Thursday, September 02, 2010
Recently we had this question come up on our fourms. We did some internal research and talked about it as a staff and below is a short guide to what size pipe you should use based on the application.
Pipe Chart
Our pipe size chart gives you an idea of the relative sizes of pipe.
Posted on 09/02 at 01:30 PM
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Pipe •
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Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Four crazy women (self described) from the mid-west built this structure from PVC to support a clothesline. If you’re interested in learning about how they did it, then please visit the project page.
Standalone PVC Clothesline
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Duluth Sea Port is the world’s largest inland port and one of the most important ports on the Great Lakes [ref]. The Duluth Sea Port has an aging sea wall that forms a barrier between the the port and Lake Superior. The port has embarked upon a renewal project which will place epoxied steel plates on the corroding corrugated sea wall.
The challenge of this project was of course how to attach the expoxied panels to the old sea wall. The solution: BoxBolt blind bolts. The BoxBolt allows a connection to be secured to a hollow opening from one side. This was exactly what was needed to accomplish the attachment of the new sea wall.
Using BoxBolts the panels could be attached to the old sea wall by drilling a hole in the panel, a hole in the wall, pushing the bolt into the hole and tightening the bolt down. See the pictures below for a look at the project.
Team members examine the corroded sea wall where the panels will be installed.
A new panel sits on the dock pre-drilled and ready to be installed. These panels are lowered by crane into the working area and then secured to the existing sea wall with BoxBolts.
The galvanized BoxBolts used to attach the sea wall are quite large. The housing is held in place by a wrench while the bolt is turned, as the bolt turns the nut on the end splays the metal flanges to tighten the panel against the wall.
A worker inside the cofferdam who is tightening down the BoxBolts that are holding the panels to the sea wall.
A freshly attached BoxBolt holding the epoxied panel to the old sea wall.
A completed section of the sea wall. The cofferdam removed, the wall is finished and ready to come into contact with the corrosive elements!
Learn More about BoxBolts
Click here to learn more about the BoxBolt expansion anchor and how it can help you on your next project.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Which would you prefer?
Traditional Welded Rail |
Kee Klamp Railing |
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Welded rail that is embedded into concrete typically has a rust problem for a number of reasons: |
Kee Klamp railings mitigate corrosion in a number of different ways: |
- Welding remove the galvanization from the railing making it more prone to rust.
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- Kee Klamp railings keep the galvanization intact and can even be powdercoated to a specific color
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- Embedding a piece of steel pipe into concrete causes rusting because concrete is porous and contains moisture. This moisture contacts the pipe and traditionally causes rusting around the base of embedded uprights.
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- Kee Klamp railings use base flanges that sit on top of the concrete surface. This method keeps the pipe out of the concrete and reduces the opportunity for corrosion.
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- The welding processes can take several days, leaving the pipe open to the elements, possibly leading the pipes filling up with water.
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- Kee Klamp railings install quickly and easily and usually are finished the same day that they are started.
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After 4 years, not a Spot of Rust
The railing pictured above was installed 4 years ago and as you can see there is no rust that has appeared, nor even the signs of rust beginning to show.
See more comparisons between welded railing and Kee Klamp railings.
Friday, March 05, 2010
Recently we posted a completed computer gaming chair from Don Sturrock. I am in the middle of a project (details coming soon) where I want to mount a monitor to a horizontal pole. I remembered Don’s project and asked him how he attached his monitor. He was kind enough to share the details and a few pictures. I thought others would be interested on how to attach a monitor to pole or pipe, so here are the details:
Details from Don
For my monitor I used two flat 3"x5" nail plates from Home Depot and a 6" long piece of alderwood 1x4. I attached the nail plates to the 1x4 with six #4 x 3/4" screws and then lined up the monitor mount holes onto the plates, drilled them out, painted it with RustOleum Flat Black Enamel and used the screws from the monitor to attach to the plates (see pic). The metal clamps have a good bite on the pipe so I feel the monitor is secure (22" monitor).
