Driveway Gate Install

[troutsqueezer]

I'll tell ya what, try to get someone to build you a gate so you can take it home and install it yourself? Not so easy. They all want to install it for you 'cause there's money to made there. If you tell them you want to do the work yourself then it's "see ya later". We had a hard time finding someone around these parts who would just build us a gate but eventually we got there. although it took three months. Now I'm in the process of installing it. It gives me something to do for a few hours every morning. Life is good. I know you guys like threads with pictures in them so thats what this is.

Here's the gate when I brought it home. I figured standing it up and leaning the gates together was the best way to haul them. Worked ever so well.



First order of business was to dig the holes. Rented a two-man post hole digger and had them dug in no time. I am using outriggers to keep the posts from leaning being as this is a dual swing and prone to misalignment after a period of time.



Twenty bags of concrete later.





Next up is welding the hinges on. These gates are very heavy and the hinges are robust.





Had to flap disk the powder coating away so as not to contaminate the welding.



Welding is a little rusty but it did not come out too bad.





Will post more pics as I progress. Thanks for looking!

 

[tractchores]

Looks good! I did one about a year ago. I found that Ameristar would sell to me directly, but the cost for the install itself turned out to be minimal, especially with the discount the contractor got buying the gate VS me going direct. Here's a link to the thread, pics of the finished product are on the last page: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/290381-driveway-gate-how-questions-challenge.html

Are you going to automate it? Looks like you have a solar setup there. How big are the panels? Looks pretty good sized.

 

[oosik]

Nice looking gate and great job. Man, those two gate posts aren't about to go anywhere. Also enjoy looking at the background scenery - nice country.

 

[davrow]

Thanks for those wonderful pictures - it's looking good. Can't wait to see the gates installed. :thumbsup:

 

[flyerdan]

One of the reasons that everyone that builds gates likes to do the install is that we'd normally match the hinge side of the gate to the post and weld the hinges on prior to PC. Far easier to set the post to a certain depth/distance apart than jockeying everything into place to get the hinges tacked on.
Since these gates just lift on and off the hinges, I'd weld a threaded insert into the posts above one of the gate hinge levels so a block could be bolted above it and only accessed when it was full open, to keep someone with a floor jack from getting in (or two guys with grease guns, for that matter).

 

[roadhunter]

Everything looks really nice! Love the gate design.

If you ever want to add more fence you can buy the materials to match from king metals.

How deep are the post holes? At first glance they seem a little shallow but it's hard to tell. I've seen way too many posts move after installing so I try to go 4-5 ft deep minimum.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[troutsqueezer]

One of the reasons that everyone that builds gates likes to do the install is that we'd normally match the hinge side of the gate to the post and weld the hinges on prior to PC. Far easier to set the post to a certain depth/distance apart than jockeying everything into place to get the hinges tacked on.
Since these gates just lift on and off the hinges, I'd weld a threaded insert into the posts above one of the gate hinge levels so a block could be bolted above it and only accessed when it was full open, to keep someone with a floor jack from getting in (or two guys with grease guns, for that matter).

In my case, digging the holes was a hit or miss proposition, mostly miss. I drove a pipe into the ground up and down the driveway to find a spot where I could dig and have the best chance of not hitting big rocks. In other words, getting the posts into a precise position with regard to hinge height likely would not have worked because I didn't know how deep the posts were going to be nor did I know the slope of the driveway until I had the holes dug. My probing before digging paid off, both holes are three feet deep.

I plan on welding a 1/4" thick piece of steel to the posts above the top hinges that will stop anyone from lifting the gate. The welds will be on the sides so that I can access them with an angle grinder if I ever need to pull the gate off.

Of course, if anyone really wants in, this gate won't stop them. It's only meant as a deterrent. If the gate is open when I know it should not be, it's time to holster the weapon and go on recon.

 

[troutsqueezer]

Everything looks really nice! Love the gate design.

If you ever want to add more fence you can buy the materials to match from king metals.

How deep are the post holes? At first glance they seem a little shallow but it's hard to tell. I've seen way too many posts move after installing so I try to go 4-5 ft deep minimum.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, roadhunter. As I mentioned in the last post, the holes are three feet. I'm hoping with the outriggers they won't move too far. I probably won't add any more fence, when I am done with this, I'm on to something else due to a short attention span.

 

[ultrarunner]

Guess I will need to call ahead when I come to visit ;-)

No more riffraff coming up the drive... you sure do have a nice spot there...

 

[troutsqueezer]

Looks good! I did one about a year ago. I found that Ameristar would sell to me directly, but the cost for the install itself turned out to be minimal, especially with the discount the contractor got buying the gate VS me going direct. Here's a link to the thread, pics of the finished product are on the last page: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/290381-driveway-gate-how-questions-challenge.html

Are you going to automate it? Looks like you have a solar setup there. How big are the panels? Looks pretty good sized.

I remember that post, in fact, I commented in it, a worthless comment but then, most of mine are. I was thinking of used brick for columns but in looking at your pictures, those columns look very nice. Do they have mortar in them or are they just placed together?