FAQ

In the testing of self-drilling Magic Toggles, what do Q12, T12, TC12, TB, T1, TT2, TS2, and TS12 mean?
  • Q12: The maximum torque required to install a Magic Toggle into a 12mm gypsum board under normal conditions.
  • T12 and TC12: After the Magic Toggle is installed into the gypsum board, further tightening is applied:If the Magic Toggle fails while the gypsum board remains intact, the torque is recorded as TC12. If the gypsum board fails, the torque is recorded as T12.
  • TB: The torque measured when the Magic Toggle is deliberately broken using a screwdriver on a dedicated testing device.
  • T1: After the Magic Toggle is installed, the screw is driven until its head just contacts the Toggle. The maximum torque at this moment is recorded as T1.
  • TS2 and TS12: After T1 is measured, the screw is further tightened:If the screw is not held properly by the Toggle and slips (stripping occurs), the torque is recorded as TS2.If the screw drives the Toggle and causes damage to the gypsum board, the torque is recorded as TS12.
  • TT2: After installing the Magic Toggle on a specially designed board, the screw is tightened and over-torqued until the Magic Toggle itself fails. The torque recorded at this point is TT2.
What is the relationship among Q12, T12, TC12, TB, T1, TT2, TS2, and TS12 during testing of self-drilling Magic Toggles?
  • Q12 and T1: The smaller, the better — indicating easier installation and lower risk of damaging the Toggle.
  • T12, TC12, TB, TT2, TS2, TS12: The larger, the better — reflecting greater strength, holding force, and durability.

During installation, a higher T12/Q12 ratio leads to a better user experience. Whether using manual or power tools, a high ratio means a smoother process.
Only when T12/Q12 > 1.5 is the use of power tools recommended. In such cases, the torque setting should be greater than Q12 and less than T12.

The ratio T12/T1 must be more than 1 for the Magic Toggle to be suitable for use. A bigger T12/T1 and TC12/T1 ratio (1.5) is preferred to prevent early failure during screw insertion.

TS2 and TT2 represent the clamping strength between the screw and the object fastened by the Toggle. In our test videos, this is demonstrated by the holding force between a metal hook and the Magic Toggle. TS2 and TT2 represent the clamping force between the screw and the object being fastened. In our test videos, this is demonstrated by the holding force between a metal hook and the Magic Toggle. Empirical evidence confirms that higher torque generates greater clamping force, exhibiting a directly proportional relationship. Increased clamping force effectively prevents the fastened object from loosening; furthermore, higher clamping force does not significantly reduce the object's load-bearing capacity.

TS12 is a critical value. If it’s too low, the object cannot be securely fastened to the drywall.
In the demonstration, the hook is held by the screw and Magic Toggle without the screw engaging the wall directly — meaning TS12 must be high to ensure a firm connection.

For certain self-drilling drywall anchors with expansion function, the expansion process itself causes the anchor to lose its grip on the screw; consequently, only TS2 can be measured. A low TS2 value results in a poor user experience in DIY applications, as the hook feels insecurely connected to the anchor.

How does the TOGGLE work?

A TOGGLE refers to a specific type of fastener used to secure objects to base materials that are typically too brittle or weak to hold screws or bolts on their own, such as drywall, plasterboard, or ceilings.

Purpose: Toggles create a secure point of attachment where regular screws or bolts would fail or pull out due to insufficient base material strength.

What’s the difference between TOGGLE and screw-in ANCHOR or PLUG?

– Plugs are tap-in anchors, which need pre-drill a hole with a specific drill bit. The objects are fastened together by screws or bolts and plugs, which are fixed together by friction with the materials. This friction is usually enhanced by the expansion of the plugs, but excessive expansion of the plugs will damage the board. The objects and the board are not fastened together directly.

– Screw-in anchors are generally self-drilling and are convenient to use because they are faster to install than plugs that need to be pre-drilled with a specific drill bit. To a professional or a Do-It-Yourselfer, time savings mean a lot! There are situations, however, where self-drilling may be more suitable for ANCHOR than pre-drilling and for smaller hole diameters. The larger the hole, the greater the damage to the drywall. Screw-in anchors rely primarily on the threads rather than just friction to hold
the drywall together.

– Toggle is an enhanced version of Anchor. The toggle is the folding, mechanic-loaded part of the fastener that opens behind the material (i.e. hollow wall) to anchor the fastener securely.

Can you explain the difference of shear, tensile, and cantilever force?

– Shear force
Stationary objects that are attached to vertical walls need to withstand shear forces. These objects are generally not taken down and hung up, such as thermostat, clocks, picture frame, etc.

– Tensile force (Pull Out)
Hang objects from the ceiling.

– Cantilever force
If the bracket is at a certain distance from the wall, or if thick objects are hung on the wall, the hanging force is a combination of shear force and tension. Frequently  placed objects, such as paper towel bar, towel or cloth racks, and cabinets, will also be subject to the combined effects of shear force and tension. Understanding the various load forces that affect wall toggle points can help you hang objects with more confidence.

Installation tips

– Using multiple anchors
When using multiple toggles, the damage to the gypsum board caused by the toggles themselves must be considered. When two or more fasteners must be used at a close distance, it is recommended to use a light anchor and a heavy toggle, which is also less cost.

– Working load
The vibration or shocks applied to working load applications can cause anchors to fail at lower values. It is recommended to use TOGGLE instead of ANCHOR.

Why is B12 such an important parameter for a DRYWALL ANCHOR?

B12 refers to the back-out torque — the torque required to unscrew the anchor itself from a 12 mm drywall after installation with the specified torque Q12.

If B12 is too low, the anchor may come out together with the screw when the screw is removed. This causes the anchor to fail and leaves an enlarged hole in the drywall that cannot be reused.

When fastening objects to drywall, what should be considered when using a DRYWALL ANCHOR versus a TOGGLE?

With a DRYWALL ANCHOR:

  • The tighter
    the screw is driven, the greater the clamping force between the screw
    and the anchor — but this is not the same as the bond between the anchor
    and the drywall.
  • That bond depends mainly on the installation torque Q12. If Q12 is too high, the drywall may be damaged.
  • Q12 must always be lower than T12, the failure torque of the drywall.

With a TOGGLE:

  • Tightening the screw increases the clamping force among the object, the toggle, and the drywall.
  • Over-tightening, however, may damage the backside of the drywall.
  • TOGGLEs generally provide much higher pull-out strength than drywall anchors, and B12 is not a critical parameter.
  • They
    also allow easy removal and reinstallation of screws and objects,
    making them convenient for maintenance or after repainting the wall.