Guys, I have an application requiring some sort of blind nut about 5/16" thread size give or take. It will be going into a shipping container wall where we can't access the back side. Something like a Nut-Sert or similar. That I can install without special tools because I don't plan on making a habit of this. Something weather resistant would be nice but not critical.
You can install a nut-sert with a washer, a nut and a grade 8 bolt. thread the combination on the bolt with the nut-sert last. Hold the bolt steady and turn the nut against the washer and nut-sert. After expanding the nut-sert, back off the nut and unscrew the bolt from the nut-sert. Antiseize on the threads & washer works better than oil. PS... nut-serts can be had in SS If you're going to do a hundred of these … A power puller would be justified.
Don't drill, weld a nut to the wall, where you want it...
I think a blind nut just posted about a fuel tank removal Id ask him.
I'm with diydave, weld it.
Plywood on the other side, otherwise I would weld it.
If you want to fasten two byes to the inside walls of a shipping container, you can use metal roofing screws from the outside. I've done this and it works fine. I didn't want to breathe the smoke from burnt paint inside.
Trouble is, they wrapped the outside where I am working in T1-11 plywood, so I'd rather leave that part alone and do it only from the inside.
I guess I would want to know is how many of these fasteners you would be wanting to install and how much weight will they be holding. Makes a big difference if it was one or two or one hundred.
Could you weld a nut to a flat strap and then self tapping screw the flat strap to the wall? Drill and tap the wall? Can you weld a strap/ angle iron only to where the corrugations are in, so that its away from the plywood and wouldn't light it up? And then weld your nut to the strap or angle iron where you need it. you could also weld unistrut or angle iron just to the top 4" square tubing, and at the bottom 4" square tubing, and then put your nut in the middle where you want. Welding to the inner 4" won't affect the plywood on the outside. If you don't want to weld, just run a screw in the top and bottom, and drill and tap where your going to be in the angle iron, or move your bolt fixture in the unistrut. Weld or screw it where check has his flat strap holding his 2x6 to the top of the conex. If its just for holding exhaust to the wall for one of your generators, I think I'd have some unistrut that went from top to bottom, screw it on the top and bottom with some big self tappers, maybe predrill a smaller hole. Then mount whatever you need to the unistrut. If unistrut won't hold it, then you'll have to weld in heavier angle or square tubing. The only way to weld and not disturb the plywood is to be top and bottom, or be on the "inner" of the corrugations.
Or you could buy a nut cert kit for a hundred dollars and be done. Bob
It is for a generator, and I am thinking of vertical strut on the wall. I think you are thinking the same thing CO. Then come out with a lower piece horizontally and an upper piece diagonally to cross brace it. The reason I am looking at Nut Sert or something similar over self tappers is if water runs down the wall outside. Self tappers have a lot of space around the threads. Machine screws leave a lot less room. Not really a big deal but I try to be as good as I can. I also don't like self tappers anywhere vibration can be an issue.
I use these for putting shelves up in the u channels of my cargo Van's, and all kinds of other projects. Not weather sealed, but, they are durable over time. They originally came with my Weatherguard side boxes, to anchor them to brackets. Weatherguard included a tool to install them that was nothing but a socket with teeth.
These
If you can attach it to the top inside of the 4" tubing at the top and the inside floor, you wouldn't have any holes going through the conex to outside, no weather worries. And I guess I'm no fan of nutserts. We had a installer that used them a bunch in a weather exposed environment, and I got to deal with them about 5 years after installation, and I was less than impressed. I think I have about as much luck with them, as I do with some of the old style drive in concrete anchor bolts, and about 1 in 5 don't end up working. They won't crimp tight and end up spinning. And I'm sure its operator error on my part installing nutserts, but if I weld something, it usually stays stuck.
These never give me an issue. They're a 1000 times less prone to spinning than conventional rivet nuts.
And a little Never-Seize on the bolt when installed would go a long way into getting them back out a few years latter!
I antisieze or loctite every fastener. Ever since they removed hexavalent chromium 6 from the bolt zinc plating, antisieze has become mandatory.