How to?

On 14 Nov 2005 02:31:30 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "cucuilin" quickly quoth:

Checked your local libraries lately, Scary? Here's one reference:

The fence bible : how to plan, install, and build fences and gates to meet every home style and property need, no matter what size your yard Author: Beneke, Jeff. Publisher, Date: North Adams, MA : Storey Pub., c2005. ISBN: 1580175309 (pbk. : alk. paper) - Description: ix, 261 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm. Metalworking is at 671 in the Dewey Decimal System. Wrought Iron is at 739.4 here.

Online, try Googling for Gates:

I have made I don't know how many. I used to be a steel erection contractor.

Some of the major tips:

Use a flat surface. A metal table works the best, or one that is made of angle iron. Getting things flat as you make them is the key to them fitting later.

Clamp the outside frame so the welding does not tweak the frame as you build it.

Stagger your welds so they pull against each other instead of all in the same direction at the same time.

Use a calculator to figure spindle spacing. Yes, you can put them on 4 or 5 inch spacing, but you will almost always come up with an odd distance for one of them and it will be visibly out of synch. Divide the distance by number of spindles you want. Take that number, even if it is a fraction, and round it off to the first two digits after the decimal point. Put that into the memory and add it to itself in steps to figure the layout. Put the top and bottom bar together before you weld anything, and mark the lines with a soapstone on both. When you spread them apart on the table, they will mark where the top and bottom goes.

Use pieces of flat bar to center the spindles on the rails. Say, you are using half inch spindles in a one and a half inch frame. You would lay down half inch spacers to get the spindle centered.

If you are going to put on backing, don't put on any decorations on the back, or the backing won't lay flat. If you are using backing, make the back flush so the backing will attach without having a pucker in it. If you are using casting designs, make sure you space the spindles wide enough to put a design between them.

Make sure you got things square and flat from the get go. Measure diagonals, and keep measuring square in case it creeps on you. Clamp clamp clamp. Fergeddabout spacing jigs, just mark the top and bottom rail at the same time, and use a calculator to get it even.

Do a drawing ahead of time so you allow for every rail, hinge, closure, space, etc, so when you get it done it fits right.

Many times, I do it as I go along if I am making a gate that isn't simple. I measure and cut a few pieces. Then add into the open fields. (a field is an open area you want to decorate) Sometimes I like to use many different sizes of tubing and stock within the same gate. You can now get stock that looks like tree bark, and much ornamental stuff from places like decorativeiron.com. Don't worry so much about jigging up to do it easier and faster. DO IT ONCE, DO IT RIGHT. It might be slower, but you will do prettier work.

Look around at what's been built. See how they did it. Look for their mistakes and mismeasurements and learn. As for styles, go with what you like if it's for you. Take pictures. If you are going to be doing it for someone else, pictures help you to arrive at the end design. Use graph paper to sketch out a "cartoon" of what the final will look like. If you are doing it for someone else, it saves hassle when they say, "that's not what I wanted."

Weld all four sides of tubing. If water can collect inside, it rusts, and if it freezes, it expands the tube to make it ugly and will actually explode the tube and leave it misshapened.

Use good hinges and hardware. Use good fasteners that will last and support the load. Too bad the way to learn about those is mostly through failures. Just hang everything up to hold about three times the weight. That will compensate for the little rug rat that will one day be swinging on the gate.

If you are doing it for someone else, get half the money up front. This gate will fit about only one place in the world, and if they get run over by a beer truck between now and installation, you at least won't lose out. Get the balance upon installation. Guarantee everything. Do so by doing good work and installing it right. Go backs are a killer.

Step by step:

Wow. So much.

Measure accurately. Have a good saw. Pay attention to get things cut square. Make up a stop on your saw table so if you have to cut 16 pieces at

33 3/8", you can do it repetitively and duplicate the pieces. I am using a band saw, and cut up to nine pieces at a time now. I no longer have an abrasive chop saw.

Now is the time to clean and deburr the steel. I use gasoline on a rag, then wipe with a second clean rag. Watch out for these rags as they catch fire easily, or just smoulder when a molten bb gets on them. Use cotton rags, terry is best. The cleaner you make it now, the easier it is later to paint. Use an electric wire brush to get off rust. Buy clean steel and keep it where it won't get wet and rust, or you will be spending half the time cleaning.

Cut out as much as you can ahead of time. Fit them together as assembling, but don't weld. Maybe tack. Mistakes will present themselves at this time saving a lot of time later. When cutting, cut and fit. Mistakes will reveal themselves immediately.

Clamp down the outer frame and tack. Fill in cross members and spindles. Lock boxes, decorations, hinges, etc, come last. Allow a 1/8" space at corners so the plastic cap will be flush when put in all the way. Use plastic caps, or make tabs out of flat bar to close off openings to prevent rust.

Stagger the welds to avoid distortion. Weld as pretty as you can. Check your work often. Measure, measure, measure.

For painting, get some derelict rims. Lay them flat. Weld pieces of rebar vertically on two or four sides, about sixteen inches long. You can then stand the gate by sliding it onto the bars and paint. Make one with four bars, and you can hold up four pieces with five rims, the four bar in the hub. They can even hold four different lengths at a time. I prefer a big a frame for painting, because then you can spin the piece while painting, and get better coverage of all the nooks and crannies

More than you wanted to know about gates. If you would like to see some of my work, e mail me.

Steve

Steve:

I am not even interested in building a fence and I appreciate the time you have taken to explain "how to".

Great job!

Errol Groff

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I'll second that. I do a fair amount of miscellaneous "stuff" fabrication, mostly in square tubing and your advice covers a lot more than gates.

thanks, Bob

I saved that message because one day I want to make an iron fence. Hopefully forged as I did some blacksmithing long ago but most of what you said would apply. Please post the link to your gates on the board or email it to me as I and I suspect others here would like to see them. Email address is valid. Thanks Karl

assembling,