I also sent a pic of the underside of the keyboard. you can see the velcro that attaches it to the 16" long 1x4 alderwood and the plastic clamps (sorry for the fuzzy picture).
Downsides of this Approach
In looking at this mounting approach, it may be inexpensive but there are probably some downsides to be recognized
- Not sure how this will work on a vertical pole – Don mounted to a horizontal pole (that’s what I’m planning on doing.) I’m not sure how this would hold if mounted on a vertical pole or pipe.
- Scratches up the pipe – Judging from the pictures, adjusting the monitor (because of the bite of the clamps) scratches up the pipe pretty good. If you’re doing something that has to have really clean look then this might not work for you.
The Alternatives
A decent pipe mount looks like it’s going to cost you a couple of dollars.
All pricing as of March 5, 2010.
Speak Up.. add you 2 cents.
If anyone else knows of (or has an idea about) how to inexpensively attach a monitor to a pipe or pole, then please leave a note in the comments or shoot me an email: chris – at – simplifiedbuilding.com
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
This may be a bit much for the average DIY person, but if you’re an above average DIY master or you work as an electrician or in a tool wielding trade, this may just be the item you need at the top of your Christmas List (No seriously, don’t put it on a list, if you like it, just buy it.. but for your own sake don’t obligate someone else to get it for you… I digress). Now available from our sister site: Simplified Safety
This tool vest from Vest-Tech is a serious tool carrying piece of clothing. Made by electricians, for electricians and other trades people who are slaves to the old fashioned tool belt. The Vest-Tech tool vest makes your work more comfortable, efficient and even safer.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Until now, there have not been many options to attaching a handrail to a steel grating floor. You can weld, but that can be costly and dangerous. You can build an offset handrail that attached to the side of the structure, but installation can be difficult. We have a new fitting and grating clip which make attaching handrail uprights to steel, aluminum or fiberglass grating even easier. The trick is to use a 262 fitting, with a G Clip GM. Using these two components allows you to connect handrail bases to floor gratings in a simple and straight forward manner from one side of the surface.
See the pictures below for an overview. See our fitting page and G Clip page for more information on those components.
1. Insert the bottom half of the G Clip from the tops side of the grating
2. Connect the grating clip to the grating with the bottom fastener
3. Slide the 262 Fitting onto the bolt on the clip.
4. Fasten the fitting to the clip with standard nuts and washers.
5. Slide in your upright pipe and tighten the set screws.
That’s it! In several minutes you’ve created a connection that is as strong as a weld, but is not prone to rust and requires no specialized labor to install.
If you’re interested in constructing a handrail on steel grating, please see our handrail resource page and then contact us.
Friday, June 12, 2009
We have expanded our offering of grating clips, g clips and steel flooring fasteners to include some new products:
G-Clip Bar Grate Fasteners
G-Clips (short for grating clips) are easy to install clips that hold down steel, aluminum or fiberglass grating. The idea is simple, through the usage of simple tools, clip instead of weld your bar grating to a steel work environment.
Grate-Fix – Another Clamp for Steel Aluminum and Fiberglass Grating
Comparable to products from those from struct-fast, the Grate Fix uses a different method to attach the grating to the steel work.
New High Tolerance versions of the steel floor fasteners are also now available.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Providing safe entrance and exit for designated areas is an important part of worker safety. A safety gate lets the worker know when they are entering and existing a safe zone. Our Safety Gates are now available in custom sizes and configurations. If you need a custom gate, please contact our sales engineers for more assistance.
Posted on 02/11 at 02:18 PM
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Safety •
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Monday, January 12, 2009
Kee Safety has released a new anti-theft rivet that can be hammered into the set screws. The device prevents people from tampering with the fitting and also provides a clean aesthetic look.
The aluminum drive rivets are easy to install, requiring no special tools. The drive rivet is set by striking the pin with a hammer, driving the pin flush with the rivet head and expanding the back side of the rivet.
