Anyone have ANY tips, techniques, or methods that will make framing an addition with steel studs go smoothly??
Boss just clued me in on an office add. we will be starting soon.
I understand the basics of steel studs, but I have never done structural work with them.
What kind of stuff will I need and how can I look like I know what I’m doing.
(I know that last one is pert near impossible, But I’d like to try!!)
Thanx in advance.
Mr. T.
There’s a steering-wheel in me pants and it’s driving me nuts!!!
Replies
Spring clamps all over your tool bags, a good corded screw gun, tin snips and a metal chop saw. A tape with magnets on the hook is hand too.
Turn your hard hat backwards too.
Rock the Tipi. 06
might not be what others do... but i like a wood baseplate/mudseal i use PT on top of foam plate seal then 15lb felt between the bottom track and the pt... for metal framing... your slab needs to be dead on level, any time spent here is always good but with metal it's critical... 1/8" max out... the wood base plate let's you have a little error here but it also gives you a nailing surface you'll be thankful for later... malco makes a hand punch/crimper tool that will let you crimp your studs to the track... this will speed you up a ton even if you come back and screw it off...
my guess is you'll be using 20ga. studs... i cut em all day long with a power miter saw and a high count carbide wood blade (a cheap one) safty glasses and gloves... you will never regret the $30 you spend on the Malco stud crimper... you won't need the clamps... level with a magnet one side is good as is the magnet on the end of the tape as was said.... i like to cut track & studs 2 at a time if i can, one inside the other... but thats more for the 25ga stuff..
I usually prefer metal but with the price of it now i only use it on long tall walls where dead on plumb really shows...
good luck
p
good list ...
U forgot a big box of sharpies ...
and blue shop towels and duct tape ... aka .. first aid kit.
and the usual ... super glue for the deep ones and PT Premium to jumpstart the clotting ....
on a semi serious note ... I have a set of ear muff's that stay clipped to the handle of my metal chop saw ... that thing is damn loud when eating thru a whole bundle.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Yep totaly forgot the sharpie. I never go to work without one so I guess it was a given.
It's hard out here for a pimp.
When he's trying to get his money for the rent.
Repeat 3 times
Levels with magnets.
A laser to use when setting track.
Band aids in your bags.
Sheet metal worker tongs.
White lead pencils.
Here's a link to some books I've been toying with buying for a while.
http://www.steelframingalliance.com/mc/page.do?sitePageId=1082
There are even a couple of free downloads that are worth a look see.
My brother swears by light steel framing and I've tried it for non-bearing interior walls and have been very satisfied with the results, but I s'pose I've been too lazy to learn new details for the structural stuff.
"A job well done is its own reward. Now would you prefer to make the final payment by cash, check or Master Card?"
If you cutting lots of 20g or lighter studs a shear is the best investment you can make. Clean cuts, and no mess.
Like everyone is saying. Spring clamps, and magnetic levels. Once you get a system down they go real fast.
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Hug it out.
Are 20 ga. ststuds considered structural.
The ga. will most likely be speckkked
But it would be way cool if we could cut with a shear.
I got the vise-grip clamps and the magnetic tape and level and gloves and a 2500 rpm screwgun.
if we be using 20 ga., I be getting the crimpers and I'll talk boss into the shears.
Mr. T.
There's a steering-wheel in me pants and it's driving me nuts!!!
20 ga. is for non-load bearing interior partitions, and is never structural. It generally is the preferred gauge for most interior walls.
Vice grips - the 6R, not the 6P type. Makes using framing screws much easier. Doesn't hurt to spray them red as their silver color can can get lost among all the studs.
Crimpers - pros and cons to using them. I've been doing commercial work for 25 years and haven't seen them used in 20.
Magnetic tapes - nice, but have the annoying habit of sticking to stuff when you don't want it to. The magnet will also collect debris that you'll be constantly cleaning from the tip. Plain 30' x 1" or a "fat max" by stanley will work just fine.
