Uses for metal straps?

[raykos]

Started building a tractor garage/workshop. The delivered lumber was held together with metal straps, width sizes approx. 1/2", 3/4", & 1 1/2".

After cutting them to release the lumber, I began to wonder, are there any other uses for these metal straps? Has anyone used them for anything else?

 

[oldhippy]

They make pretty good shims. I have made a bunch of slim-jims for opening cars and trucks with keys left inside. big dan

 

[BayouMan]

You can also cut them into about 6" lengths and then shape the ends to make profile scrapers for wood working.

Mike

 

[Brad_Blazer]

If your nailgun will penetrate them you can use them for hurricane clips i.e. to tie the roof to the walls.

 

[Huskerplowboy]

Cleary buildings uses them in a few spots to tie in roof braces. On the shop I'm building, the 4 or 5 "jack braces" between the first and second trusses on each end use sections of the steel strapping nailed to the brace 2x4, around and nailed to the truss to tie them together. Otherwise, one wind direction would just pull the brace off of the nails.

 

[rockinmywaypa]

if you are a gardener you can use a gear clamp to hold a loop to a wooden handle to make a nifty hoe.

 

[jayste]

I don't cut mine any shorter than what they are after you remove them. I put them in my short iron stack and use them as I need them. I've used them mainly for shim stock and strapping as others have mentioned.

Jay

 

[Soundguy]

They make pretty good shims. I have made a bunch of slim-jims for opening cars and trucks with keys left inside. big dan

ditto that.. great shims.. I've cut them into strips to be used on axle splines as hub shims when money was tight and hubs were loose..

soundguy

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

we used to "weave" the 1/2 & 3/4 stuff to make kendo armor back in college.
hurricane straps
fillet/foam knife (1.5" stock, because it's enough thicker)
reinforcing strip for holsters (sandwich between layers of leather)
I've never seen a nail gun that would go through the strapping, but have drilled it - but my favorite is using a whitney punch to put holes in it.

 

[Soundguy]

we used to "weave" the 1/2 & 3/4 stuff to make kendo armor back in college.
.

Well.. darn it.. there goes my next years supply of strapping .. I'll have to make some of that armor..

soundguy

 

[have_blue]

Make a custom oil filter wrench. Size a 3/4" strap by bending it around your new oil filter. Leave a couple of 1" tabs to snap vice grips on, and about a 1/8" gap. Gets into places some wrenches won't get into, guaranteed to be a perfect fit.

Take a 10" piece, and cut a "V" in one end. Use this tool to slip into a gap to hold a bolt. It will keep the bolt from turning or falling out while you get the nut tightened.

I always have an assortment of strapping for fashioning hasty tools. My pride and joy is a thick 1" strap that was originally a wind up spring for an air hose reel.

 

[Soundguy]

last time I used strapping to make something was some 3/8 thin strapping.. I used it and a battery to make a hot knife for some styrofoam.. ended up switching to wire though.

have made a lawnmower key before though.

soundguy

 

[tommu56]

When stick building walls use them to keep the wall from kicking out as you lift them up

tom

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

My Senco SN4 and SN325+ framing nailers have no trouble shooting nails through the metal bands.

cool.
thanks for the tip - I'll keep that in mind if I end up needing a new framing nailer.