Property Security Gate

[Tennessee Pride(Guest)]

Hello everyone,

Well the tresspassers on my property finally got bold enough and tore my farm gate I had across the road down. I figured it wouldn't be durable enough but was hoping that this would be enough to keep vehicles off my property. What I need is very heavy duty "bar gate". The problem I am having is finding anyone that sells these gates or some simple plans for me to fabricate myself. The gate I am looking for is constructed of heavy duty steel. The gate has two post on either side of the road. A cross member is hinged on one of the post and swings and latches to the other. Some have a metal box that contains the lock and will prevent someone from cutting the lock. If anyone knows of any sites where I can look or has suggestions or simple plans for construction I would greatly appreciate.

Thanks

[glenn kangiser]

I can probably help you with information, Tennessee.  I build about anything I need and a few others here do as well.

Are you using a single bar or pipe across the road?  Can you cut steel and weld?

[tennessee pride(Guest)]

Thanks for the help Glenn. I am planning on using a single pipe or bar across the road. I have seen ssome made that have weight on the hinged end to counter balance the weight of this bar. I am not looking for anything fancy just durable enough that someone is going to have to work very hard to get through. I can cut and weld but don't claim to be a great welder. A friend told me they could build it if I could find some plans or a picture. I couldn't find any pics on-line.

[glenn kangiser]

How wide?  

Something like 3 or 4 " pipe?  You could hinge by placing one pipe over another - I'll try to check out some sizes.

Can you bury some pipe posts in concrete?  The hinged one especially should be set with a level and have bars or chunks of steel welded to lock it into the concrete - nothing fancy - just to keep it from spinning or sliding down or up in the concrete.  Wire - barb wire or rebar can help reinforce the concrete.

[tennessee pride(Guest)]

The width of my current gate is 16' inside of the post. Piping between 3-4" seems like this would be very hard to tear down (wouldn't you think?). I can definetly bury the poles in concrete. I have a auger attachment for my tractor so geting the holes as deep as they may need to be set should not be a problem.

[glenn kangiser]

I'll make a sketch of something I think should work- I'm not an engineer - just been around steel a bit.

[glenn kangiser]

Try this - adjust as you wish - no guarantees.

[tennessee pride(Guest)]

Thanks Glenn. Great drawing. I am still a little fuzzy on the latch/lock connection. I understand the rest.

[glenn kangiser]

The latch - a piece of about 6" pipe about 8" long - stand it up like a bucket - cut a slot horizontally in the side--say about 3/4" x 2 1/2" - weld a cap on top if you want to keep prybars - punches etc from being driven down on top of your lock.  Weld this pipe to the top inside of the short post.  The bar pipe will have a tab -say 1/2 x 2 x 2" long with about a 3/4" hole in it welded horizontally on the end of the of the bar where it meets with the slot on the 6 inch dia. lock guard.  The tab goes into the slot and you put your padlock on from underneath.  The 6" pipe keeps bolt cutters etc from getting to the side of your lock -- not much of anything will stop a cutting torch but this should keep the honest or less industrious people out.

The latch picture is a top view as if it didn't have a cover plate welded on.  You see the lock bar through the slot in the side of the 6"  pipe - the lock goes into the little black hole in the red colored bar.

The red tab is welded to the gate bar pipe and opens with it after the pad lock is removed.  When it is inside the pipe the lock keeps it from opening - the lock goes inside the big short pipe.

If you make the solid red brace bar adjustable with a turnbuckle or bolt tensioner (bolt through a tab) you can adjust the pipe up or down for better latch alignment - otherwise you could slot the lock guard pipe while in place- just see where the tab hits and mark then cut to match -would require a portable torch or grinder, or weld the lock guard on in the field with a portable welder to match the gate latch.