You've Been Using Strut Wrong - Here's How to Do It Right

[@wk2268]

7/8, 1 5/8 strut slotted, non slotted. You can build anything with strut.... Awesome stuff!

[@hottractor1999]

Awesome expensive.

[@JeepinMaxx]

Unistrut is what I call it in CT! I use it for plenty of non-electrician applications. It's like an erector set for adults

[@ianbelletti6241]

I understand Unistrut is a brand name but everyone here in NC use the brand name as a generic name for the various struts.

[@garypoplin4599]

0:23 - In Florida, we call it by the trade name Unistrut or Kindorf (Oh, BTW: the straps for these are _not_ interchangeable!) 10:11 - I wish I had known about cone nuts when I was in the trade: fantastic idea! 12:29 - Wow! The number of times I could have used these! 14:58 - Another one I’d never seen! Thank you for this great post! What I wish I was able to access 35 years ago!

[@charlespatt]

Spring nuts don't need to be slid in. You just turn it horizontal, press it in where you want it, press all the way in, then rotate it 90 degrees and release and it stays. You can add and remove them any time at any spot. That's what I always thought was the great advantage of the spring nuts.

[@Marcus-u3b4e]

Cone nuts do the same and you don't have to deal the spring pushing through the strut hole. Not such a big issue if you're using kendorf tho

[@Matt-kr2es]

Cone nuts changed my life😂

[@chrisbrossette]

Thanks! DIY guy who loves to learn. Telling the young folks to join the trades and skip college. Gave me a great idea for some strut in my shop.

[@markkwasny9650]

Another use of the different color finishes is to discourage other trades or companies on the job site from pilfering your building materials.

[@BrianBaldridgeC]

It is called Unistrut, which is a brand name and a generic trade name. Unistrut is part of the Atkore family of products. There are several other companies that manufacture unistrut and call them by other names, but if you want the real deal, you go with Unistrut.

[@brntcran]

Made in wayne mi.

[@JohnThomas-lq5qp]

Years ago I made storage shelve from maybe 20 year old but great shape unistrut I removed from a job. Cut sheets of 3/4 plywood in three pieces to end up with 32" deep shelves. A long and short milk crate were around 30" deep. Mounted strut every 4' on concrete wall & legs every 4' and strut every 16" to support plywood. 35 years later still in good shape.

[@jacobplank]

I was just thinking about doing that, I'm moving in a few weeks and will need lots of shelving build, I'll have to come up with a formula to know what parts I need. I used to frame houses for several years, so building with wood would be very easy. But I want something that looks cool! I'm afraid it'll be a bit pricey, though.

[@garbo8962]

They make what AC guys called Dexion & others metal lumber but it was thin maybe 1" wide by 11/2" with holes & slots and think it came in another size. Guessing its less then halve the cost of unistrut.

[@JohnThomas-lq5qp]

@@jacobplank Good luck with the shelves. I'm horrible with wood so stick to metal. I had 3 or 4 Erector sets that I got cheap from older guys and loved building with them. I used to build a 5' parachute ride that I had to use a stepladder to reach the top ( maybe 9 years old ). As an electrician always enjoyed drilling & tapping holes and installing unistrut. Favorite jobs were doing electrical work at machine shops, tool & die shops and an automatic screw shop.

[@ghostali8351]

In Sweden, we call it Ankarskena or ankarjärn, which translates to "anchor rail" or "anchor iron."

[@andrewp8491]

As an apprentice 29yrs ago, I heard it called Uni-strut. I've always called it Strut. Always have used slotted. Started in AZ, worked VT & NH. Always commercial, industrial. Mostly educational institutions & Mines. In the Mines, especially in SXEW Plants, we used fiber strut due to the caustic environment. Anchor systems were fiber/plastic with 2-part adhesives.

[@MattMorganYouTube]

Thanks!

