Getting Gate Hinges Aligned

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I just bought a pair of weldable barrel hinges for my driveway gate (details at http://www.mcfrugal.com/products/Bar...-Weldable.html).  My gate is damaged at the hinge-end vertical rail, so my plan was to weld the hinges onto the rail (1 1/2" square tubing, 3/13" thick), then onto the post (fixed in the ground, not removable), then take the rail off the hinges and attach it to the gate so I didn't have to work with a 10' wide, hundred-plus pound gate.I welded the non-pin side of the hinges to the rail yesterday, and I'm not sure I got them aligned quite right--when I put the pin end in and turned the hinge against a flat plate (not welded, just sitting on the plate), the hinges moved a little bit.  I don't know if it'll be enough to cause binding, but if it is, I'm going to have to cut them off and try again.When I welded them on, I laid the rail flat, then used a 4' spirit level to get the edges of the hinges coplanar and tacked them down.  They looked to be aligned, but the wobble in my test suggests that it wasn't as close as I thought.  If I have to cut them out and do it again, what would be a better way of getting them in line?
Reply:I normally use tube and solid bar to make a hinge, you need to have a bar going through all parts of the hinge and then i offer the door/ gate to where i want it and weld the hinge en situ,That way you know the door/gate is in the right place and the hinge is welded up correctly
Reply:Is this in the ground or in the shop .in the shop I usually mesure the scribe a centerline then tac it  on the post. then put the  hinges together line up the gate and tack it so everything is good to go then weld350P 30A spool gun cut master 51  syncro 250 other stuff " take a dog off the street and make him prosper and he will not bite you sad the same cannot be said for man" i didnt use punctuation just to piss you off
Reply:I use a long piece of cold roll the same size as the hinge pins. Insert it through the hinges and spread them to the desired location and tack them in place. Same operation for the other half of the hinge.Lincoln SA200's... at least 15 - 20. They come and go. Growing partial to the "Short Hoods" in my old age. Last count on Short Hoods was 13 in possession.
Reply:The plates welded on those barrel hinges tend to be pretty crooked so be sure to use a straight edge against the barrel itself not the plate. And remember that the pipe or tube will warp when you weld it.Ian TannerKawasaki KX450 and many other fine tools
Reply:Just found this on the web about fitting weldable hingesDesign Considerations and Instructions for the Proper Fit-Up and Welding of Weld-On Hinges.   1)   Lift-Off Door Applications   In most lift-off door applications of weld-on hinges, the male barrel (the barrel with the pin) is welded to the frame structure.  Why?  Lift-off doors get dropped.  Hinge pins on these dropped doors get bent.  Therefore, female barrels (the hinge barrels without pins) shoud be welded to the door. 2)   Non-Removable Door Applications   Weld-on Hinge Pin Orientation -  Functionally, there is a load advantage to having the male barrels attached to the frame, top and bottom, pointing towards each other.  Reason: greater spread between hinges.     A consideration:  Make sure to allow sufficient clearence for a grease gun when mounting the female barrel of a weld-on hinge with a grease fitting.   3)  Fit-up a)  Tack weld the male barrel of bottom hinge to the frame.  Insert bushing over pin. b)  Accurately fit-up door and tack female barrel of bottom hinge to door. c)  The bottom hinge now supports the weight of the door while fitter holds the top. d)  With door accurately fitted, align the hinges with a straight edge along the weld tabs assuring that all hinges pivot about the same axis. 4)  Welding Weld along the full length of the weld tab. Caution:  DO NOT allow the weld to penetrate through the wall of the female barrel, welding the barrel to the pin.  This is a frequent mistake.  The hinge is no longer a hinge since all parts are welded together, and it is time to start grinding it off.
Reply:Originally Posted by fortyonethirtyThe plates welded on those barrel hinges tend to be pretty crooked so be sure to use a straight edge against the barrel itself not the plate. And remember that the pipe or tube will warp when you weld it.
Reply:Wish I would have read this post about a week ago.
Reply:'salright, I wish I'd written it about a week ago, before I started sticking things together.
Reply:D'oh!  A really easy idea just occurred to me:Put the hinge sections in a piece of angle iron, with the pads facing up, and lay the bar on top of them.  As long as the barrels are true, the angle will keep them aligned.Why can't I be smart before I screw up?