Sloped drive/ gates job.

[zoothorn]

18 minutes ago, PeterW said:

 It is the basis for pozzolans which create seriously strong concrete - it creates a secondary reaction with Portland cement and calcium silicates. 

I was going to say this.

[Onoff]

1 hour ago, markc said:

Well, you learn something new everyday

 

I remember reading about it as a kid when visiting the Underground Hospital on Jersey. 

[joe90]

37 minutes ago, Onoff said:

 

I remember reading about it as a kid when visiting the Underground Hospital on Jersey. 

Ditto.

[zoothorn]

21 hours ago, joe90 said:

Ditto.

Chaps,

 

you wouldn't put stuff like this on the gates & all of posts? https://www.toolstation.com/wood-protective-treatment-5l/p41022

 

IE what ive put just on buried posts areas so far (& cabin/ seems good). Not sure of anyone's used it, but seems decent & solvent based.

[zoothorn]

Hi Chaps, finally got my gates delivery today. So got my 1st ( higher slopeside) post in, the 8 ft gate's. A zoot job is on!!

 

As Ive had to crack on, put post 1 in - before - hardware on/ holes ( a slim chance I could've got the right height for the holes anyway doing them beforehand )..  its dawning on me getting the holes & two fixings onto the post, is not gonna be easy.

 

The problem is I can't whack the post's lower 'spike' bracket in as I could if the post plonked flat on ground. IE if I use the same 'full pelt' lump hammer force ( i see on my youtube clip reference) , I'll possibly damage the post. Because its concreted in & only in 30" or so, it has a bit of 'give' at the top. 
 

Especially problematic if I have to whack the post's top bracket in ( main gate weight held from, & this one adjustable ).. but it is mostly  threaded rod so I dont need quite as much whacking in.. or do I? 

 

So. The diameter of the flat wood bit used, seems to me, to be really critical. Too wide.. spike taps in a doddle, but not tight enough. Too small.. & I can only get it in by full pelt lump hammering-in ( or worse.. Im simply unable to hammer it in without massive force, wrong dia chosen, then I likely damage the post, cantget it in the right  depth at all = & massive stress on me = & whole job is totally ruined: I cant handle thinking of this possible situation).

 

I cant practice on an offcut.. as I cant then get the spike out. My one main clip to follow, using similar looking hardware posts & gate, he uses a 13mm bit. But this seems too small, surely, if my square spike is 19mm ( diagonally its 25 mm). Im not sure what his spike dia was. But he could whack in full pelt of course. So maybe his spike a similar 19mm sq/ 25 mm diagonally.

 

Does anyone understand what Im saying here? Is this intellible?

 

thx zoot.
 

 

[Onoff]

The 13mm hole goes all the way through the post? 

 

Drill it at 13mm and if it's too hard going in whack the pointy end from the other side using a 12mm bolt or bit of studding as a drift. 

 

 

 

 

 

[zoothorn]

2 hours ago, Onoff said:

The 13mm hole goes all the way through the post? 

 

Drill it at 13mm and if it's too hard going in whack the pointy end from the other side using a 12mm bolt or bit of studding as a drift. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Onoff. I think I get what you mean.. so if I get it stuck, drill a hole rearside & tap it out you mean?

 

13mm is only a figure that the chap on my clip chose, for his, using what lookslike similar hardware to mine (& post). So he drilled in most of the way, I guess leaving the pojnty end to do its own thing.

 

But whether his square pointy bracket was thinner shaft than min.. its impossible to know. So I don't know if 13mm is correct, for mine.

 

So, I need help in choosing a bit size, for my 19 x19mm (square shaft), diagonally it's 25mm of metal.... but taking into account my aspects which are different: IE i cannot use full hammer force, because the post is in ( so do I use a bigger dia bit? i dont have experience enough to make-a judgement).

 

thanks.
 