[@JohnThomas-lq5qp]

Most guys do not know of how many different depths unistrut comes in. I had to install over a mile of 3/4" EMT to feed a double duplex receptacle, 208 three phase twist lock receptacle and two 480 volt 3 phase receptacle side by side every 12' for an plastic injection molding plant. Took a few weeks but I got a 100' of 5/8" deep unistrut to mount 4 or 5 deep 1900 boxes to them used 7/8" deep unistrut to support all of the 3/4" EMT conduits. Had 360 degrees in bends and using that combination I did not have to make over a hundred offsets and a C condulet or pull box. Also used 20' lengths of unistrut a few times. Had to double it up to prevent 12 to 14' length to prevent sagging because huge duct work above it prevented dropping all thread to center of long strut. Only stocked & used 1/4 & 3/8" umistrut nuts. Always stocked hundreds of 1/4 & 3/8" fender washers with a maximum of 13/8" outside diameter for slotted unistrut.

[@josegomez6549]

So you used 7/8 and 1 5/8 strut? That's the only 2 sizes I've ever seen. I was hoping you'd list other depths

[@kaboom4679]

Ratcheting wrench ( Gear Wrench , etc ) works for those straps . Alternately , a right angle drill adapter can be useful but , in a lot of cases , they still do not have enough clearance if the conduits are closely spaced . Love those angle straps . Unistrut is just a slightly more expensive Erector Set , for adults .

[@ctrlaltdebug]

An offset extension wrench might work.

[@fredflintstone5860]

Here in Chicago ILL. we call it unistrut. We have several different suppliers of it like B LINE unistrut Illinois and others. The strut you where referring to as slotted we call oval because we have slotted that is a long slot 4 inches on center. All the parts and pieces available are just incredible. I had to go work on a job in Virginia near Dulles airport and the boys out there called it Kindorf and at first it was like they were talking a different language.

[@Joshkashley1]

Ontario Canada, strut/unistrut/ and some old guys at my work (Ford Motor Company, Oakville plant) call it cantruss which I hadn't heard till I started here

[@billytrevathan6405]

Hey Dustin! I’ve been an electrician for almost 15 years with several years in maintenance and operation of a small recycling plant before that, electronics training and working on fighter jet radar in the Air Force. It’s always been “strut” or “unistrut” since I’ve been in the trade. I’m 5th generation Texan and have worked in Texas and Louisiana a lot, but also in Iowa, Georgia, South Dakota and Arkansas. I’ve never heard it called anything else, so these other terms must be from up North or West coast.

[@Mizzelphug]

I always just called it channel since thats what it's listed as at the Homeless Despot and lowes. I've used it for mounting conduit and most recently for a winch/trolley track. I'm in Houston.

[@gerdberg4188]

15:16 it took many years for them to come up with that angle arrangement

[@AJSchneiderman]

I have never seen square washers before. We usually just use a saddle washer and a fender washer. Good to know!

[@CultureStress]

Toronto: Strut or Unistrut. 1 5/8 is "strut", 7/8 is "shallow strut", the others are "deep strut" or "double strut"

[@TheDrew2022]

Same out west Vancouver way.

[@MrJahka]

This is basically what we say in St. Louis, MO. You might also just call it by the trade size “get me stick of 7/8 please”. But indeed strut would be 1 5/8 and ss shallow strut is 7/8”.

[@timree2688]

38+ years in the trade and I learned something today. Thanks!

[@phantom444e]

Worked for an electric supply house in Annapolis Md in the early '80s, it was in our system as globe. Also had customers call it kindorf and uni strut.

[@timlong1462]

If you have factory roof bars on a car/truck that run lengthwise of the vehicle add a few bars of slotted strut widthwise using U bolts. Boom....most versatile roof rack available for cheap. Have 3 hot dip(gold galv)struts on my roof for years now in MN and no rust at all.

[@keithlyons103]

I’ve found that if I put a fender washer behind the spring nut I can slide it down the strut with a slender screwdriver.

[@CCP_Xyed]

"Pat de cablu" - Romania - general description ( Plastic - Steel - Stainless Steel - different alloys ) It varies a bit depending on dimensions and how it's fixed and use cases.

