Help. Need a technique for aligning barrel.hinges.

[tapwelder]

I am building a small gate, pre-installing hinges.. Small, but relatively heavy. 2.5'x7' @ 150lbs. Architect designed it with 3 barrel hinges. Rated at 600 lbs a pair. I am having issues keep in them aligned.

The wall side hinges are welded to 2x2x.25 angle, the hinge side of the gate is 1.25"x.5" solid.

The stock hinges have a 1/2x 1" tab welded to them.

Current procedure.

Gate horizontal on table. Mount pin side on angle. Align referencing off barrels with a straight edge. Tack in place.

Install cup onto pin align on gate frame. Clamp then tack.

Attempted twice. Still got binding/ breaking tacks. Very difficult to operate moving the angle iron.

[mla2ofus]

If possible find some round stock the same or slightly smaller in diameter as the hinge pins and long enough to go thru all 3 hinges. This will get them all aligned with each other. If you want use it as the final hinge pin. I built my own gate hinges with schedule 80 1/2" pipe and 1/2" round stock.

[walker]

Use a small clamp to hold the top and bottom of the hinge together. Then cut two small pieces of bailing wire or 1/16” filler wire. Bend them into about a wide vee (120* total included angle), this doesnthave to be exact, just both the same. Then put the two wire into the groove between the gate and post. I like to clamp a Couple pieces of 1/4” Stock between the post and gate to maintain gap. Then set the hinge in the vee. Then tack the top and bottom of the hinge, the on either side of the seam. Then pull the wire out. If you skip any of the steps your hinge will be crooked.

[J. D.]

You might try lightly tacking the cup side to a piece of angle with the pin inserted, align barrels with straight edge. Use the angle to hold hinges aligned and then tack the pin side to the gate, now break your light cup tacks and mount gate to frame. Good luck.

[tapwelder]

Thanks. The middle hinge has something funky going on with its dimensions. There is an 8th inch gap. And the support are parallel. I got it smooth through 80 of about 100 degrees. Also, I did not consider the angle has a taper. So, the flats don't sit flat.

I will proceed to sneek in a few heavy tacks and see what it is like when I get it vertical.

[tapwelder]

I wonder if the pins could be off. Typically, the SS pins are driven into the house.

Will stand it up shortly to see if the mass masked the resistance.

[tapwelder]

Pin appear to be parallellely located with the body. Still haven't uprighted it. The architect/designer spent an hour and a half with me today trying to figure the latch system out. End result more work for me. I need a nap.

[tapwelder]

Gate is complete. It still slight binding at the last 10 degrees, without bearings installed. Installer will do that and add grease, hopefully.

Architect had no issues and signed off on everything. He came to my shop everyday this week to check progress, that really slowed everything in the shop

[William McCormick]

Gate is complete. It still slight binding at the last 10 degrees, without bearings installed. Installer will do that and add grease, hopefully.

Architect had no issues and signed off on everything. He came to my shop everyday this week to check progress, that really slowed everything in the shop

You have to say things like, "I am not sure but most guys do it like this", this way you are not the inventor or person who knows. They need to be the smartest in the room, scary but true. I apologize to the few architects that are here on this forum and not suffering from that syndrome. If you walk into a room where an architect is stumped, never say something like, "Oh, that is easy". They will have you building a space shuttle arm for punishment.


Sincerely,

William McCormick

[William McCormick]

Gate is complete. It still slight binding at the last 10 degrees, without bearings installed. Installer will do that and add grease, hopefully.

Architect had no issues and signed off on everything. He came to my shop everyday this week to check progress, that really slowed everything in the shop

Without the grease, you can get binding.

Sincerely,

William McCormick

[William McCormick]

Gate is complete. It still slight binding at the last 10 degrees, without bearings installed. Installer will do that and add grease, hopefully.

Architect had no issues and signed off on everything. He came to my shop everyday this week to check progress, that really slowed everything in the shop

I have done a lot of gates and I have never put a third or middle hinge that is like begging for trouble. It does nothing. If the architect was afraid of a verticle load then get larger hinges, not a third hinge. Three hinges are for wood doors to keep them from warping.

Sincerely,

William McCormick

[docwelder]

I have done a lot of gates and I have never put a third or middle hinge that is like begging for trouble. It does nothing. If the architect was afraid of a verticle load then get larger hinges, not a third hinge. Three hinges are for wood doors to keep them from warping.

Sincerely,

William McCormick

WM; i made dozens of heavy prison style gates using only 2 hinges. imo you're correct adding a 3rd is tempting fate.

[tapwelder]

Thanks for the replys. He was alright, just sucked up time. He paid additional without issue. This gate is going to New York, the architect is here. He said he wanted somebody local, so he could keep tabs on progress, short turn around. He said the other fabricator in new york did not like visitors. I told him the same, yet he made the 20 mile trip daily.

The hinges are also not secure and the thumb latch is easily accessible.

Apparently, this is his clients third gate. First, two were installed without approval of the historical commission and were removed.

I will post photos in another thread. It was a simple gate and interesting experience.

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