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Need unusual gate design

| Posted in Construction Techniques on March 23, 2004 10:33am

Howdy:

I’m designing a gate to go across a customer’s driveway. Total span of 16 feet, with two eight-foot swinging leaves. Plan A was to fabricate the gate from 14 ga steel tubing, then face it with wood to match the surrounding fence (the theory here being to keep the swinging weight to a minimum). Unfortunately, the gate needs to be operated by a power opener, and you can’t use one on a solid gate because wind loads can destroy the opener. But…the gate can’t be see-thru. The customer sees clients in her home, and she has two rather intimidating dogs who need to be hidden behind the gate during business hours.

So: Can anyone give me an idea how I can come up with a gate that obscures view but doesn’t provide sufficient surface area to be affected too much by winds?

Any ideas much appreciated!

-Jonathan Ward

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Replies

  1. User avater
    IMERC | Mar 23, 2004 11:47pm | #1

    Since it's not see thru roll them from side to side instead of swing....

    Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming....

                                            WOW!!!   What a Ride!

  2. PatchogPhil | Mar 24, 2004 12:05am | #2

    How fast are you opening that gate so that wind loads are a factor?

    Large wood gates that I have seen (and worked upon),  have an angle-iron outer frame with 2 or 3 horizontal wood "nailers" within the frame.  The finish surface boards are then attached to the nailers.  The finish boards are longer and slightly wider than the metal frame thus concealing the metal frame.

    Walk Good

    Phil

  3. PatchogPhil | Mar 24, 2004 12:18am | #3

    Altho I do not really think wind resistance is a true concern,  if you alternate the vertical boards of your gate from one side to the other,  you'll get a staggered look that will let the wind pass thru while *mostly* obscuring view thru the gate.  If you overlap the spacing you get more wind resistance and less see-thru.

    Of course you will want to match the look of the existing fence.  Seems to me that the strength of the frame and hinges should be a main concern.

    There are also gate wheels that can keep a heavy gate from pulling at the hinges and posts.

    Go to a professional fence and gate showroom.  You'll get lots of ideas.  You might even decide to have them make the gate.

    Walk Good

    Phil

  4. UncleDunc | Mar 24, 2004 12:20am | #4

    You're thinking yourself into a box. If a gate opener won't work on a solid gate, get something else that's not called a gate opener.

    A technological society that can get an 836,000 pound 747-200B off the ground in less than a minute (maybe a little longer at max gross weight) will have no trouble opening and closing a pair of solid 8 foot gates in any wind that doesn't tear them off their hinges.

    1. steelbuddha | Mar 24, 2004 01:18am | #5

      Excellent point. Just because the gate opener distributor warned me, that doesn't mean it can't be done. Seems the gate openers have a resistance overload protection circuit, so theoretically you could blow out the unit if you used it during sufficient wind loads. Maybe I need to be thinking in terms of electrical screw actuators instead.

      Thanks, man.

      1. UncleDunc | Mar 24, 2004 01:54am | #6

        I was thinking hydraulics. Have you ever seen a big jet during pre-flight when the pilot tests the rudder? Left stop to right stop in about a second. I don't know how fast it moves when the jet is going 600 mph, but I'll bet it's not sluggish.

        1. Piffin | Mar 24, 2004 03:44am | #7

          A resistance overload breaker could be there for safety reasons too, like a garage dppr ope3nner that will stop if a kid or anutie Sadie May is trapped under it

          I"m getting myself cu5rioous what this customer does for a livin when she must entertain clients in her home in a way that they are not visible to the passing public and that requires two large gaurd dogs. 

           

          Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          1. UncleDunc | Mar 24, 2004 04:10am | #8

            >> ... could be there for safety reasons too ...

            Good point. Whatever mechanical approach he picks, it would take a pretty sophisticated controller to shrug off a 60 mph wind and still react appropriately to a child's body in the gap. I don't know if that's a code requirement for gates, or not.

            >> ... in a way that they are not visible to the passing public ...

            The way I read it, it's the dogs she doesn't want visible to the passing public. Which is kind of curious iteself. I mean, wouldn't the passing public hear them barking? Maybe they don't bark and she wants them to invisible as well as silent.

      2. User avater
        BillHartmann | Mar 24, 2004 04:15am | #9

        Here is one for a sliding gate

        http://www.sentexsystems.com/scw/Gates/1,1387,15-93,00.html

        It comes with 1/2 to 2 hp motor. With 2 hp it can operate up to a 90 ft, 2500 lb gate.

        1. DaveRicheson | Mar 24, 2004 01:08pm | #12

          We use that system for 24' gates going into our facilities. They are belt or clutch driven  units with chains pulling the gate. Safety contact/reverses are ussually pressure sensitive leading edges. We also use magnetic proximity detectors in the drive way to reverse the gate in case a second vehicle starts through durring the close cycle.

          Manual override is a simple lever that disingages the drive motor at the clutch or belt tensioner inside the operator.

          These units are not cheap by any means. Our gates are chain link fence 8' tall. Some are chain link with privacy slates. Making them solid would be no problem, but could require a larger drive motor.  Any of them requir either a leading edge wheel or a top and bootm rail/channel behind the fence.

          Operating speed is fairly fast, but probably not fast enough to prevent the two large dogs from getting out.

          She would need some sort of "cloaking device" for them once they escape :-)

          Dave

  5. DavidxDoud | Mar 24, 2004 06:28am | #10

    one other possibility - the gates don't need to be solid to 8' to hide the dogs - 5' might do it (depending on the dogs),  if so,  then the top 3' wouldn't have to be solid,  perhaps enough to make the difference -

    "there's enough for everyone"
  6. User avater
    ProBozo | Mar 24, 2004 06:38am | #11

    I have seen two of the auto gate openers by someone trying to push one open -- the screw jack mechanism can't take a hard push, will buckle and break.  These are the ones like Northern sells.  Can't recall the brand right now, but you can see them at northerntool.com  

    A good gust of wind would provide much more pressure on a 8' solid gate.

    How about swiveling louvers?  about 4" slats, horizontal, that the wind would push open and pass through (kinda like the cheapo dryer vents)?



    Edited 3/23/2004 11:39 pm ET by ProBozo

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