Fixings & Fasteners

Nylon for general bundling, and stainless steel where heat, weather or chemicals would degrade nylon. The Mercury nylon ties, such as the 782.018UK, list a 181lbs maximum load and a -40°C to 85°C range, while the Haydon HAY-SS200 and HAY-SS350 stainless steel ties are described for outdoor, marine and industrial use.

Pick a length that goes round the bundle with room to pull tight, and a width to suit the load. Mercury ties include 2.5 x 200mm (782.021UK), 3.6 x 140mm (782.018UK), 4.8 x 200mm (782.026UK), 4.8 x 300mm (782.025UK) and 4.8 x 380mm (782.029UK), and the Haydon HAY-SS200 and HAY-SS350 stainless ties are 4.6mm wide in 200mm and 350mm lengths.

With nail-fix clips sized for the cable: the Blake UK black clips suit round CAT5 of about 5mm, and the Unifix grey clips are also made for CAT5; the Blake UK and Unifix clips come in boxes of 100. Space the clips evenly along the run and do not pinch the cable under the nail.

The Superlec black shotgun cable clips, which are made for RG59+2 shotgun cable, the combined coax and power cable used for analogue CCTV, and come in packs of 100. A clip sized for the cable holds the pair flat against the wall without squeezing the coax, which keeps the video signal clean.

Choose by the depth of the back box and the plate: the Knightsbridge M3.5 socket screws come in 35mm, 50mm and 75mm lengths, and a longer screw suits a deeper box or a plate that sits proud of the wall. Flat-head versions such as the CSCREW50FN and CSCREW75FN are made for screwless and flat plate sockets and switches.

A raised-head screw has a slightly domed countersunk head for a standard plate, while a flat-head screw sits flush and is made for screwless and flat plate sockets and switches. Knightsbridge raised-head screws include the CSCREW35, CSCREW50 and CSCREW75; flat-head ones include the CSCREW50FN in nickel, CSCREW50FB in brass and CSCREW50FBK in black.

Anti-tamper screws need a matching driver, so a fitting cannot be opened with an ordinary screwdriver. The Hoyles FIX/11 is a pack of 2 M3.5 x 25mm pin-hex countersunk screws, and the Cygnus 1000-FIX-0013 is a base anti-tamper screw from the Cygnus RBU range. Use them where detectors, bases or covers are within reach of the public.

Cage nuts clip into the square holes of a rack or cabinet rail so that equipment, shelves and panels can be bolted in place. The All-Rack cage nut pack holds 50 silver cage nuts with washers and 6mm screws, described for fixing network racks and cabinet accessories. Fit the nut from inside the rail before offering up the equipment.

Small caps that cover the fixing screws on a wiring accessory plate for a neater finish. Knightsbridge CAPCOVERS are an assorted pack of 100 polypropylene covers for SN and CU series fittings, and GRIDCAPCOVERS are a pack of 100 for curved grid faceplates, which fix with the CSCREWM3 M3 x 6mm faceplate screws.