jamesandtaylor limited | Terracotta Tile Facade | Facing Brick System | Facade Metal

Barracuda 'L' and 'T' Aluminium Substructure Rails

Barracuda 'L' and 'T' aluminium substructure rails feature integral brick course 'gauge tabs'. These gauge tabs enable more rapid and accurate installation of the Barracuda R1 rails. The gauge tabs are positioned at 75mm centres [standard brick course height] along the length of the 'L' and 'T' aluminium substructure rails.

Barracuda 'L' rails are situated at maximum 600mm centres behind the 'standard' Barracuda R1 rails [and R2 and R3 rails]. Barracuda 'T' rails occur at the junction between the ends of adjacent Barracuda R1 rails [and R2 and R3 rails].

Barracuda 'L' and 'T' aluminium substructure rails are normally supplied by James & Taylor already cut to the required lengths. The lengths required will need to be specifically ordered from James & Taylor.

If Barracuda 'L' and 'T' aluminium substructure rails need to be cut to length on site they must be cut so that the bottom of the rail is cut 68mm below the top of the lowest gauge tab and the top of the rail is cut 72mm above the top of the uppermost gauge tab. James & Taylor can provide special vertical rail 'Marking Square' tools that enable the straightforward and accurate marking of these dimensions onto the 'L' and 'T' rails so that they can then be accurately cut.

Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails are designed so that they will be compatible with [fit into] most proprietary 'helping hand' brackets. The types and positions of helping hand brackets and their fastening method should be indicated on your 'builders work drawings'. The adequacy of the helping hand bracket configuration [bracket types, positions/spacings and their fastening method] must be proven by recognised calculation method and/or suitable test.

Push the Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails into the helping hand brackets just enough so that they are initially 'held' by the helping hand brackets. Before pushing them in too far, check that the 'L' and 'T' rails are close to the required level and adjust up or down if necessary. Push the Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails further into the helping hand brackets until their front face/surface is positioned 50mm behind the design location for the front face of the brick slip cladding.

It is important to make sure that the Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails are accurately adjusted, to their correct, finalised, level, before securing them to the helping hand brackets. The Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails should be 'levelled' across the tops of corresponding brick course 'gauge tabs'.

When satisfied that the Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails are accurately adjusted to their correct and finalised level and that they are accurately adjusted so that their face is 50mm behind the design location for the front face of the brick slip cladding [usually the requirement will be for the 'L and 'T' rails to be 'vertical'] the 'L' and 'T' rails should be temporarily clamped to the helping hand brackets to ensure that they do not move during drilling/installation of the helping hand to 'L' and 'T' rail fasteners.

The Barracuda 'L' and 'T' rails can be secured to the helping hand brackets with either, suitable stainless steel self-drilling/self-tapping screws or suitable stainless steel rivets.