Rolling small ornamental gate.

[rjt70]

I have a 45" opening on my front porch that I would like to put a gate on, preferably rolling so the dog can come out front with us and stay out of trouble at the same time. I have looked at all the posts here and at Shop Floor Talk but can't find anything that will work. I will have to try to explain as my camer can't find it's memory card. It is a 33.5" tall steel with 1" sq. tubing pickets, 1.5" c-channel bottom (flat side up) with a 2" curved top hand rail. The opening in question has wooden pillars on each side. The gate can hardly swing without being in the way and I was wondering if anyone has ever tried placing casters on the bottom somehow? I don't want it to look out of place or I would just put a wooden child gate up, which would be tacky in my neighborhood.

[Woodshed]

With out picture not sure how it set up. Might try metal wheel with groove and roll it on angle iron. Should be several way to put wheel on gate. Look around apt complex and gated community to get ideas.

[Gourdhedd]

I'm having a hard time picturing what your problem is, or how it could be solved with casters. Does the 45" width of the gate have a conflict when it swings either in or out? How about cut the gate down the middle and make a pair of bi-parting gates, each with about 22" of swing?

Gary

[rjt70]

Yes, it would conflict with something in every direction. splitting the difference might work. I'll tear my camera apart and try to get pics this weekend. I bought all the material except the hand rail which no one carries, I would have to order from King and theirs are 1.75, mine are 2", but I doubt anyone would notice. I called all the local fence contractors for drop and they told me they don't do that.

[garfish]

rtj,
Most digital cameras will take several pics using internal memory and don't
need a card in them to store a few pics. Try that if you can't find the card. My old HP camera and every digicam I have owned will do this.

[rjt70]

I tookk the thing apart and there were a couple bent pins in the card reader compartment, someone likely tried to insert the card upside down. Here are some pics! They say turtle, but they are really of the fron porch.

[rjt70]

I may just have to make my own hinges, I got some ideas from here and elswhere, that way I could just lift it off the hinges and store it in the garage when not in use. So, for you more experienced fence fab guys, should I lay it all out and start welding one picket at a time to the bottom? My wife seems to think I need to fab a jig, it's just one gate that I will likely never repeat. I figure just shoot a chalk line across the bottom and space and square accordingly.

[RickSidebottom]

I may just have to make my own hinges, I got some ideas from here and elswhere, that way I could just lift it off the hinges and store it in the garage when not in use. So, for you more experienced fence fag guys, should I lay it all out and start welding one picket at a time to the bottom? My wife seems to think I need to fab a jig, it's just one gate that I will likely never repeat. I figure just shoot a chalk line across the bottom and space and square accordingly.

Not sure I like the idea of a fence fag, but I would do an elevator slide, parting in the middle.
a bi-swing (no pun intended) gate would be another good option.

Lifting on and off hinges will get old real quick and you will just end up doing something else anyway.

Just my .02

[rjt70]

Thanks, that fag thing was a typo, supposed to be fab, sorry. What is an elevator slide?

[Jim-Tx]

rjt70, Here's another thought.... build the new gate longer than the opening is wide. Rig up some rollers on the existing fence (inside would look better) and roll the gate open and closed. I don't think it would be as hard as it sounds. The gate would have to be 2 or 3 feet longer than the opening in order for it to work properly. Use the same spacing as the existing pickets so when the gate is closed you wouldn't readily see the gate pickets behind the fence pickets. (line them up)

As for the handrail, here's a link you might use:
http://www.archirondesign.com/Compon...teel&pagenum=1 Look at item 4/6.

I don't think you need a jig. I've done a few gates and just clamp the frame to my table and go from there. You can cut a spacer piece if needed to get the pickets all even. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.

[unkle spike]

Triple S steel also has fence components, not sure if they have a location near you, their prices are OK.

I used a simple Pipe and bent lag screw for my hinge, lifts out easily.

From what I gather you are making a "slide" gate, so my input is limited, never have built one.

[LarryM]

rjt,

I would build the gate like the exsisting railing from wood. Then make your hinges out of flat bar stock. The post half would be a simple tab, that lag bolt is welded to, with a hole for hinge pin. Then make the gate half of the hinge in an L shape so when the gate is open it will lay flat again the inside of the railing. The flat bar in this type of hinge is laying flat on both halves. I know that some wood burning stoves use this design.

Hope this helps!
Larry

[rjt70]

I like your hinge ideas, but building it from wood isn't an option as I have already purchased the materials with the exception of the top rail. My supplier told me that he has seen guys doing similiar using wood routed out for the top raol using fastenders! Entirely possible as this is a common shape in wood. The top rail Jim showed is an exact match but cost almost twice as much as the rest of the materials combined! Thanks for the link though Jim, as I venture on and do more I may use that supplier as the local fence guys won't even sell me drop. The wife tells me to make my own design for the gate, fancy it up a bit. I may just hit my dad up to plane and router out a wooden top rail, Home Depot and Lowes carry the stuff for like $8.00 a stick. My dad has about every wood working tool known to man. My chain saw is the only thing I have for wood!