Features
- 1 7/8" Tall
- 1/8" Thick
- Sold In 10 Pack
- Made In USA
Specifications
Unit Count | 1 |
Steel gusset plates measuring 1-7/8" x 1-7/8" and 1/8" thick, each with a single pre-drilled hole; sold as a pack of 10 and made in the USA. They are used to reinforce joints and add strength to bolted or welded structural connections for fabrication, repair, or mounting applications.
Ruffstuff Specialties 1 7/8"x 1 7/8" Tall - 1/8" Thick Steel Gussets - 1 Hole Steel Gusset - Pack Of 10 - R2707 Review
Small parts that pull more than their weight
In my shop, few things speed up a fabrication day like having the right little helpers within arm’s reach. These 1-7/8-inch steel gussets from RuffStuff have become that kind of staple—simple, predictable, and ready to solve the dozens of “this corner needs a bit more stiffness” moments that pop up on almost every project.
What they are and how they’re put together
The gussets are right-angle, 1-7/8" by 1-7/8", cut from 1/8" steel and each carries a single pre-drilled hole. They come in a pack of ten, which is the right quantity for tackling a couple of assemblies or working through one project with a few spares left over for the next one. Mine arrived flat, consistent, and true to size. Thickness measured right at 1/8", as advertised. They’re made in the USA, and the consistency shows—every piece matched the next closely enough that I could mix and match without thinking about it.
The hole is the quiet hero. On some joints I used it as a simple bolt-through point. On others, it became a plug-weld hole—an easy way to anchor the gusset and add shear capacity without laying a heavy bead along the edges. If you’ve ever fought to hold a tiny gusset in position while tacking it, you’ll appreciate being able to throw a bolt through the hole to fix your alignment before you strike an arc.
In use: where these shine
I put these to work on a trailer-side ladder rack, a small equipment cart, and a couple of tabs on a roll bar accessory mount. The parts are sized for light-to-moderate duty bracing—think small shelves, rack corners, bracket reinforcement, crossmember junctions, and gusseting tube intersections where you need stiffness without adding bulk.
On the trailer rack, two gussets per upright/node stopped the slight racking I was seeing when the rack was loaded asymmetrically. I plug-welded through the hole and stitched the long edges to the square tube. The improvement was immediate and obvious; the chatter and twist disappeared.
For the roll bar accessory mount, I used the hole to attach a clamp-on accessory plate. It turned the gusset into a notched little tab—handy when you’re improvising mounting points without adding new brackets.
On the cart, I used them purely as welded corner braces on a 1" square tube frame. The 1/8" thickness plays nicely with MIG on typical shop settings; just mind your heat input to keep from overheating thin wall tubing.
If you fabricate regularly, you already know the value proposition: cutting your own triangles from plate or strap works, but it eats time and rarely yields ten identical pieces without a jig. Having a bag of consistent, ready-to-weld gussets means you can spend your time fitting, welding, and moving on.
Fit, finish, and prep
The pieces I received were cleanly cut and required minimal prep. I hit the edges with a quick pass of a flap disc to soften the corners and knocked off any tiny burrs before fitting. They weld clean with MIG or TIG. For stick, I’d choose a smaller rod and keep travel speed up, but 1/8" steel is forgiving across processes if your prep is solid.
These are raw steel, so plan to prime and paint or otherwise protect them if they’ll live outdoors. Left bare, they’ll flash rust—nothing unusual, just something to account for in your workflow. On outdoor pieces I prefer to stitch weld, then seal the edges and spray a zinc-rich primer before topcoat.
Design flexibility and small hacks
A few simple tricks made these even more useful:
- Use the hole for a temporary alignment bolt to keep the gusset from walking while tacking.
- Turn the hole into a plug weld to add shear capacity without an overly visible edge weld.
- Pair two gussets back-to-back across a joint for a neat, symmetrical look and evenly distributed stiffness.
- If you need more bearing under a bolt head on thin material, slip a washer between the head and the gusset or step up to a flanged fastener.
- If sharp corners are a concern around wiring or hoses, radius the outside corner with a quick grind; it also reduces stress concentration slightly on highly loaded corners.
Because they’re only 1/8" thick, drilling extra holes or shaping a notch is straightforward with standard shop tooling. That’s useful when you want to repurpose one as a small tab, add a second bolt, or clear a fillet weld.
Where they fit—and where they don’t
It’s important to match gusset size and thickness to the job. At 1-7/8" and 1/8" thick, these are ideal for light braces and small frames, or to add local stiffness to a larger assembly that already has good load paths. They’re not intended to be the sole support in a heavy structural connection, and they’re not a substitute for proper joint design. For high-load applications, larger or thicker gussets (3/16" or 1/4") are more appropriate, and for bolted-only joints you’ll often want at least two bolts to prevent rotation. With a single bolt, the gusset can pivot unless the joint is otherwise constrained or welded.
If you’re working under any code or sanctioning body rules (roll cages, for example), check the specific requirements for gusset area and thickness. These are great utility pieces, but compliance details vary and sometimes call for different geometry or material.
