my first cantilever gate

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We completed this last months, It is opens 18 feet with 9 feet for the cantilever.  Easy build.  I had to think of it as the frame and then the fencing.  It seemed overhelming when I thought about the entire thing.  Used vee rollers on angle iron for the sliding mechanism.  Using the vee rollers requires the frame be very straight vertically, no peaks over the intermediate posts or valleys. No trusses.  I hung the prior to installing and determined the gussets sufficient after much straightening.  I welded the gusset while the gate was hanging off a table. I thought by welding over the roller it would counter the weld contraction.  Not so.  So two days later it was straight again.  A fun experience.  We did the fencing also.  The gate only weighs 350lbs.Those finnials were purchased from King.  I had the young man who works for me drill holes into them.  (I didn't want to weld or glue them on.)  I had 2 boxes.  He drilled the first with no problem.  The second box would not drill at all. Not a single finial drilled we used several different drill bits.  Something to watch out for if you purchase that cast stuff.The straight pickets is always a goal of mine.  Overlapping gate panels and fencing tell the tale.  You can usually grind away a bad weld but you can't get cover up lack of plumb.Last edited by tapwelder; 04-10-2008 at 12:27 AM.
Reply:Looks good with your gate horizontals lining up with your rails in the fence-not always easy to do.I`ve run into the hard finials before as well. Some make good curtain rod ends but you have to drill and tap a hole in it to lock it to the rod. When you get a hard batch it makes me mad.I weld my finials on on the backside with UTP 85FN rods and peen them a few times. Its the best I`ve come up with and they dont break very easy either.
Reply:Thanks Bob.What is UTP 85FN?  I usually epoxy finials on,  was too cold to deal with the stuff though.
Reply:Very nice job!  Looks Great.Real world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:solid look..... make jumping over the gate a hard job...Unit in my fab shop dept:my good hand and team that trust me...A lone welder make art... a village full of welder make Miracles...
Reply:Very nice indeed! That is proud!I'm still trying to comprehend how the gate's curtain clears the rollers. It must be a separate frame on stand-offs?What size are the gate's tube and angle iron? Would you recommend that size for a clone?Thanks for the gate post!
Reply:Awesome job TAP!John -  fabricator extraordinaire, car nut!-  bleeding Miller blue! http://www.weldfabzone.com
Reply:Thanks guys.The rect. tubing is 3/16x1.5x3.   4 inch might have been better with the small amount of internal bracing I have.  I think the angle is 1/4" by 1", It was whatever has 1.5" hypotenuse.  I would build with those dimensions again, however.I would use the proper wheels next time. They were available locally and I wanted to make the brackets. I thought I would finish sooner than I did.  I ended up stepping over this gate for quite a few weeks to do other stuff.  I got the idea for the wheels off www.shopfloortalk.com.The panels are standing off on a piece of angle.  I was going to screw then on for easy removal, ending up tack welding.  I had a suspicion this gate might be hit, hence all the reflective tape.
Reply:the frame tubing is 14g X 1.5"x3".  The post are 3"sq x 3/16".
Reply:Neat idea, no wheels on the ground. How easy does it push/pull extended out?
Reply:85FN is UTP`s butter rod for cast iron. It works really well for welding cast to mild steel. You can weld 8 or 10 finials before you start peening. It welds the finials so well that my powder coat guy says my stuff is the only work he`s never broke a finial off on. And he does a whole lot of stuff for me.
Reply:Sandy,The is very easy to close.  Actually, a automatic opener would be safer, because operating it maually-- once the gate gets going It take some effort to stop.  The client, a lady, was quite satified that she could close the gate by herself, if needed. Prior to building the gate, I never consider however the peaks and valleys would affect rolling, initially it was impossible to get or adjust the gate to roll past the inermediate post there were peaks above each.  Simple solution,  2 days of heating, watercooling, hydraulic jacking, welding( trying to use the weld contraction) and cutting and rewelding gusset.  The gussets caused most of the trouble,  though more prevention on the front end will be the real simple solution.There is a catch on the closed end that keep the gate from being flexed downward.Bob, are you in the U.S.,  Is that rod available in th U.S.?  I'll have to try it if I can get it.
Reply:The best thing I have found for attaching cast iron finials to steel spindles is Allstate Corecast 8600 gas shielded flux cored mig wire. You need a pretty healthy machine to run it but it makes up for it in speed. No peening, pre or post heating needed. It also works wonderfully for repairing these antique cast iron fence posts down here. Pre and post are required but no peening.Nice work and not easy to do either.The difference between art and craft is the quality of the workmanship. I am an artist.