Customer Reviews for Simpson Strong-Tie MP 3 in. x 6 in. 20-Gauge Galvanized Mending Plate

was just what I wanted for the job

All these bad reviews that drag down this score is a shame. Because someone doesn't have the intuition to/basic mechanics to hammer in evenly and NOT With your 16oz home owner kids hammer! So they give a 1 star for there... Stupidity. I think those reviews reflect more on the Person than the product.

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Rating provided by a verified purchaser

They worked very well!

Very well made and priced!

Must have a heavy hammer in order to hammer the metal in to the lumber

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Excellent product

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Rating provided by a verified purchaser

I tried hammering these in and that doesn't work. The only way I see these working is if you have a press of some sorts.

These things are great and will make a strong connection. When Truss manufacturers install them(or the ones Simpson claims they sell them), they use a hydraulic C clamp, I have seen them done this way. They put one on each side(top and bottom) of a supported joint and squeeze them together at the same time using hydraulic pressure. If you can figure out a hydraulic way of fastening them more power to you. I hammer them on a supported surface with a 3 LB hammer. You can use a smaller hammer but it takes more time. The key is to not distort them too much in the process. As you hammer one side the other side will bend and rise up. So you alternate blows taking smaller hits at first until both side are engaged in the wood., then proceed to flatten them. Another way of getting them engaged is to place a flat plate of steel on top and hammer that to start or even another 2x4 scrap can work. I have a 4x8 door to my barn framed with these things on both sides of the joint and it is 30 years old and covered in a 70 pound piece of cement siding. It has not sagged. It does have a couple fo corner to corner braces too.

These plates will work well on fresh wood but not on older, seasoned wood. It took a 2 lb sledge hammer to drive the prongs into seasoned wood. Luckily I was fastening 4x4s or I would have destroyed anything smaller. On new wood I believe they would work well.

It has done exactly what it should binding two pieces of timber together.

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Nice bracket.

Hard to nail in. Warp easi

I tried it on 2" x 4" and had a hard time keeping it in place. What do I need, a sledge hammer ? LOL.

Held wood together just fine, nothing else to say, pretty basic

I’ve used a couple of these to help mend some fence posts. Pretty sturdy, have not pulled out, yet.

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Great plates, the joist hagers are expensive

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I like to use these mending plates when I build a shed. I have used them to hold the trusses together and also for 4x4x8 putting 2 together for a 16' base for a shed. They work great an have a strong hold. You can nail right thru oe if you need to.