[@Matt-my7pz]

6:10 Southern Alberta we called it Cantruss at King Electric..(RIP). I'm assuming it was Canadian made. We also got UniStrut often and called it that it strut. Also I just got an ad for Fiberglass Strut a few weeks ago. Crazy stuff. Spring nuts were the majority of what i used while in commercial industrial electrical. But they cane out later with awesome solutions. The square split nuts washers looked so easy. I had a Klein strut screw driver that was made specifically installing spring nuts. Very handy.

[@mysticknight9711]

For corrosive environments, you can also order all of the parts in aluminum or stainless steel

[@240shwag]

The shiny coatings are zinc electroplated (yellow or gold colors are just dyes in coating). The dull finish is hot dipped galvanized. The hot dipped is superior for corrosion protection versus the electroplated.

[@justtisha]

Great video! I love the walk through!

[@patrickwendling6759]

Thank you for your knowledge and videos

[@dillonsifferle8620]

Whatever you build will be Stronger if you use the T-brackets on the open channel side with strut nuts. It forms into a complete square tube at the crucial points. If you still need to mount a panel or whatever on those points, bring out the panel or box with square washers.

[@Ryan_Daniels]

Great video! Learned about new products that will come in handy at work and home!

[@ConnorHarry-k1r]

Hello, I would like to request a lesson on tracing a wire without using a toner. Would you recommend using a stud finder or another tool to locate the connection path? Thank you. I'll be looking forward to a video if possible.

[@SandCruzer6]

Here in El Cajon, California the Home Depot calls Strut Channel, I was in the construction trade for a few years, and everyone called it Uni-Strut.

[@Richard-C]

In Quebec Canada we call it a cantrus and we call the clamps with 1 nut we call cobra clips and they also come in many sizes

[@clydedyson2147]

Unistrut is so versatile. I've even seen it used as a pallet rack 4 and 5 tiers high.

[@MikeSage-hv3hz]

In South Africa it was known as unistrut. It was metric, 41.6 mm instead of 1 5/8 inch. A colleague and I designed 11 km (7 miles) of unistrut cable ladder for a project. In South Africa unistrut was basically the same as in North America, but with some local development such as the ECL76 cable ladder = Electrical Cable Ladder 76 mm shoulder. Brilliant product, invented by an American hardware shop owner.

[@Michael-of8gg]

Strut is my best friend in the feild. Definitely a must

[@stevomatico]

I install a lot of 1 5/8 and 7/8 strut and I have never seen 1 7/8 center to center hole spacing . In 15 years I have only ever seen 2” spacing .

[@joemilton7552]

yes was looking for this comment! I'm gonna find a piece and confirm later, but even when he was talking about it you could see on the tape it didn't look like he was losing 1/8" at each hole. I used to work with it all the time, 99.9% sure it was all 2" spacing

[@joemilton7552]

Just checked to be sure, definitely exactly 2" spacing

[@paulmerchant9015]

bigger question is what di you call the nuts you use to fix stuff to the unistrut, in the UK we call the Zebs i think thats to do with Zebadee from the magic roundabout haha, call them springs nuts aswell or you can get a kwiknut which has a square washer on it as well.

[@i-love-comountains3850]

9:38 building switchgear, i would send the bolt through the hole in the cabinet, thread it into the spring nut (which i ripped the spring off of because those little barstards just get in the way) a couple threads past the back of the nut. Then I'd take my linemans and use the cutting section to slightly mash the bolt thread 1 or 2 threads from the end, and back the bolt into the strut nut till it grabs snugly but isn't marring the threads in the strut nut. Now when you slide the nuts into the strut, they'll spin with the bolt head, making it super easy to adjust the cabinet and then tighten the bolt. Works every time. It can be used for any application that you want some tension or nut retention.

[@CatnamedMittens]

Make a video about it.

[@talpidaesaltatrix4839]

In Brazil these are called perfis/perfilados which means (steel) profiles, a must in industrial, sometimes used in commercial and home applications.

[@dangib4354]

Oregon, industrial electrician. We call it strut and kindorf a lot. Usually with Deep or shallow if it’s necessary to add

[@GibsonCRG]

Total non-electrician here, but I loved this. I'm a bit older, so this hit me as Tinkertoys for adults more than Lego 🙂 I wanna go make something now!