[Gone West]

6 hours ago, zoothorn said:

The problem is I can't whack the post's lower 'spike' bracket in as I could if the post plonked flat on ground. IE if I use the same 'full pelt' lump hammer force ( i see on my youtube clip reference) , I'll possibly damage the post. Because its concreted in & only in 30" or so, it has a bit of 'give' at the top. 
 

Especially problematic if I have to whack the post's top bracket in ( main gate weight held from, & this one adjustable ).. but it is mostly  threaded rod so I dont need quite as much whacking in.. or do I? 

 

So. The diameter of the flat wood bit used, seems to me, to be really critical.

When I did our front gates I drilled the holes first but obviously you can't so I would drill the top hole for the threaded fixing exactly the diameter of the fixing and you won't need much force to tap it through. The bottom hole doesn't go right through the post only deep enough to get the fixing far enough into the post. I think 13mm sounds a bit small and would try 16mm myself and try to get some support behind the post when you tap it in. Remember to make sure the pin remains vertical as you hit it.

[zoothorn]

18 hours ago, Gone West said:

When I did our front gates I drilled the holes first but obviously you can't so I would drill the top hole for the threaded fixing exactly the diameter of the fixing and you won't need much force to tap it through. The bottom hole doesn't go right through the post only deep enough to get the fixing far enough into the post. I think 13mm sounds a bit small and would try 16mm myself and try to get some support behind the post when you tap it in. Remember to make sure the pin remains vertical as you hit it.

Hi there Gone West, very helpful info thanks. Yes that seems a good plan to me, I was thinking 16mm too. Yup understand the vertical aspect needs consideration to get bang on.

 

thanks, zoot

[zoothorn]

Hi chaps. Ok progressing.. but made a bit of a blunder/ gone too safe re.height.. meaning my post setting in on t'other side is now 2" less depth. Just to remind you, I have a full 12" of slope from L to R. Perfect level ( in this position that is.. its a bit off level opened into drive pic 2: but i guess this is n/ a). Near perfect plumb.

 

So my post 2 can only go in about 18" into ground at most. But it does only have a a 4 ft gate hanging from it. What do you think?

 

What side would be the recommendation for the joining loop go, this bigger 8 ft gate?

 

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by zoothorn

[Onoff]

Looks great ?

 

If the post depth on the 4' gate is ever an issue down the line you could add a diagonal brace from near the top of the post and concrete the other end into the ground or a tie in the form of a steel cable etc. I'm sure it'll be fine. 

 

As to different height posts if it bugs you then knock up some subtle / fancy timber post caps to hide the mismatch and make a feature. 

 

Worst case you have to redo the post on the short side. 

 

Try and make sure the leafs can't swing out into the road and be hit. That's grief you don't want!

[Gone West]

1 hour ago, zoothorn said:

Hi chaps. Ok progressing.. but made a bit of a blunder/ gone too safe re.height.. meaning my post setting in on t'other side is now 2" less depth. Just to remind you, I have a full 12" of slope from L to R. Perfect level ( in this position that is.. its a bit off level opened into drive pic 2: but i guess this is n/ a). Near perfect plumb.

 

So my post 2 can only go in about 18" into ground at most. But it does only have a a 4 ft gate hanging from it. What do you think?

 

What side would be the recommendation for the joining loop go, this bigger 8 ft gate?

That's looking good. If it's well concreted in 18" will be fine. We had the loop latch fitted to the larger gate.

[zoothorn]

5 hours ago, Onoff said:

Looks great ?

 

If the post depth on the 4' gate is ever an issue down the line you could add a diagonal brace from near the top of the post and concrete the other end into the ground or a tie in the form of a steel cable etc. I'm sure it'll be fine. 

 

As to different height posts if it bugs you then knock up some subtle / fancy timber post caps to hide the mismatch and make a feature. 

 

Worst case you have to redo the post on the short side. 

 

Try and make sure the leafs can't swing out into the road and be hit. That's grief you don't want!

