuing restraining order. Apparently kicking an apprentice in the nuts then cleaning the tip of the soldering iron on his outstretched tongue as he gasps for air was no longer accepted! Who knew?

 

[Sharpend]

I know they change the rules all the time without updating us older boys!

 

[Armeg UK]

I was an apprentice. I firmly believe that the contact of a 12" metal rule with my knuckles and the attempts to remove large chunks of flesh from the inside of my thighs by pinching made me a better engineer

Phil

 

[Armeg UK]

Some great feedback again from you lot. Thank you so much

Phil

 

[Sharpend]

It’s good to have YOU on board too Phil.

 

[peterspurs]

what happened to light gauge and heavy gauge

 

[Andy™]

what happened to light gauge and heavy gauge

£

 

[Armeg UK]

Hi Fellas, further questions for you

What size bolts do you use mainly for fastening strut/channel together? I'm guessing it's M10 and M12 but do you use the cone pointed bolts (which have 40mm of thread) or do you use your own? If you use your own, what's the most common thread length you use?

Thanks, as always, in advance for any responses

Phil.

 

[UNG]

I generally only use the the cone pointed bolts when using beam clamps or have a need to clamp something to the channel, when using the zebadee's it's a mix of 12mm, 10mm and 6mm bolts very often the 6mm are used with roofing bolts to fix tray to the channel or cantalever arms.
While most of the time the standard lenght bolts are used for some jobs I have used longer bolts to clamp through a channel into one that is behind it