[@motionsick]

Pacific Northwest. I call it unistrut. Learned from a home builder. Some suppliers have been confused by that name and just call it strut. I use this a lot for hanging stuff and running pipe in the shop.

[@randymack2222]

I should have been a electrician! My parents gave me a couple erector sets for Christmas back in the late 60's and early 70's. If I had known that I was beginning journeyman training that early!

[@stacybehrens7152]

Welding zinc plated steel has a lot of issues with hazardous fumes. Could be a reason for manufacturers to prefer rivets or similar fasteners when practical.

[@tcross7287]

Shallow strut is 13/16” high or 3/4” for Kindorf.

[@tolydukhovny682]

excellent review. thanks for the video.

[@jakes.5591]

Your "cone nuts" are great but the plastic part does break off (especially in subzero weather) i love the twist nut it has a metal retaining cone that also has some spring action to it. They are literally the best but they are expensive.

[@nilewow]

It's unistrut or just strut for short, and the "thinner" strut is called shallow strut. Do you have or could you make a video of different concrete mounting options that you would use in your field of work? Overhead, slab, etc...

[@konstantinusstoyanov9749]

I’m not electrician but was good to know, following you for while

[@joemilton7552]

As someone else mentioned, center to center spacing on the slots is 2", not 1 7/8"

[@thecatadors911]

I built some insane backboards outta strut! Some strutt feet anchored down propperly and a basic A frame works wonders for electricians. Ive mounted panels and heavy DCs at concrete & asphault plants that are in high traffic areas that will stay up as long as the plant is around… or untill a sleepy truck driver plows thru it 😅

[@michealplater9007]

Unistrut, Australia.

[@Stones_Throw]

What you held we called Kindorf 30+ years ago. 907 for the 3/4", 905 for the 1-1/2"???

[@jh1859]

"Train track". I liked that one 🤔

[@i-love-comountains3850]

Stainless Steel Unistrut is a DREAM to build with. Idk what it is about it but it's _just SO N I C E . . ._

[@mikeirvin9694]

I'm not an electrician, but I have installed a lot of stainless uni-strut. It's not fun to cut, drill, or tap. Slow speed and lots of pressure. stainless will work harden if you're not careful. I'm a maintenance worker in an indoor farm that does aeroponics. The fertilizer is highly corrosive and would strip the zinc off galvanized metal in about 6 to 8 weeks. For just one example, I've built several R&D systems for the growers to test ideas for the next generation of production systems they are developing. Because they're a standalone test bed, they are independent from the current production equipment servicing the grow rooms. That means each one needs its own pump, filter assemblies, piping, and controls. I use stainless uni-strut to build my own pump skids. That way I can build it in the shop and move it into the grow room as a completed subassembly, connect it to the tanks and the system, then kindly ask the electrician to connect my control cabinet to an appropriate power source. Because they're only for R&D, the strut doesn't even get bolted to the floor.

[@Stoneynite]

Kindorf - Washington, DC

[@PT0B]

Unistrut. It's the "Kleenex" of construction. Midwest USA.

[@richhuntsd12]

Very well done. Thank you

[@SteveTheGasMan]

We use it all the time running gaslines. Great stuff

[@warcon7808]

I love the way you strut!

[@charlesparnell5338]

I live in the UK now, and we almost exclusively use spring nuts. However; everyone, myself included, just yank the spring off. They're more trouble than they're worth, but I'm guessing the contractors use them for cost efficiency. I'm a subby, so I don't deal with ordering, I just make it work, and they work well. I just hate having to put up a 3 meter length strut on my own. On a shaky ass scissor lift, 30-40 feet up, trying to tap into a roof perling. That is a b1tch! :D I'm guessing we've all been there... We also have one guy whose only about 5' tall and maybe 130 lb soaking wet. We send is little ass into the tight spots. XD. Every crew needs this guy.

[@ScottGunMag69]

Electrical guide way.😊Montana originally, N Virginia now. I have cut lots of this stuff over the years as a machinist. We call it strut also.

[@gabinox3229]

"Unicanal" in México, sometimes "Unistrut", but no more fancy names.