Good pair of staight aviaton style snips are a must.
Black sharpie retractable marker is helpful for making marks on metal. Pencil can be faint and hard to see.
Laser for layout and to set your tracks is always a time/aggravation saver.
Any walls that intersect in corners or tees should have the sheetrock threaded thru, be backed with a stud in the adjoining one, and screwed off, to stiffen and strengthen everything.
Be sure to screw the rock into both the studs and track to bridge those connections and again strenghten everything.
What kinda' doors are going in, wood, welded, or knock down jambs?
Hope this helps...Buic
Sounds like you got the right tools minus a chop saw. My only advice would be pay attention to the details, Building inspectors unfamiliar with steel can sometimes be sticklers and demand an exact match to the plans. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
I'm confused, (what's new?), are you doing structural framing with steel or interior partitions. Makes a bit of a differemce...Buic
I've done a decent amount of LGS framing but I took your post to mean structural . . . I think that's pretty important to clarify. Is this just partition work or is this holding things up?
"A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." -Bert Taylor
uh nuthing personal but...
the thread title IS Structural steel stud framing
:)
Mr. T.
There's a steering-wheel in me pants and it's driving me nuts!!!
well thats why i wanted to clarify, I read structural and people are talkin about LGS and screws. I head scratched."A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." -Bert Taylor
The correct terminology to avoid confusion would be "load-bearing light-gauge metal framing" or "load-bearing cold-formed metal framing". In any case, you're probably looking at 16-18 gauge studs (if not heavier), and if the floor joists are CFM as well, they'll likely be 12 gauge or heavier. There will most likely be engineered connections (or at least their should be)- you won't be crimping studs to track or just throwing in 7/16" screws. If the sheathing isn't structural, you may also have to weld in diagonal shear bracing (usually 12 gauge , 3-4" wide pieces). And plan on a cutoff saw to make all of your cuts- unless you've got forearms the size of most people's thighs.
Bob
He's been married forever. His right forearm is HUGE!
It's hard out here for a pimp.
When he's trying to get his money for the rent.
He's been married forever. His right forearm is HUGE!
Ya know, I was trying to find a way to reference that without being TOO non-PC, but I couldn't find one....lol.
And having been married a while myself, I can understand where he'd have no problem cutting 12-gauge studs with a pair of kids' safety scissors ;)
Bob
That's what I'm here for. To get you over the non pc hump. :)
It's hard out here for a pimp.
When he's trying to get his money for the rent.
Repeat 3 times
at the risk of TMI...
i use my left...
Mr. T.
There's a steering-wheel in me pants and it's driving me nuts!!!
So you can steer the mouse with your right?
It's hard out here for a pimp.
When he's trying to get his money for the rent.
Repeat 3 times
I'm building my first LGS house right now. The best book I've found for residential is Steel-Frame House Construction by Tim Waite. He is an engineer for the Steel Framing Alliance (SFA), but he strapped on some bags and worked alongside some framers to see the real problems.
For tools go to http://www.dynamicfastener.com. They specialize in LGS fasteners and tools. For example they sell an aviation snips that is heavy duty and better suited for LGS. Even if you go back to wood you will like it. It will cut the banding like butter.
The SFA is trying to get away from the use of gauge in describing steel. They are using mils to denote the thickness. 20 gauge structural is 33 mil, 18 gauge is 43 mil and 16 gauge is 54 mil. Anything thicker gets hard to work with.
You don't really need an engineer to design your building if it falls within the parameters of The Prescriptive Method that the SFA put out. In fact they are encouraging builders to spec there own builders like we do with wood since paying $3000.00 to an engineer adds to the cost of a system that is already more expensive than wood. Of course, just like in wood framed buildings, there are times when you need an engineer. In fact I'm going to an engineer on Thursday to talk about some details I want to use that are not in the Prescriptive Method.
I would second the advice to have a supply of bandaids or duct tape around.
Edited 3/12/2006 5:24 pm ET by McCarty12