Value and consistency
The ten-pack format just makes sense. It’s enough to address the four corners of a frame with spares for diagonals, or to hit the typical “two per corner” approach on a couple of small projects. I appreciate not having to stop mid-build to cut more triangles. Price-wise, they beat the shop time it would take me to produce equivalently consistent pieces by hand, and I’d rather save my cutting table time for parts that can’t be bought off the shelf.
Consistency deserves a second mention. Every gusset in my pack matched dimensionally well enough to keep frame assemblies square without compensating on the fly. That translates directly into speed and avoids the creeping frustration of making small corrections at every tack.
Practical tips for better results
- Clean both mating surfaces thoroughly; scale, paint, and oil all fight penetration on 1/8" joints.
- Clamp tight across the joint so the gusset sits flat before tacking; even a slight gap will telegraph through a small part.
- On thin-wall tube, stitch weld rather than laying a continuous bead to control heat input and minimize distortion.
- If painting, prime as soon as the weld cools enough to handle; bare, warm steel will flash rust quickly in humid shops.
- Keep a few different sizes of gussets on hand; mixing a couple of larger pieces into a framework with these small ones can create a more predictable stiffness profile.
The bottom line
I like these gussets because they’re honest little parts: sized realistically for everyday fabrication, consistent, easy to weld, and genuinely useful. They turn a lot of fussy corner work into a clamp-weld-paint routine and help tame racking and chatter in small frames without adding bulk. They’re not a magic bullet—if you’re building heavy structural joints, step up in size and thickness—but for light-to-moderate reinforcement in trailers, racks, carts, brackets, and tube intersections, they do exactly what you want them to do.
Recommendation: I recommend these gussets. They’re a time-saving, cost-effective way to add reliable stiffness to small assemblies, the single hole expands how you can use them (bolt-through or plug-weld), and the made-in-USA consistency means you can trust each piece to match the next. Just choose the right size for the load, protect them from corrosion, and they’ll earn a permanent spot in your fabrication bin.
Project Ideas
Business
DIY Industrial Shelf Kit
Create and sell small shelf kits that include one or two 1-7/8" gussets, pre-cut wood boards, screws/anchors, and a simple installation guide. Position kits for urban renters and crafters who want an easy industrial accent. Upsell finishes (powder-coated gussets) and bundled multi-shelf packages.
Furniture Repair Reinforcement Packs
Package gussets with size-matched screws and step-by-step repair instructions for common fixes (loose chair joints, wobbly tables, pallet furniture). Market to DIY furniture restorers and thrift-store flippers. Offer tiered packs (single, 5-pack, 10-pack) and online how-to videos.
Small-Batch Home Decor Line
Design a line of industrial-chic home accessories using the gusset as a signature motif—coat hooks, picture hangers, small wall sculptures. Promote 'Made in USA' sourcing and hand-finished options. Sell via Etsy, local markets, and social media with lifestyle photos showing the metal detail on wood.
Workshop Classes & Pop-Up Builds
Host hands-on workshops teaching attendees to make functional items (shelves, hooks, planters) using the gussets. Charge per seat and include a pack of gussets as part of the materials fee. Partner with maker spaces, craft stores, or community centers to reach hobbyists and beginners.
Mobile Reinforcement Service for Small Businesses
Offer a fast, on-site repair/retrofit service for cafes, boutiques, and event companies that need quick fixes to fixtures, displays, or rental furniture. Use the gussets as standardized reinforcement hardware for consistent, cost-effective repairs; bill per job or offer monthly maintenance contracts.
Creative
Visible Industrial Shelf Brackets
Use a single 1-7/8" x 1-7/8" steel gusset as the visible anchor for a small floating shelf. Bolt the gusset to a 1x6 or 1x8 reclaimed wood board through the pre-drilled hole, fasten into a stud with a long lag, and hide the hardware with a small metal trim or leave it exposed for an industrial look. Finish options: clear coat to show raw steel, black oxide, or a rust patina for farmhouse style.
Corner Reinforced Planter Boxes
Reinforce inside corners of wooden planter boxes using the 1/8" thick gussets. Each 1-7/8" gusset fits neatly into a box corner and is screwed from the inside to strengthen joints against soil weight and moisture. Sand and seal the gusset with weatherproof paint or leave as raw metal for a chic contrast against wood.
Tool Hanger & Key Rack
Turn each one-hole gusset into a small wall-mounted hanger for hand tools, keys, or kitchen utensils. Screw the gusset to a painted board or directly to the wall through the existing hole; bend or weld a short hook or repurpose the bolt head as a stop. Pack-of-10 lets you make a coordinated row or multiple hooks for a workshop wall.
Minimalist Candle & Spike Holders
Weld or bolt a short metal spike into the gusset's pre-drilled hole to create a tea-light spike, incense holder, or spike-mounted taper holder. Multiple gussets welded into geometric clusters form a modern centerpiece. Because each plate is 1/8" thick, it holds spikes securely yet remains small and elegant.
Mixed-Media Kinetic Sculpture
Use the 10-pack to build a small-scale kinetic sculpture or mobile: link gussets with wire, rods, or reclaimed bicycle spokes through the single holes, balance pieces to move with air currents. The uniform size (1-7/8") creates visual rhythm; finish pieces differently (paint, patina, polish) for contrast.