DIY fence gates and hinges

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Started building a new fence for our backyard. Decided to build my own gate frames, hinges and latches. I used a bunch of the square tube I salvaged from the ATV shipping crates several yrs ago. Built the hinges so gates can swing around behind the post. I'm real pleased w/ the way they turned out.                                                MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:I take it I'm looking at two different gates, one a single man gate, and the 2nd the double one?You welds look like they could use a bit of work, but the project itself looks  very nice. I like the way you did the bolt thru the fence panel.  Much better than some I've seen. I'm wondering if there's an easy way to bevel the end of the bolt and add a spring to the main body so you can make the latch self latching. I could see doing it with round stock, but square would take a bit of figuring to come up with a good method..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:nice work
Reply:Nice gates. Good work on the hinges.Don't know if you had some more scrap metal laying around but adding a diagonal would have made the gates more rigid I think. Attached ImagesLincoln Electric Invertec 170SLincoln Electric Powertec 350C PRO
Reply:Good looking fence and gate. Way to recycle.
Reply:Thanks, I started putting wood on at the nearest post and worked my way to the center, watching the slide bar inside the tube on the other gate and it only sagged 1/8" by the time I had it covered to the middle.                                          MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Nice work. I agree with the diagonals. Once the wood drys out a bit the gates will sag a bit.
Reply:Originally Posted by walkerNice work. I agree with the diagonals. Once the wood drys out a bit the gates will sag a bit.
Reply:Nice job Mike. I'll have to do the same to fix the wooden framed gates on our fence that are always sagging due to the contract building them with their diagonals in tension rather than compression. MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Thanks, fellas! I primed all the metal w/ Flood Penetrol. I've found it makes a tight bonding primer that accepts paint very well.                                 MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Looks great. I gotta build a new gate soon. Mine is barley 8ft and it's a squeeze to get my truck through. And forget about a trailer. So looks like I'll be knocking down the block wall and starting over. (I could cut the opening bigger) but I wanna move it forward about 5 feet so it's coming down. Should be a fun project this winter......Offering CNC Plasma cutting and welding projects.Follow me on facebook https://www.facebook.com/nobigdeal.fabSupport those that support WW.
Reply:looks good.Last edited by claymans13; 09-10-2012 at 02:32 PM.ESAB MigMaster 275Miller Econotwin HFMiller Syncrowave 250
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55Nice job Mike. I'll have to do the same to fix the wooden framed gates on our fence that are always sagging due to the contract building them with their diagonals in tension rather than compression.
Reply:Dsergison,The picture above showing the red diaginals also has the diaginals in tension. As the center of the gate is the point of most force pulling the center down. If the diaginals were in compression they would be at the top in the center and the bottom at the out ends. As those are the fixed points of the gate. A tension support would work for a wire support diaginal. But as the solid diaginals work as a gusset, a gusset always works better in compression then tension.There are no problems. There are only solutions. It's your duty to determine the right one.Hobart Handler 210Airco 225 Amp MSM Stinger
Reply:These look really nice, but not so sure wood screws will hold the weight after some time.Brian
Reply:]Dsergison,  The picture above showing the red diaginals also has the diaginals in tension. As the center of the gate is the point of most force pulling the center down. If the diaginals were in compression they would be at the top in the center and the bottom at the out ends. As those are the fixed points of the gate. A tension support would work for a wire support diaginal. But as the solid diaginals work as a gusset, a gusset always works better in compression then tension.
Reply:Wood diagonals work better in compression simply because the fasteners on the ends like to waller out the holes when you are relying on the shear strength on a nail/screw. If you put the wood ones into compression, then you are relying on gravity to push down n the top board and push it into the diagonal and into the bottom corner, thus spreading the load from a few nails in the ends of the boards to aLl the nails along the top, bottom and side boards. Imagine taking 3 2x4s and nailing them into an H shape. If you try to pull the H side to side it will come apart fairly easily. but if you attach your two ropes you used to try and pull it apart to the opposite side and then pull you would be compressing the H and it would be much stronger and not reliant upon the friction of the nails in the end. Long winded explanation and I don't know that I did it justice. If you still don't understand maybe I can RETYPE IT ALL IN CAPS.
Reply:Plus I saw Norm Abrahms do it on This Old House.
Reply:Originally Posted by ThorsHammerDsergison,The picture above showing the red diaginals also has the diaginals in tension. As the center of the gate is the point of most force pulling the center down. If the diaginals were in compression they would be at the top in the center and the bottom at the out ends. As those are the fixed points of the gate. A tension support would work for a wire support diaginal. But as the solid diaginals work as a gusset, a gusset always works better in compression then tension.
Reply:Infro, the sleeves and pins may take awhile, I used sched 80 1/2" pipe and 1/2" cold rolled. Golly, I didn't think I'd start an engineering discussion by leaving out the diagonals,LOL!!!  I did it intentionally just to how they'd work without 'em. If things get saggy I'll just take a couple of boards off and weld them in w/ my torch. Being retired, time is my cheapest commodity at this point.                                                            MikeLast edited by mla2ofus; 09-10-2012 at 09:33 PM.Ol' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:With welded steel frames it makes no difference which way the diagonals go, as pointed out (sort of). But yes, with wood you want to build the gate a little high in the center for double gates and high on the latch side for single gates to allow them to settle against your brace from the lower hinge side to the upper at the opposite. Like a "kicker."I'm a carpenter by trade; I do gates. They all sag sooner rather than later. Build it in.__________________
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusI didn't think I'd start an engineering discussion by leaving out the diagonals,LOL!!!