Box framed gates

[Dev]

Hello.

I've been lurking for a while, reading through the advice and projects others have posted. I've done a few bits and bobs to help me learn welding: the obligatory table, welder trolley, wood burner... And coat stand.

Now I'm trying something a bit more ambitious. I want to replace the sagging wooden gates at the back of the yard.

My question is this: will 40mm box section with a central crosspiece of 40x20 box be sufficiently rigid and strong a frame for the gates? I plan to use the existing wooden planks as vertical infills so essentially replicating the existing gates wooden frame with steel. The gates will be 2m wide and about 1.8 m high.

I have done a quick sketchup model to explain what I am suggesting.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=d5ee346405593749f0c22a305b5b76b9&prevstart=0

I haven't bought anything yet so at the minute I'm just pondering if it will work or not. Any advice would be welcome.

 

[Sanny]

40mm box will be fine, ive made many like yours, with the 40x20 horizontal in the center and used 40x5 in the middle of the 40x40 and the 40x20 just to stop spars from pulling apart.
hth

 

[Dev]

Thanks Sanny. The other thing I was considering was how to hang them. I'm leaning towards the threaded eye bolts, it seems a reasonable extra small cost for the advantage of being able to adjust them so they are plumb. Is that what you use?

On one side it's the house wall so I'm happy enough with mounting plates there. On the other I'll be replacing a wooden post. Would you recommend concrete or something else, maybe cement filled box section?

 

[Magic Rat]

20mm adjustable eyebolt and pin should be perfect. This for me is the best way to make timber gates. Use the self sinking screws they use to fasten trailer flooring, drive straight into a 6mm hole. 100mm plus hanging post should be ample wouldn't bother filling with concrete.

 

[Welderpaul]

Threaded eye bolts for hanging are deffo the right way to hang them. Give you plenty of scope for lining them up nicely, especially if things are slightly out of kilter.
Worth thickening up the box section where the bolts pass through with a couple of drilled plates welded on either side, especially if they are heavy gates - stops the box section crushing around the bolt.

 

[Dev]

Thanks for the tip Paul. I read another post on bolts through box section that suggested a sleeve through the box brazed at each end but to be honest I think my welding wouldn't be neat enough so plates are a good call.

I am limited (at the moment) to a 130 Amp machine - assuming its getting even that. With the hanging pin plates being 6mm+ I'm hoping if I V prep all the way round and puddle weld into the screw holes it should be okay even if the penetration isn't complete.

I cut open a test weld on the 40mm box I made my welding cart with and it was fine so I have no concerns about that holding together. Hopefully

 

[Dev]

Since starting to do my own stuff I've been paying more attention to how gates and railings are put together. I noted some gates the other day that are not a kick in the **** of what I intend to make but when I looked up close the vertical wooden boards looked t be screwed directly into the box section. So I googled wood to steel screws and found this site http://www.strongtie.com/webapps/fa...d-to-Aluminum&type=Collated Screw (Quik Drive)

It's American but the brand names ae probably available locally. Anyone any experience with these sort of screws, good or bad? Saves me putting wooden batons in to fix the verticals to if it works.

 

[Hitch]

They are pretty good to be honest, but you do need decent screwdriver bits to put them in, getting the speed right is fairly important.
The likes of Screwfix do them.

 

[Dev]

Cheers hitch. Hopefully this week I'll be getting the last few bits and pieces I need to make adjustable stands to lay out on as the workbench I have isn't quite big enough and I don't trust the floor to be level. then all I need is 3 7.4m lengths of box. Not looking forward to paying for that. Or getting it home for that matter. Lucky the place is only 3 miles away...

 

[Hitch]

Take in a cutting list, and ask them to cut it into suitable lengths so you can still get what you want out of it. Might cost a few quid extra, but 7.5m lengths are longer than they sound. Seen many people attempt to tie on a roof rack, but bring it back in for cutting instead!