Hardware and Fasteners - Tapcon trick?

What am I missing? About a third of the tapcons I install in conrete break as they are being driven, even with a hole drilled deeper than the 1/4" recommended on the instructions, and even with 1/4" tapcons. They break about 1/2" to 3/4" down the shaft. Is there a trick to this? I'm driving them in pretty slow with a cordless drill.

And as a followup to that, is there any way of getting the broken fastener out once this happens, or some other way of reusing the hole?

Sounds to me like the pilot hole is too small. The correct bit size is critical.

I agree, are you using the drill bit size specified on the screw package?

I doubt you could salvage anything out of hole with a busted tapcon.

Tapcon has their own set of bits. It's a trick, but it works.

Always using correct size bits, but not Tapcon brand. Are you saying I need theirs?

Actually, now that I think of it, the same thing happens with other brands. I've also had it happen with lag anchors and lag bolts. I must be doing something wrong . . . ?

If the drill bit is the correct size and you are drilling deep enough, the only thing that is left is that you are using a screw length that is too long. Tapcons come in various lengths and the screw itself should go into approximately 1" of cement... no more. To attach 3/4 material to cement, use 1 3/4. To attach 1 1/2" to cement, use 2 1/4, countersinking the holes a little to drive the screw a little deeper... or use 2 3/4" if you have soft cement. I keep all sizes on hand in the event that one size ends up being too long or too short.

I also usually will run the drill bit up and down several times to clean the hole out a bit more, and if the screw acts like it wants to stop and get tight before the head is all the way down, I'll back the screw out and start it again.

Hardened steel is brittle, so one the screw gets tight, you can't just keep turning it. And no, there's no way to get that back out. If the screw gets tight before it's down all the way you need to back it out before you snap it.

Always using correct size bits, but not Tapcon brand. Are you saying I need theirs?

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I believe Tapcon uses some odd size bits for their screws as in "non-standard"

As does Rawl and others. You should buy their bits, use them, then place a piece of tape around it to signify it is tapcon when you put it away, and keep it separate from common sizes.

I haven't done a lot of Tapconning (is that a word?), but I don't think I've ever driven one in with a power tool; always did it manually. :coffee:

I don't use tap cons a lot either but I usually use my cordless drills for both the drilling and screwing in the tap con. I will snug them up manually if needed.

Screwing them in by hand sounds like too much work....... and I'm allergic to hard work - everytime I work hard, I break out in a sweat :D:p:D

I believe Tapcon uses some odd size bits for their screws as in "non-standard" nope , their a standard size 5/32 or 3/16

I like Bosh blue granite bits for tap cons, the tap con bits are cheap and wear out too quickly for me

I use a lot of tapcons , I always drive them with a screw gun and have never broken one

you need to drive them by hand or use a screw gun with a clutch

info here
http://www.itwbuildex.com/catpdf1/tapcon.pdf


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As does Rawl and others. You should buy their bits, use them, then place a piece of tape around it to signify it is tapcon when you put it away, and keep it separate from common sizes.

the "official tapcon " bits have a flat spot ground in the shank to identify them

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