<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf8" /> <title>CUCC Expo Rigging Handbook: Drilling holes</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" /> </head> <body> <h2 id="tophead"> CUCC Expo Rigging Handbook</h2> <h1>Bolt belays - Hang Fix anchors</h1> <p>Once you've decided where to put your bolt, you have to actually physically place and set it. The methods used <b>differ substantially</b> depending on whether you are using hand bolts (spits) or drilling using Hang Fix anchors.</p> <h3>Hang Fix anchors</h3> <div class="onright"> <figure> <a href="i/hangfixbolt.jpg"><img src="t/hangfixbolt.jpg"></a> <br><figcaption>Hang Fix Bolt System - click to enlarge</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Hang Fix <a href="/expofiles/documents/anchors/hangfixtraining.pdf"><b>required</b> training</a> <p><a href="trainingrecord.html">List of people trained</a> for installing hang fix anchors</p> <p>See the <a href="/expofiles/documents/anchors/anchor-appraisal-martingreen2020.pdf">2020 appraisal of anchors</a> and options for selecting expo bolting systems. <h3>Why we chose Hang Fix anchors in 2022</h3> <p>Martin Green coorindated a <a href="/expofiles/documents/anchors/anchor-appraisal-martingreen2020.pdf">complete appraisal of anchors</a> for the 2020 expo, but Covid pandemic meant that it was 2022 before it was put into practice. We discussed the issues intensely for more than three years, and did experimental tests. <h4>Why change?</h4> <ul> <li> We have been having a failure rate of a couple of hangers per year. <li> Current anchors are intended for hanging air ducts on uncracked concrete, not humans on limestone. <li> Local cavers have expressed concerns regarding our current anchors. <li> Experience shows that with current anchors, they can all be underset, risking all the anchors of a pitch pulling out. <li> Current anchors rust, reducing tread strength. With time they will need replacing and we have limited pitch head real estate. </ul> <h4>Decision</h4> That we standardise on Raumer M8 Hang Fix anchors: <var>M8 HANG FIX inox M8L (ØM8x78)</var>. <ul> <li>These are stainless steel (A4 aka 316) 'through bolts' <li>have thick sleeves reducing the likely hood of failure due to corrosion of the sleeves <li>have big spikes on the sleeves, reducing risk of failure to set the anchor, due to it instead rotating in its hole rather than setting <li>have combined nuts and washers, making placement easier and risk of use without a washer. <li>have bumps on the back of the nut/washer, which almost eliminates the nut loosing itself <li>have an effective depth of ~50mm <li>complies with BS EN 959:2018 <li>tightened and set using a spanner not a hammer - for better control <li>uses existing 13mm spanners in personal kits </ul> We can change over to these through bolts for existing caves, as most of our normal hangers can be used with them, by removing the rubber O-ring and the bolt. This requires the nuts are left in situ, and that we do not have too many circlips on our hangers. <p>Read the <a href="/expofiles/documents/anchors/anchor-appraisal-martingreen2020.pdf">complete appraisal</a> document. <h4>Immediate equipment retirement</h4> <ul> <li> Unused Hilti HKD anchors and setting equipment must be retired <li> Petzl ‘ring’ hanger must be retired, as:<br> – They require longer bolts than other hangers to be safe,<br /> – Having both steel and stainless steel rings is likely to lead to confusion </ul> <h4>We have been doing this a while now</h4> <div class="centre"> <figure> <a href="../l/bosch.html"><img alt="(73k image)" src="../t/bosch.jpg" width="250" /></a> <br><figcaption>Wookey using our first drill in 1990 - Click for more details</figcaption> </figure> </div> <hr /> See the <a href="/expofiles/documents/anchors/hangfixtraining.pdf">instructions and training</a> - for expo bolting<br /> See the <a href="/expofiles/documents/anchors/anchor-appraisal-martingreen2020.pdf">2020 appraisal of anchors</a> - comparison of alternatives <br /> See the <a href="rigit.html">Rigging and Bolting</a> - handbook <hr /> </body> </html>