[@electricaltimelapsetest5713]

Build a strut rack for a free standing disconnect in the roof of a building. That would be a good demo

[@DaveRussoArt]

Dude. I wish you made this video years ago. I want to use it for everything now (having nothing to do with electrical installs). I mean, do the vanlife DIY folks know about these? lol

[@RobertRogerification]

That cut thru the hole on the kendorf. I can't see anything else😅😅

[@nathanyoung3]

You should do a video on cable tray

[@markburton5292]

for spring nuts i would print a foot that fits onto the spring that is the internal diameter of the strut. is there a large price difference in the spring nut?

[@SouthernOregonGrown]

Uni strut. Shallow strut 7/8, single strut 1 5/8 double strut 3 1/4.

[@craigtate5930]

Strut is a great system for sure... Luckily later in my career i learned to fabricate....that changes the whole game As for conduit racks with tight spacing, sometimes i would mix ½ with 1 in straps to mount ¾ emt...that would nicely cant the bolt

[@randomman057]

I always thought of it as U-channel, but McMaster-Carr lists it and similar products under Strut Channel. By the way, I'm not an electrician...

[@richardcarver5356]

Unistrut, Finger Lakes NY.

[@CR67]

Unistrut. I am used to welding rather than using the hardware. Note that most of that stuff is galvanized which requires precautions when welding.

[@jamesgarrison6430]

We only put a lock washer on the side that is fighting gravity as in the bottom side if it came lose it can fall off

[@jimmymifsud1]

M colleagues and I call it Unislut but the general term is unistrut With all tread we call it threaded rod or booker rod

[@christopher20008]

Very informative

[@petridish3045]

Had a customer in the big blue box store in New Hampshire call it grounding rod.

[@TannerEskew]

Austin,tx. We call in kendorff or unistrut depending on what mood we are in lol.

[@TexasEngineer]

For the DYIer where is the best place to purchase Unistrut? I predate Lego and this stuff is like my TinkerToys and my erector set. Before that it was Lincoln Logs.

[@josephcomeau9514]

We mostly use cobra clamps where you wouldnt have the screws on the side

[@Liazon098]

Where are more resources to find more information on how to use strut?

[@sparkyobrian6417]

bottom line is you use what your company stocks on your truck or job site.

[@adfadgaqgv]

Checkout maker pipe. It's fittings for EMT and all kinds of designs

[@corntrader1455]

Hi what are the last straps you mentioned called? 😅

[@mauroaparicio1855]

great information

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

What a lot of stuff is called depends on what it is being used for. Each skilled trade often has their own names for the same thing and then lay people will have different names a lot of the time.

[@shawnevans26]

I always called it Kindorf in the 90’s, but a lot of people call it Unistrut now. (I’m in Florida)

[@JimVanderveen]

In the theatre (Sacramento, Calif), we called it unistrut

[@jimmcallister2287]

Very cool

[@nevrbdwnruby7484]

Unistrut, strut, slotted, unslotted... We worked with the Germans in Beverly Hills (Metro) called the TBM (We have to work with them along with there machine), and they have there own Unistrut.. There Unitstrut slots in with the square washer/Spring nut perfectly with little wiggle room so you dont have trouble installing the bolts to the washer... I like the Unistruts from Germany better than the US... It's easier.

[@joshuamikofsky4333]

In New York we used to call it Kindorff, but down in Miami we just call it unistrut

[@ChrisEnglish70]

Shallow and deep strut or Unistrut. Southern Illinois/West Kentucky.

[@hawktheexcellentwaysociety8411]

When possible, we use stainless steel 304 or 316 strut, lasts forever! The cost is soon forgotten! Painful to buy, but great when finished!

[@alainmilette6460]

And yet annoying to cut and drill through 😂 but yeah I work in underground tunels and everything is 316

[@ChrisAllan-tn9po]

What's the 3rd conduit holes called?

[@thatfoojosh]

In Los Angeles we sometimes call it U-Chanel.😅

[@i-love-comountains3850]

Not exactly PC, but I've heard "unislut" often used as well lol

[@HenryWatton-n2z]

Deep perforated strut