Hi there Onoff. I always appreciate/ look forward to your opinions! Great.. I think it looks ace too. Shame a bit high ind you.

 

Yes understand the idea re.brace.. thx. I was wondering if I needed to make a sort of timber surround, to pour in the concrete, to elevate my posts' base by say 4". But if you say its ok at 18".. then that's good enough for me. Besides the tricky post position, & getting the two gates on the same exact line across, other critical thing is the gap between gates. Is 1/2" ok?? i havent factored in more you see.
 

The main issue is positioning my post 2.. mm critical, & far from easy. 
 

 

[zoothorn]

6 hours ago, Gone West said:

That's looking good. If it's well concreted in 18" will be fine. We had the loop latch fitted to the larger gate.

Hi 'GW'. Good thanks for that, will put my loop on the bigger gate then. Just one hole to dig, & job mostly done. 
 

(I think you ought to have your scrambled eggs in the shape of a G and a W on your bagels).

 

Huge help as always chaps, appreciated.

[Onoff]

19 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

Hi 'GW'. Good thanks for that, will put my loop on the bigger gate then. Just one hole to dig, & job mostly done. 
 

(I think you ought to have your scrambled eggs in the shape of a G and a W on your bagels).

 

Huge help as always chaps, appreciated.

 

Cream cheese rather than scrambled eggs there methinks?

[Gone West]

11 hours ago, zoothorn said:

(I think you ought to have your scrambled eggs in the shape of a G and a W on your bagels).

That's a Cornish cream tea, like a Welsh cream tea, only better .

[Onoff]

43 minutes ago, Gone West said:

That's a Cornish cream tea, like a Welsh cream tea, only better .

 

Shows what I know, I thought it was smoked salmon, not jam!

Edited September 19, 2021 by Onoff

[PeterW]

13 hours ago, zoothorn said:

But if you say its ok at 18".. then that's good enough for me. Besides the tricky post position, & getting the two gates on the same exact line across, other critical thing is the gap between gates. Is 1/2" ok?? i havent factored in more you see.
 

The main issue is positioning my post 2.. mm critical, & far from easy. 

Right - cracking job so far so well done ..!!

 

Next bit, you need to plan and measure. I would lay the short gate on the floor, and then lay the ironwork on top in place. This is the hinges etc so you can see what you have to play with. 
 

Once you have that, you can lay the plates / pins for the hinges and the post, measure overall to see where the post will land.  Ideally you want an inch or so between the gates to let them swing but don’t worry too much. 

 

Then dig your hole… having the post right up at the back against a solid edge of a hole isn’t a bad thing - it will stop the post moving. Take your time, a string level may help you keep it all aligned. 

[Onoff]

Stick a couple of bits of 1" thick scrap wood between where the gates meet whilst setting up the second one. Tape it on temporarily etc. Leave in there whist the second post is setting.

[zoothorn]

2 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

Shows what I know, I thought it was smoked salmon, not jam!

I thought it was smoked salmon, & scrambled eggs. On a bagel. 

[Onoff]

56 minutes ago, zoothorn said:

I thought it was smoked salmon, & scrambled eggs. On a bagel. 

 

I think we've established it's jam and cream...or is it cream & jam? They can get funny about that I believe. 

[Gone West]

4 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

I think we've established it's jam and cream...or is it cream & jam? They can get funny about that I believe. 

Yeah I made sure the picture was correct for Cornwall.

[joe90]

Well done zoot . Looks really good ?

[zoothorn]

21 hours ago, zoothorn said:

I thought it was smoked salmon, & scrambled eggs. On a bagel. 

 

 

20 hours ago, Onoff said:

 

I think we've established it's jam and cream...or is it cream & jam? They can get funny about that I believe. 

No I meant i had every single thing wrong! Even the bagel, as it has to be a bap. Is it a bap? Ora roll? Or scone?? Jesush.

[Gone West]

1 minute ago, zoothorn said:

Or scone??

Yup, a Cornish cream tea.