Small gate for the deck

[SWells]

I didn't want 21 month old daughter taking a tumble down the stairs on the rear deck so I built this gate last weekend. I bolted a strip of 2" X 1/4" to the post and welded the hinges on. The decks not exactly straight but the gate doesn't sag.

[Bob]

That looks good. I'm going to remember that style, I like it.

[Sandy]

Pretty nice gate. Lot of work into something like that.

[SWells]

Thanks, actually Sandy it didn't take that long. Probably 12 hours, it was pretty quick to curve the 1" flat in longer strips and chop off the lengths to form the leaves.

[Reebs]

I love it.
How did you bend the flat stock so nice. I would love to make something like that.

[SWells]

Thanks Reebs, I have a pretty heavy duty vise. I open the jaws about 5-6" and used Bob's idea :

http://weldingweb.com/showthread.php?t=21854

Worked well

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by SWells

Thanks, actually Sandy it didn't take that long. Probably 12 hours, it was pretty quick to curve the 1" flat in longer strips and chop off the lengths to form the leaves.

Well for you it's easy, for me it's a different story . I've got no eye for that kind of stuff at all till I see someone elses finished product.

I couldn't put that kind of gate together if the pieces came as a kit.

[Aceman]

Looks like a good idea to prevent a falling accident but looks too dangerous to me for a 21-month-old. Looks like your child could get caught/hung-up/cut/snagged trying to climb through that gate with all those sharp edges and large openings. Not really my idea of a kid gate. Looks nice, just not kid friendly IMO.

[aczeller]

very nicely done swells... how thick are the 1" straps? i have some 1"x 1/8" stuff at home that seems a little heavier than that, but i get all i want for free at work. the only major problem is that it's MS and has been sitting outside for the past decade or so... just surface rust, but a PITA none the less.

Later,
Andy

[Oldtimer]

Very nice gate.

[dabar39]

Originally Posted by Aceman

Looks like a good idea to prevent a falling accident but looks too dangerous to me for a 21-month-old. Looks like your child could get caught/hung-up/cut/snagged trying to climb through that gate with all those sharp edges and large openings. Not really my idea of a kid gate. Looks nice, just not kid friendly IMO.

I agree, Nice looking gate but I would be concerned about a child falling into it or getting hung up on the leaves. Dave

[Nomand]

If main goal was child protection then yes there are seem to be too many sharp edges.
Even some duct tape on top of the leafs would help for a while - untill child is a little bigger. IMHO.

Appart from this looks extremely professional and artistic.

[SWells]

Originally Posted by Nomand

If main goal was child protection then yes there are seem to be too many sharp edges.
Even some duct tape on top of the leafs would help for a while - untill child is a little bigger. IMHO.

Appart from this looks extremely professional and artistic.

Good feedback guys, I saw a potential for her to possible scratch, maybe cut herself but felt it was no more a threat than the sharp egdes on the kitchen chairs, coffee tables or other appliances kicking around the house. The openings are way too small for her to even consider crawling through and she is never left alone outside. I am going to look at getting a piece of plexiglass and covering the top deck side of it. Thanks again, I don't want my little darling to get hurt.

Andy, I did use clean/new 1" X 1/8" flat bar.....have fun knocking off the rust!

[aczeller]

Originally Posted by SWells

Andy, I did use clean/new 1" X 1/8" flat bar.....have fun knocking off the rust!

eh... i am kinda thinking that a rust patina would be kinda cool any way. i dunno yet... if i do anything to it (or even get around to making it at all. lol), i will either leave it rusty, sand blast it, or possibly just paint over it and give it that weathered, rustic, run-down look. i have no clue... i do know that i need a fence though, as soon as i can get a dog, or when the baby gets bigger... whichever comes first.. probably the baby. lol

Later,
Andy

[Mondo]

Great looking gate! Another inspiration and the reason I participate in this forum!

As to the child safety: I like your idea of adding plexiglass to the inside surface. I am a strong believer in not being overly protective, if kids don't burn or cut their fingers once in a while they will never learn how to be careful at anything. But at 18 months she's just a bit too young to associate injuries with cause. Especially those cuts and scrapes we all get hours before we see the red stuff smearing everything else in sight and then wonder: Where'd that come from?

Keep on being the great Dad you are!

[tapwelder]

Nice job.

I have 3 boys, The would destroy that gate, just as they did the "indestructable" chair I made for them. Amazing how creative and strong and persistent they are.

The plexiglass is a good idea. It will reduce the climbing risk.

[MicroZone]

As always, nice job wells! Your child will be safe and styling with that gate.

[David R]

I think its quite artistic. I don't have that talent. Good job.

David

[stevinator]

Nice job on the gate.

[aczeller]

did you do it with you little flux-core unit, or something else?

Later,
Andy

[Craig in Denver]

SWells:
You got ALL of my artistic talent, I got none.

BUT, there's a reason baby cribs have a minimun distance between the vertical posts. I think it's 4". Third photo, left side has a hole large enough for the child's head. And every leaf has a sharp corner on the inside, toward the child. Get that plexiglass!!

My company beat safety into me until I retired; they saved me many of shop injuries. Although a beautiful design, it's not kid safe.

Craig

[daddy]

Nice job on the gate man.

As far as the safety concerns... I grew up with a gate that was made of wood slats and collapsed like an accordion to open. It was one hell of a finger pincher.
When I bought the house from my dad and started raising kids, the gate was still there. I decided to leave it alone. Just like I learned years ago, my kids learned not to put their fingers in a pinch point. The world is a dangerous place. It's good to learn how to handle it when you're little.

[DSW]

Looks like everyone else has brought up the same safety issue I might have. You got the same solution of plexi that I was going to suggest.

Looks great. Now lets see you make the matching stormdoor to go with it. You know that motif would look great around the whole deck and the plexi would solve those safety problems there also. Just tell the wife that you 'Need" a new machine in order to make the rest of the deck match the gate!

[Zukman]

Nice work.

[SWells]

To answers Andy's question, Yes I used my Fisher Price....I mean CH 110v mig.

I like DSW's solution to solve the problem.

Originally Posted by DSW

Just tell the wife that you 'Need" a new machine in order to make the rest of the deck match the gate!