Small Set Of Aluminum Driveway Gates

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I started these a while ago. I have just been working on them on the weekends or what is left of my weekend. And it is actually going pretty well. In order to get in some time of my own, I have been taking my Ipad Air into the basement with me and watching a movie while I cut, drill, countersink, counter bore, and thread. Usually I just have a one track mind, and people could die if they get in my way when I am building something. But I really chilled out, while I did this project. Mostly because I did not want to make a mistake starting and stopping the project. It is amazing what a week will do to your memory. Or old age. Haha. My friend wanted the most room he could get when the gates are open. So against my better judgment and recommendation, he wanted me to mount one side directly to the house. The reason you do not do this is because sometimes women have a tendency to drive into driveway gates, some men too. And if it is solidly anchored to the house, it makes a lot of work. But he said he is really not going to be driving through them. Rather occasionally storing a car or trailer behind the gates. So I designed one of the gates to mount on his house. One hinge mounts to the foundation, the other will mount on the side of the house, which is stucco over 3/4" tongue and groove, and wood framing. There is a beefed up area behind the hinge that was put there just for the gate. I will put some 1/2" double expansion anchors in the foundation. The other side already has a 4" square box tubing sticking out of the ground. The 5"x5" aluminum box tubing will sleeve over that. The stucco and foundation are not level, about 1 1/4" difference. So one hinge has to be longer then the other. We might have to shim a little to get it right. Then we can set the other side that is mounted to the post to match the house side. The post mounted side will not swing both ways, we want to optimize the amount of room between the post and the gate mounted to the house. So I made a different type of hinge, that will not protrude into the entrance. The gate when closed will cover the 5"x5" post. I counter bored for a socket cap stainless steel bolt, to penetrate the 4" deep hinge. I leave some space between the gate and the post so little kids do not get their fingers caught in the gate. Now I just have to break it down and get it powder coated.                      Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:These are some pictures so you can get an idea of how the hinges mount.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:Inside the 5"x5" post there are two pieces of 3/8" thick aluminum, held with a rosebud weld, so I could drill and tap them.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:Very nice.  A lot of work in those hinges. What will the centers of the doors be?Yeah, I know, but it'll be ok!Lincoln Square wave 255Miller Vintage mig30a spoolgunThermal Dynamics Pacmaster 100xl plasmaSmith mc torchEllis 1600 band saw
Reply:Just remembered I also have to stamp with numbers, the parts as I break them down, for powder coating. I do not like to deal with puzzles and the unknown when I get to the job site.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormickLast edited by William McCormick; 10-19-2014 at 09:46 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by welderjVery nice.  A lot of work in those hinges. What will the centers of the doors be?
Reply:Beautiful hinges"Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:I'm not a gate guy, but this seems like a problem to me: "The stucco and foundation are not level, about 1 1/4" difference.  So one hinge has to be longer then the other. We might have to shim a little to get it right. Then we can set the other side that is mounted to the post to match the house side. ".First, I think you mean plumb, not level. But if they are not plumb you will have 2 different radius's, and the gate will not operate correctly. Why not build it out so the two hinges are plumb to each other?Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:The bottom hinge is longer then the top hinge, that means the pins will be plumb to one another even though they are sitting on different elevations, they will be level in terms of elevation off the wall of the house. But when we tighten the hinge plate to the house, I am sure we will get some compression. More then likely to level or plumb the gate we will need some 1/16" to 1/4" shims under the top or bottom hinge plate.                      Sincerely,                            William McCormickLast edited by William McCormick; 10-21-2014 at 10:43 PM.Reason: I changed plump to plumb
Reply:Originally Posted by farmersammBeautiful hinges
Reply:I dropped the gates off at the powder coater today. Along with all the parts, that I numbered to match the numbers I stamped on the gates. While I was there I saw this, it looked pretty wild so I got some pictures. I thought it was really nice workmanship, for this day in age. Not even sure what kind of race or performance application it is for. Just looked cool.             Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:Those are beutiful hinges. I bet the customers where glad you they found you!thats a nice rear end looks likes its for a circuit car from how wide it looks. I wonder the thickness? Do you know?
