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Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by monsoon-mech you mount them INSIDE the latch post with the power leads going underground exiting at about a foot below ground into a conduit, ya have an access panel on the INSIDE of the property .. only an idiot would have a servo or magnetic lock exposed kinda defeats the purpose of having a lock edit; ya also should be using legitimate posts not some 14 gauge junk if your building for security... I've actually seen several gates around here that the latch post started bending after sliding gate was slammed a few times... usually turns out the installer used some 14 gauge junk insteada schedule 40 or 80 steel posts... Oh, agreed. But we service them with exposed conduit all the time, or operators outside the fence line, where a #2 Philips will get access to manual operation. Lol NOTHING is secure.
Re: Gate openers?
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Fnord5 Yeah.. don't like those on gates. When they're exposed, they're easy to bypass you mount them INSIDE the latch post with the power leads going underground exiting at about a foot below ground into a conduit, ya have an access panel on the INSIDE of the property .. only an idiot would have a servo or magnetic lock exposed kinda defeats the purpose of having a lock edit; ya also should be using legitimate posts not some 14 gauge junk if your building for security... I've actually seen several gates around here that the latch post started bending after sliding gate was slammed a few times... usually turns out the installer used some 14 gauge junk insteada schedule 40 or 80 steel posts...
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by tapwelder The last one I repaired had a electromagnetic catch. Yeah.. don't like those on gates. When they're exposed, they're easy to bypass
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Fnord5 I'm a door service tech. We do a ton of gate work. I would never own a swinging gate with an operator. Too much stress on everything, tons of leverage for anyone trying to force it open. I'd only ever have a sliding gate. yep, I setup sliding gates so that they close into a vertical channel at the latch end with a flip hook to lock them or a servo that puts a pin through two two eyes with the third on the gate between the two in the channel can't push it, pull it or slide it, at the rear I prefer to do vertical rollers on each side of gate at top with the bridge to the outside roller just above the gates top rail so it can't be lifted , by using the steel "V" wheels they are locked onto the inverted angle iron unless for service ya unbolt the horizontal roller bridge to allow the gate to be lifted enough to get the wheels clear of the inverted angle... otherwise its pretty much locked in when in the closed position...
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by docwelder we used willo opening/closing systems for our sliding gates. heavy duty,reliable and pricey but easily copied. I was really interested until I got to “pricey”, but you got me back with the “easily copied”. [emoji1]
Re: Gate openers? we used willo opening/closing systems for our sliding gates. heavy duty,reliable and pricey but easily copied.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Fnord5 I'm a door service tech. We do a ton of gate work. I would never own a swinging gate with an operator. Too much stress on everything, tons of leverage for anyone trying to force it open. I'd only ever have a sliding gate. The last one I repaired had a electromagnetic catch.
Gate openers? Originally Posted by Fnord5 I'm a door service tech. We do a ton of gate work. I would never own a swinging gate with an operator. Too much stress on everything, tons of leverage for anyone trying to force it open. I'd only ever have a sliding gate. ^^^ THAT is my biggest fear. Fortunately I’ve been okay so far.....
Gate openers?
Re: Gate openers? I'm a door service tech. We do a ton of gate work. I would never own a swinging gate with an operator. Too much stress on everything, tons of leverage for anyone trying to force it open. I'd only ever have a sliding gate.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by ronsii Shoot man!!! where's your sense of adventure??? get to see new things meat new people learn new trades For a while I felt I needed a new trade, but I suspect that's the type of trade I don't need...
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by ronsii Shoot man!!! where's your sense of adventure??? get to see new things meat new people learn new trades AND it’s all inclusive. Shared room and three meals a day. Upgradable to private room with room service. Tips and gratuities included.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by TraditionalToolworks That's one place I don't have a hankin' to go...inside a prison... Shoot man!!! where's your sense of adventure??? get to see new things meat new people learn new trades
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Lis2323 Like the double containment ones they have at prison entrances. That's one place I don't have a hankin' to go...inside a prison...
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Lis2323 Like the double containment ones they have at prison entrances. exactly... them suckers are too fast.. everytime I watch one it's like Hmmmm... I wonder if I could make that???