Posted on 01/12 at 09:31 AM
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Fall protection equipment just got a little bit “green”. Kee Safety has released a new counterbalance for its roof top railing system that is made from 100% recycled PVC. In addition to being “green” the new counter balances are more ergonomic to carry (less weight, integrated handles), safer to walk around (reflective strips and integrated tread) and available in various colors (grey, orange, and custom).
Find out more about about KeeGuard on our fall protection page and read a detailed brochure about the new PVC counterbalances.
Related Entries
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Kee Safety has released a new warning line that utilizes some pipe, a few fittings and recycled rubber bases to create a system that meets OSHA safety standards.
As with many of Kee Safety's products, the focus is on modularity and durability. Each component is very durable:
- Galvanized Steel Fittings
- Galvanized Rubber Bases
- Stainless Steel Cable & Connectors
- Vinyl Coated Cable
- High Quality Warning Flags
This is not a system that you will have to replace year after year.
Extension kits are available so that you can extend the base kit to any length and configuration.
Contact a sales engineer today to learn more about the Kee Mark Warning Line System.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
To tighten down a BoxBolt, an installer must typically use 2 wrenches to install one bolt - one to hold the outer sleeve stationary, and one to turn the inner bolt.
A Faster Way with BoxSok
The BoxSok adds simplicity to the installation process. Attached to a regular socket wrench (air powered makes this a snap), it takes the place of both wrenches. The BoxSok has an outer piece that will hold the sleeve of the BoxBolt stationary, while an inner piece turns the bolt. This makes what would have been a 4 minute job (per bolt) into a 30 second job.
A "good" reason to buy an "expensive" socket
- Let’s say that the average installer costs $30.00 per hour to have on site (this usually is a very low estimate)
- With 2 wrenches, this installer will take approximately 4 min. per bolt to perform the installation, whereas it will take 30 seconds with the BoxSok.
- Let’s also say that you are installing 1000 bolts
- If you are saving 3 ½ minutes per bolt, this is equal to over 58 hours of labor.
- Going back to the original amount that our installer is being paid, this equals $1,740.00 in savings.
Other BoxSok benefits consist of:
- Less fatigue on the installer
- You won’t hold up other aspects of a job while waiting for the bolts to be installed
- You will be able to get off of the jobsite faster
Watch BoxBolt and BoxSok in Action
Monday, December 17, 2007
This rear projection screen kit debuted at the recent 2007 Fastener Trade Show held at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. It was the hit of the show. Obviously, the value at a trade show is that the exhibitor does not need to rent an expensive LCD panel or even worse yet… try to carry a big flat panel to the show. The ROI payback is less than one trade show. The exhibitor can also use a simple laptop and LCD projector (something that most sales people have access to and travel with nowadays).
This screen frame is made with durable 1" anodized aluminum schedule 40 pipe just as you see in the photo. The actual screen is a 36" diagonal (or 22" X 29” rectangle) and has a hologram look to it. The novelty catches the eye of the "show goer" and draws attention to your product line and company. This is also great for portable use on conference rooms, small rooms or even at home.
Kit includes frame, screen and base.
Monday, December 10, 2007
"Green" building has become a buzz word in today's building industry. Everyone wants to know how to build with greater respect for the environment. On that note, Kee Klamp fittings have a unique place in the green building industry. Not only is the aluminum line of fittings made from 50% recycled materials, but Kee Klamp fittings are, by their very nature, a reusable component. The Kee Klamp clamping mechanism means that the fitting can be installed permanently or installed again and again. If you are considering using a sustainable building material, consider Kee Klamp fittings, for recyclability and reusability.
Here is the official statement from Kee Industrial Products on their
Kee Lite (aluminum) fittings:
The range of Aluminum KEE LITE fittings can all be recycled and reused because the quality of aluminum is not impaired by recycling. The high value of used aluminum makes the process economical and within the building and construction sectors, a high recycling rate of 85% is achieved (source: eaa.net). KEE LITE fittings are made from around 50% recycled aluminum and in common with our entire range of fittings, they can be disassembled and used again.
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