Reply:Originally Posted by motolife313Those are beutiful hinges. I bet the customers where glad you they found you!thats a nice rear end looks likes its for a circuit car from how wide it looks. I wonder the thickness? Do you know?
Reply:Looks like it would be used for drag racing or off-roading maybe?
Reply:I press bronze bushings into the hinges that get mounted to the post, or the house in this case,  a 1/2" stainless steel pin will go through that and tie that to the gate. It does kind of seem like a lot of work and it is, and it isn't. If I have all my stuff to get it done, it goes well. If I am missing tools, cutters, custom extensions to hold the countersink, or materials, the job crashes. That is why I took my time on these. I was sure I was going to be short some materials tools and supplies. Plus I work crazy hours in the city, I have to travel almost four hours total each day. So I am not such a ball of energy when I get home. Sometimes. Ha-ha.                      Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:I make my own Teflon washers with a 1 3/4" outside diameter, and I cut down large half inch stainless steel fender washers so they end up being 1 3/4" outside diameter. You need as much surface area as you can get to make it a smooth opening gate. It is just silent when you open it.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:I also run a 1/8" radius, corner round, router bit, over all the exposed edges, on the gate and pole. It just makes it look so much more finished. It kind of matches the fence look too. Plus it saves the powder coating from chipping off the sharp edge. I also cut two 3/4" round weep holes in the bottom of the gate. If I didn't, when winter comes it will just fill with water, freeze and expand the rectangle metal tube, almost into a round tube.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:Originally Posted by balongdelossantosLooks like it would be used for drag racing or off-roading maybe?
Reply:I welded up the drop bars, ground them and gave them a decent polish. I was supposed to go and insall the gates today but I was missing one piece of hardware. So I am going to try to get them done the day after Thanksgiving.               Sincerely,                       William McCormick
Reply:Originally Posted by balongdelossantosLooks like it would be used for drag racing or off-roading maybe?
Reply:We installed the gates today, it went well. Too cold for cement, so we brought our own heat and cured it minutes. They looked good and they worked well. My latest magnet system is working really well. This is my friends house he has been working really hard to get it all in order. He is redoing everything.                        Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:Looks really nice!!
Reply:The magnets are totally encapsulated in plastic. And super strong N42 magnets. They have a hole in them that is probably designed for a #8-24 or 32 TPI screw, but it will allow a #10-24 or 32 TPI screw to pass through, the head might stick up a little on the #10 screws. But you can countersink the thick plastic a little to make it flush. The hole is countersunk from both sides. I get them from K&J magnetics. http://www.kjmagnetics.com/                      Sincerely,                            William McCormick
Reply:Originally Posted by Murphy's lawLooks really nice!!
Reply:Dang ...You do nice workBacked my CATMA over your CARMA oops clusmy me  What would SATAN do ?? Miller Trailblazer 302 AirPakMiller Digital Elite  Optrel Welding HatArcair K4000Suitcase 12RC / 12 VSHypertherm PM-45Rage 3 sawRusty old TruckI finally got them done. I was waiting for the fence material it is not a stock color. They have to color it. At first I hated the color but when they were all done I started to like the color, they look good. And if they like they can paint them.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormickIf I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.
Reply:I think they look really classy, I like the magnet and the hinges.  It is the little details that set something apart.
Reply:It came out REALLY well.Precision hinges are a PITA, but a real joy the first time you push a heavy gate open/closed with just one finger.After you're done, is it hard to walk away without just a little sigh, they truly belong to someone else at that point.  I guess if you do enough of them it's pretty much old hat after a while.Nice nice nice."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Thanks guys. It is really such a burden on the mind, to build them, that I am just happy to be done, kind of like going into a knife fight and walking away alive. No real winners but you are so happy to be alive and standing.  I do get a personal satisfaction from seeing them years later looking the same as when they were put in. There are actually hundreds of screws and parts on those gates. About five different drivers, five different drills, and specialty counter bores, taps, and some countersinks are needed to drill, cut, thread and tighten the different fasteners. It is a lot to remember all the junk you need just to assemble them. Driving to the job is like going to a duel. The thing I like most is you can just unbolt them and bring them in to be fixed, if you drive into them.                       Sincerely,                            William McCormickIf I wasn't so.....crazy, I wouldn't try to act normal, and you would be afraid.