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by ronsii Lol!, Yeah I hate slow gates... I'm constantly wanting to 'bumper' them a bit Makes you really appreciate sliders like the high speed hysecurity ones Like the double containment ones they have at prison entrances.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Bob Any of the openers with the two piece arms are smooth moving and usually very fast, The MM, GT and Liftmaster are so slow in moving that you could take a nap while waiting for it to open. I installed an Osco opener years ago that was the smoothest in movement and very fast. Really a great opener but was very prone to near by lightning. Every time a thunder storm was close to them, I automatically stopped by and put in new fuses. Lol!, Yeah I hate slow gates... I'm constantly wanting to 'bumper' them a bit Makes you really appreciate sliders like the high speed hysecurity ones
Re: Gate openers? Any of the openers with the two piece arms are smooth moving and usually very fast, The MM, GT and Liftmaster are so slow in moving that you could take a nap while waiting for it to open. I installed an Osco opener years ago that was the smoothest in movement and very fast. Really a great opener but was very prone to near by lightning. Every time a thunder storm was close to them, I automatically stopped by and put in new fuses.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by Lis2323 I have BFT gate openers. They’re 26 years old now and I can’t remember what they cost but they work fine. BFT's are good, costs more than mm's for sure
Gate openers? I have BFT gate openers. They’re 26 years old now and I can’t remember what they cost but they work fine.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by TraditionalToolworks Many of the openers available in big box stores like the Aleko or the MM seem to be in the $400-$600 price range. I was curious if there was anything more industrial for up to $2k, that's why I was asking. Is it just that there are no good electronics at the low end for homeowners? This doesn't seem like a complicated device, a couple sensors and a motor. Seems the electronics could be done on a Raspberry PI or a BeagleBone using Embedded Linux. Certainly can't beat that type of lifespan for that type of price. I could probably make a pretty decent one by turning a v wheel on the lathe and press fitting a bearing in it. I want to look at some of the cantilever designs and see how they do that, seems I've seen some round wheels for them, but definitely having a roller on the ground is safe by all means. I need to talk with my grader to understand what he thinks needs to be done on the driveway to determine how I will design the gate exactly, but I know I will need to pave it, and could have a section poured across the front to be safe. Tarmstrong's gate pictured above is beautiful! It's not like they are complicated.... really... But there just isn't much in the "consumer" models when it comes to putting quality into them.... To be competitive they have to cut margins to the bone! And that Involves cheap PC boards and processes to fab them... Even cheaper plastic enclosures and assorted hardware.... And even more cheaper on the design for stress and redundancy issues.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by ronsii They all have their issues Many of the openers available in big box stores like the Aleko or the MM seem to be in the $400-$600 price range. I was curious if there was anything more industrial for up to $2k, that's why I was asking. Originally Posted by ronsii I was quite a bit disappointed in the last MM (low end version) I had to install about a year or so ago... it really was made disposable in my opinion but is still working as far as I know today... residential older customer - tight budget. Is it just that there are no good electronics at the low end for homeowners? This doesn't seem like a complicated device, a couple sensors and a motor. Seems the electronics could be done on a Raspberry PI or a BeagleBone using Embedded Linux. Originally Posted by monsoon-mech she had the same wheels under it for 20 years but.. her and her late husband never greased em like I told them to and it took 20 years for the roller bearings to fail... the wheels themselves were still good, I put on a new set and pumped em full of synthetic grease and everyone who came by her house always was amazed how that big wrought iron gate could just glide along like it weighed nothing... if ya added an opener the thing would never be doin much work... Certainly can't beat that type of lifespan for that type of price. I could probably make a pretty decent one by turning a v wheel on the lathe and press fitting a bearing in it. I want to look at some of the cantilever designs and see how they do that, seems I've seen some round wheels for them, but definitely having a roller on the ground is safe by all means. I need to talk with my grader to understand what he thinks needs to be done on the driveway to determine how I will design the gate exactly, but I know I will need to pave it, and could have a section poured across the front to be safe. Tarmstrong's gate pictured above is beautiful!
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by TraditionalToolworks That's a good idea, I hadn't thought about running on the ground like that, but I had thought of converting my sawmill over to that style with a v-roller on top of angle, I've seen sawmill beds like that. I wonder if the same could be done for a cantilever, inverting the angle to run on top? I might be able to make those on my lathe pretty easy, although those cast would probably be strong enough. she had the same wheels under it for 20 years but.. her and her late husband never greased em like I told them to and it took 20 years for the roller bearings to fail... the wheels themselves were still good, I put on a new set and pumped em full of synthetic grease and everyone who came by her house always was amazed how that big wrought iron gate could just glide along like it weighed nothing... if ya added an opener the thing would never be doin much work...
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by TraditionalToolworks MM is off the short list already. There's got to be a better solution that so many people aren't as unhappy with. They all have their issues MM is very popular around here as the big box stores carry them as well as other places... and the more popular something is the more complaints you'll find about them... I have worked with quite a few liftmaster systems too both slide and pivot... a little step up from MM but still you get what you pay for I worked on a usa automatics a few months ago and didn't see much difference to the LM... in design or quality I have also machined new acme nuts and bushings for a lot of the farm/consumer brands including MM as sometimes these parts don't last as long as the controller itself. I was quite a bit disappointed in the last MM (low end version) I had to install about a year or so ago... it really was made disposable in my opinion but is still working as far as I know today... residential older customer - tight budget.
Re: Gate openers? Originally Posted by monsoon-mech I'll try to find a couple picks of the slider that I built my mom 23 years ago, I just took it down last week as am moving her in with me (shes had a stroke last year) that gates 600lbs covered a 20' opening and no opener it woulda been easy to add a chain opener but... it opened so easy by hand she never wanted the hassle of one.. it ran on an inverted angle iron set atop an 8"x8" concrete path rolling on the steel wheels below https://www.amazon.com/RWM-Casters-V...0842065&sr=8-3 That's a good idea, I hadn't thought about running on the ground like that, but I had thought of converting my sawmill over to that style with a v-roller on top of angle, I've seen sawmill beds like that. I wonder if the same could be done for a cantilever, inverting the angle to run on top? I might be able to make those on my lathe pretty easy, although those cast would probably be strong enough. Originally Posted by ronsii I have seen plenty of MM operators last more then 5 years... MM is off the short list already. There's got to be a better solution that so many people aren't as unhappy with.
Re: Gate openers? I have seen plenty of MM operators last more then 5 years... have also seen plenty of them fail at ~1 years... usually it's a electronics failure and some of them are from improper install. Have also seen plenty of liftmaster electronics failures sometimes it's just a hall effect or photo op board that goes out and 20-30 bux ebay and you're back in business... other times the whole logic board goes south and you might as well buy a new opener... after all most this 'con-sumer' stuff is disposable Even the better operators don't really have that great of electronics unless you step up to the good high end stuff like hysecurity with the hydraulic slides
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