If you would like to learn more or purchase this unique anchoring system please visit www.myocstore.com or by called 1-800-981-3590

You recently sent me 15 post anchors and guide kit with titan hole cutter. Unfortunately installation into IPE is not going smoothly at all. I drill the first part as instructed and just went and got a $25 messenger 1.25 bit, came back and removed 1.7/8 the first part and went to do the second pass with the hole cutter only to find out that the collar base of the titan hole cutter is BIGGER than 1.25 so I can not cut any deeper than what I originally have cut. I could spend $28 more and get a larger messenger bit but if you have used a messenger bit before you will know it is not really possible to go up one size when a hole has been drilled out. What can you do about this situation?

Response from Titan Post Anchor…………………

Ipe is one of the hardest woods there is.  There are hardwood instructions as part of the instruction guide and there is a video on the site that shows how I install it using Cumaru, almost identical to Ipe.

For most hard woods you have to use a Forstner bit after the first hole saw pass and remove about 1.25″to 1.5″ of the core and then do another pass with the hole saw so that the saw cuts a total depth of 3.25″ – in the case of Ipe – close to the full lenght of the tube – 3.5″.

This is because you can not easily hammer anything into this wood.  Everything has to be predrilled.  In this respect, the anchor does not install in the way it is intended to be installed for the vast majority of uses – with normal density woods like pine, cedar and perhaps hemlock.  It is designed to pierce the entire solid core of the post, not having a hollowed out bore.

With normal density wood extra strength and rigidity is derived from the tube piercing the solid wood and the friction that is attributed to the tube surface.  So you would lose strength in normal density wood by removing the core as the out walls would be all that is holding it together.

This concern is reduced substantially when you use Ipe because even though the walls are thinner with the core removed the wood is still so dense that is makes up a lot if not entirely because of that.

You must predrill the holes for the lag screws also or you will likely torque the heads off.

Keep in mind the forstner bit must be not bigger than the diameter of the tube 1.25″ diameter.  This is stated in the instructions.  DO NOT drill a larger diameter hole.  This completely defeats the purpose in intended installation benefits of the device.

Lastly, for these kind of installations I have developed a new custome barrel bolt that we will be marketing as Thunder Bolts.  They are 5/16″ diameter with low profile domed pan heads with #3 square drive heads.  They go through the post and tube and ensure the wood can never split up the grain even under extreme load.

I can send you some no charge when they arrive in the next couple weeks.  They are black dacromet plated, a very high quality finish and made of 1020 steel.

This handy little tool gets  applied to the corner of your 4×4 or 6×6 wood post and automatically centers the middle of the post so you can quickly start using your Titan Hole Saw to start boring your hole exactly in the center of your post.

For this and many other Titan Post Anchor accessories please visit www.myocstore.com

Its a handy tool and a must purchase to enable you to connect the Titan Post Anchor to the 4×4 or 6×6 wood post. The hole saw can be purchased on its own or you can buy with the arbor. The hole saw is made from the best of metals and it only takes a minute to bore the appropriate depth hole. There is even a center guide which sells as an accessory which establishes the center of the post before you bore your hole.

The hole saw can be pruchased online at www.myocstore.com or purchased at one of the following retailers.

If that wasn’t enough there are some handy installation tools that make the Titan even easier to install then it is already. There is now a hammer tool that helps drive the anchor to the post and even a center guide which allows you to find the center of the post quickly. You can now throw away that pencil. And not last but least a hole saw and arbor for both the 4×4 Titan and 6×6 Titan.

The gasket kit which has been availble since the inception of the anchor is available for sealing out water from the base of the anchor and is to be used when installing the anchor on water proof  surfaces such as concrete.  Its made of  EDPM rubber and fits the base of  Titan.

Otter Creek is a proud distributor of the Titan and its accessories and they can be purchased online at www.myocstore.com

Post Skirts for 4×4 Titan Base

 The bases are available in galvanized Black, Grey, Brown, White and Stainless. Once you have your Titan secured to the deck surface just slip the base covers over the the bottom of the Titan and snap the two ends together, its that easy. The covers are great for matching your deck surface or just highlighting the base of each post.

Holes Saws for 4×4 and 6×6 Titans.

Installation just got a whole lot easier with our custom hole saws. The holes saws are custom made and include a high quality arbor for all in one convenience.

Hammer Tool for 6×6 Titans

This handy tool fits inside the tube and evenly distributes the force of each hammer strike to the tube and right into the heart of the post. What a big time and energy saver if you are a builder or just have lots of anchors to install.

Center Guides for 4×4 and 6×6 Anchors

Finding the center of a post has never been easier or quicker using these metal hole saw center guides. No more tracing out diagonal lines or pilot cuts.  Just hold again the corner of the piece, place hole saw against the vertical guides and the hole saw blade will mark center in seconds.

For further information please visit our link to our Titan page or call 1-800-981-3590

http://www.ottercreekforestproducts.com/titan-post-anchors.html