Bi-fold gate build.

[KimB]

Kim is there a reason the gate ram is outside of the gate? Seems a bit vulnerable, would it not be better on the inside?

Bob

As others have said. It’s only the inside. I will he taking the garage down, hopefully end of this year and then I can park my landy behind it.

 

[KimB]

If your worried about stiffness as mentioned above due to the flat bar. Use sikaflex to glue in the boards, and screw them too, itll not move anywhere

To be honest its Rigid as anything now. It barely moves with my weight on the end of it and I weigh about as much as a fridge freezer

 

[Westfield-builder]

Full or empty ?

 

[KimB]

Full or empty ?

Full haha. Mines not though. Mines empty, that’s why I’m as much as a full one

 

[KimB]

Terrible day today, caught my finger in the cut off saw blade, smashed my phone as I glued the cut together then messed up the gate which I’ve detailed below.
Anyway, first things first, I managed to program in most of the gate stuff. The only thing left to work out is the magnets. I must thank @sako243, he spent a couple hours over the phone helping to get it all working as it should, I’d have been truly stuck if it wasn’t for his help.
I re positioned the motor and came up with a solution on the gate end. Unfortunately after I welded it on I found that it fouled on the side of the motor. As I was about to cut the gate up in frustration I came up with a plan to just lower it and add a smaller bar to raise the mounting point back up. All sorted and it just clears the bottom of the electric cap . Clear is clear so I’m happy with that, I don’t think it looks bad at all either so that’s great as well . I tried to work out the swing mechanism but had no luck so that’s pretty much it tomorrow and it’ll be done, that’s if I can work it out off course.

Yes that’s an old dress of mine behind the motor

 

[KimB]

Without being rude @Parm, can we try and keep on topic. Thanks

 

[Parm]

Without being rude @Parm, can we try and keep on topic. Thanks

I didn’t take this off topic

 

[Migmac]

It’s looks good Kim.

 

[arther dailey]

how much weight will the cladding add ,my thoughts being will it need a wheel to aid support ,thats not a critisism just thought on long long term useage to stop any sag , which if you are like me would bug me every time I looked at it. and if you look at lots of pro gates they do sag eventually

 

[Fraserb]

how much weight will the cladding add ,my thoughts being will it need a wheel to aid support ,thats not a critisism just thought on long long term useage to stop any sag , which if you are like me would bug me every time I looked at it. and if you look at lots of pro gates they do sag eventually

If the main post is solid, which it seems to be then it'll probably sag a bit with the cladding, adjust the hinges to suit and it should be fine, 8m is the biggest un supported gate I've done, wasn't clad right enough but it was some weight and after initial settling has been fine.

 

[KimB]

how much weight will the cladding add ,my thoughts being will it need a wheel to aid support ,thats not a critisism just thought on long long term useage to stop any sag , which if you are like me would bug me every time I looked at it. and if you look at lots of pro gates they do sag eventually

I’m not sure but that would probably be a bit of an issue with how uneven the concrete is here. It slopes from one side of the gate to the other As well. I stood on the far end of it and it dropped 5mm max.

 

[KimB]

Actually. I just checked, it dropped about 2mm with mw literally stood on the end and leaning over the fence to see how far down it goes.

 

[Bullet2012]

Actually. I just checked, it dropped about 2mm with mw literally stood on the end and leaning over the fence to see how far down it goes.

probably need a real person to stand on it, not some feather weight young lady

 

[KimB]

probably need a real person to stand on it, not some feather weight young lady

I wish that was the case. I'm much heavier than I look, refer back to the fridge freezer comment haha.

 

[Bullet2012]

I wish that was the case. I'm much heavier than I look, refer back to the fridge freezer comment haha.

No you are definitely not “heavy”. I know this as I worked it out.
I weighed my iPad with your picture on it. Then re weighed the iPad without your picture. Subtracted one result from the other. Answer was 0 . I therefore conclude you are not heavy.

 

[KimB]

No you are definitely not “heavy”. I know this as I worked it out.
I weighed my iPad with your picture on it. Then re weighed the iPad without your picture. Subtracted one result from the other. Answer was 0 . I therefore conclude you are not heavy.

I’ll give you that, very good

 

[8ob]

No you are definitely not “heavy”. I know this as I worked it. I therefore conclude you are not heavy.

If she is heavy she is pretty heavy



@KimB Here is the last control board, this is number two. First one lasted about fifteen years albeit down on one function, this one about fifteen weeks

 

[KimB]

If she is heavy she is pretty heavy



@KimB Here is the last control board, this is number two. First one lasted about fifteen years albeit down on one function, this one about fifteen weeks


View attachment 221673

I heard haha. Hopefully mine lasts

 

[sako243]

Here is the last control board, this is number two. First one lasted about fifteen years albeit down on one function, this one about fifteen weeks View attachment 221673

Did you have a chance to check that pedestrian switch on the side of your box?

That definitely looks like the PCB overheated due to the motor being on continuously. Pretty poor design on the circuit board side of things that it can't handle the maximum current.

For reference this is what it should look like:

 

[KimB]

Finally, I have sorted the mechanism, a friend of mine played a massive part in helping me. As well as @sako243, the help is very much appreciated. Ed designed a very nice mechanism but I just couldn’t get it right, my friend helped and finished it off. Here’s what he designed.

I put it together and made it all but the large square shaped bit still wasn’t right. I sat and thought about what direction the hole that connects the long bar needed moving to. I moved about 20mm a time and finally I managed to get it perfect. It’s been so stressful. I think I’ve been trying loads of methods for days now. I wasn’t even going to touch it today but it’s sorted and it’s great
Here’s a video:

Tomorrow I have a few bits left to sort, make the finished mechanism. Weld the magnet mounts on and then a tidy up. So amazing! I’ll be taking it off for the final time tomorrow and after that it will be getting painted and put back on next weekend I think, I might have to paint it fitted but I need it out the way so I can excavate for my garage base. Next week