There are many effective methods for joining structural hollow section – hollow section to hollow section, or to any other thin-walled material.

Let’s look at a comparison between those traditional methods, their sometimes lesser-known drawbacks, and how something as simple as a Hollo-Bolt can solve it.

Welding

Welding is not the most convenient method for joining hollow section. It often requires a hot work permit and skilled labour on hand to carry it out. For companies who don’t have a welder on the permanent full-time roster, this can drain a lot of time due to sourcing them for one-off jobs.

And on top of the injury danger, welding also requires a lot of power and consumables.

A Hollo-Bolt requires no specific technical trade skills – installation is done with regular hand tools, and a tight fix is achieved by hand.

Through-Bolting

This technique has previously been the most common way of using physical anchoring as a weld-free solution. But through-bolts cannot always guarantee a secure connection, and they do not work for larger SHS. The clamping style of traditional through-bolts can also deform the SHS.

Why use Hollo-Bolts, then? Isn’t it just another type of through-bolt? Yes and no.

Hollo-bolts are a major development on the through-bolt – they feature independently-approved safe working loads and the clamping style distributes pressure more evenly, reducing the possibility of SSH deformation.

Brackets and Strapping

Let’s face it, it doesn’t look the best, when hollow section is held together this way. But aesthetics aside, it takes a long time to secure SHS with strapping and brackets, and holding it in place whilst fixing it is fiddly. Add friction to the equation, and the fixing could loosen over time.

Hollo-Bolts come in a variance of head types, so you can integrate them into any architectural design. And they are fixed at a single point, eliminating the possibility of loosening across several fasteners.

Cutting Access and Holes

A tried and true technique. But it has limitations – it is expensive and time-consuming, it is unsuitable for structural connections and defeats any architectural benefit of SHS. A Hollo-Bolt eliminates the need to side-cut a slot for access to a nut. This way, the aesthetics of the job are preserved, and the job gets done a lot faster, with a stronger hold.

Why Use Hollo-Bolts for My Job?

If you have any enquiries about these products, get in touch with Allfasteners now.