The gate

[wroughtn_harv]

This is a project I'm starting.

Every now and then I get lucky and get to be involved in a project that's unique or at least a little different.

This is one of those.

The project involves about two hundred and seventy feet of pipe fence with a gate. There will be an automatic operator of course with the keypad etc.

The customer went online and found a gate I'd made and wanted one like it. Slight problem. I really try to not make two gates just alike, character flaw, no one's perfect.

He decided to turn me loose.

What we're going to have is a six inch pipe overhead with elbows here and there. The gate will be four and a half rail four inch (4 5/8" O.D.) pipe. It will weigh about seven hundred pounds before we put in the rock. It also will have no mitered corners, all elbows.

The rock. I'm not much for steel silhouettes. Anyone can do them and machines do them best. So I figured we'd use a rock to make our statement. I'd never seen a rock in a gate so that's reason enough to do it.

Customer agreed. There was some doubt in his eyes when he agreed, but he agreed.

So today I picked up a five hundred and eighty pound piece of stone to see if what I thought was possible was, possible.

Here's the rock.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is not the rock I will use in the gate. It's about three quarter scale and a test bed for technique.

After a couple of cuts

 

[wroughtn_harv]

This is after a couple of more cuts.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

another view

 

[wroughtn_harv]

The real rock will appear to be floating inside a frame of pipe. In the middle of the rock will be the letter D in an antique french style. It will be a positive image.

By positive I mean the letter will stick out instead of being cut in. It's more difficult but I believe the sun has more fun playing with the positive image than it does with the negative ones. I guess the sun isn't much different from us. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've never tried to do this before. So not being the smartest cracker in the pack I've used the same techniques I'd use if I was doing it with wood and power tools.

I'm after a couple of things with this gate. One is for the rock to appear natural in the company of pipe. I don't want the rock to appear to have been cut out with a machine. I don't want anyone to think for a minute that it has been done by waterjet or a computer even got near it in production. If what I want to happen does it will appear that mother nature worked over some eons or two on a stone and it came out looking like a map of Texas with a "D" in the middle. And we found it.

I'll keep you posted.

 

[BIGUN]

Harvey,

That looks great! If my wife sees it she will want one for when we move back to Texas after I retire. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I wouldn’t mind having it either, just being the “frugal” person that I am I probably wouldn’t want to pay what you would have to charge for something like that. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I was just thinking how it would feel to be down to the finishing touches on that rock and have it fracture on you. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

About what would a gate like that cost to get built? /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I was just thinking how it would feel to be down to the finishing touches on that rock and have it fracture on you.)</font>

That thought has crossed my mind also. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif In fact when the customer did a big gulp over the price that was one of my explanations. Not all my dreams are pollyanna-ish, sometimes reality strikes.

This rock will probably end up at the rock store with www.harveylacey.com on it. That was the customer's suggestion. It doesn't sound like a bad idea. That way people shopping rocks and ideas can get some.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( About what would a gate like that cost to get built?)</font>

The cost isn't really out of line when you consider the construction and the fact that it's a one of a kind. I will not make another gate that looks like this one.

The overhead is being made with six inch new pipe with a three sixteenths wall. The gate itself is made with new pipe too, four inch three sixteenths wall. The pipe is coming from www.Nortonmetals.com out of Ft Worth and is preprimed.

The hinge side upright will be in a hole two feet across and eight feet deep. Latch side will be six feet deep by sixteen inches. The hinges are over a hundred dollars a pair and come with sealed bearings, never have to attack this gate with a grease gun. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The operator and equipment is all commercial rated etc. A gate like this installed and the customer happy starts around ten and goes up.

That's a lot of money. But a gate isn't always just a gate. Most times it's a statement too.

 

[johnday]

Thats really neat. Now if we had time in Michigan between winter and construction season, I'd like to find someone to do that for my state. Is it true Texas is a whole different country?? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DAP]

This yankee has been to tejas a coupla times... and it IS a different country.

To be factual actually, after the rev war and before the civ war for a time, Texas WAS a sovereignty all it's own. IN FACT, a traveler to London UK can hop into an Austin cab and say "Texas Embassy please". The original London site of the Embassy to the Country of Texas is now a museum.

Inquiring minds want to grow. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[EastTexFrank]

And some Texans wish it were still an independent republic. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Honestly though, I lived in London for 7 years and never knew there was a Texas Embassy there. An opportunity missed but it's amazing what you learn on this board. The next time I'm there I'll have to visit. The reference to the old black Austin cabs sure brought back some good memories.