Dillon Sculpture Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 The iron clover gate is 14' wide and 6' tall at the outside. The material used was 1 1/2" square hinge post, 1/2" x 1 1/2" for the bottom and top two bars, 3/4" x 1 1/2" for the center, 3/4" square pickets, 1/2" x 3/4" for the clover and scroll element and 3/16" sheet for the bottom support gusset. The hinges where made by turning down the post to 1" round at the hinge and are bronze bushed with mechanical fasteners to the 1" x 3" support bars. The weight of each leaf is around 400 pounds. Primed and painted black. The aluminum clover gates is a set of self supporting sliders, 5' tall by 12' long for the opening of 14'. The material used was 3" x 1/4" tubing, 1" x 1/8" tubing, 1/4" plate, and 3/8" x 1/2" machined with a chamfer. The gates have a stainless steel angel track on the top and bottom and are held up by a two post steel structure with vee grove wheels. The weight was around 250 pounds each and was powder coated black. Both went to the same residence as well as a steel a bronze main stair rail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 The iron clover gate is 14' wide and 6' tall at the outside. The material used was 1 1/2" square hinge post, 1/2" x 1 1/2" for the bottom and top two bars, 3/4" x 1 1/2" for the center, 3/4" square pickets, 1/2" x 3/4" for the clover and scroll element and 3/16" sheet for the bottom support gusset. The hinges where made by turning down the post to 1" round at the hinge and are bronze bushed with mechanical fasteners to the 1" x 3" support bars. The weight of each leaf is around 400 pounds. Primed and painted black. The aluminum clover gates is a set of self supporting sliders, 5' tall by 12' long for the opening of 14'. The material used was 3" x 1/4" tubing, 1" x 1/8" tubing, 1/4" plate, and 3/8" x 1/2" machined with a chamfer. The gates have a stainless steel angel track on the top and bottom and are held up by a two post steel structure with vee grove wheels. The weight was around 250 pounds each and was powder coated black. Both went to the same residence as well as a steel a bronze main stair rail. Those aluminum gates are clean! what was the construction proses? (what was the sub assembly and how where they fixed to the frame) Looks like a single chunk, very nice.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Easy to see why you need the big shop,Mike.You do the big work! Between the machines,the sculpture and projects like these I would think there`s times you think the shop may not be big enough. Sweet work,as always! 2 quick questions; First how`d you find Irish folks with that kind of money in Atlanta? Second,how`s the knuckle gettin` on?I`m anxious to see the emperor`s new clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 wow danger they look good! ;0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted April 10, 2010 Author Share Posted April 10, 2010 Larry the tube frames were built first, had the plate water jet cut then onto what seemed a million miter cuts. I used the cut plates as a template to build the 1" tube frames, they were half lap welded then I positioned the intersections of the 1" tubing over the cutout in the plate, this allowed me to setup the 3/8" x 1/2" shadow box in each square and weld from underneath. I then welded the plate to the main frame and then sent 3/8" round rod through and plug welded the 1" tubing frames to the plate. A had to be real carful with the order of welding because the spool gun warped the frames. All the cuts were made with a wood blade chop saw and a router. At one point we came up with the idea to use my track torch as a make shift power feed on a router table to run all the moulding. Not really sure how I come up with this stuff but its good feeling when you can pull off projects like this. Bob yes the shop has work well so far but I am looking forward to moving outside this summer to build some BIG stuff. Bent my springer and neck when I went down, so Im in the process of forging some new legs, bending some tube and rebuilding the stance 2" lower then its onto the bronze tank, fender and oil bag, I will make some progress this week, I'm getting tired of the 1100 Guzzi, poor me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim McCoy Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 How do you factor in wind when considering a larger gate that has small spaces for air to blow through?? Locally we have extraordinary winds in spring and fall. Seems like many custom gates haven't enough strength in the actuating arms/motors to keep from failing ... many busted welds/broken arms or dumped over actuator motor bases ... seems like there's more to making a big gate than just the design element that gets missed by fabricators. Howzit dealt with safely? Great looking aluminum gate! Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 This job was what I would call commercial residential. The home was a enormous under taking to be completed in under a year and the only people who would touch it was a commercial outfit. With that came a large contract, performance bonds, payment applications, schedule meetings and site safety regulations oh yea the gate had to be signed off by a licensed engineer. The reason for the small opening is a OSHA regulation that was adopted by the IBC that a sliding gate can not have an opening lager than 2 1/2" FYI. I love bureaucrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 That is some good work. I really like the the first one. How did you make the clover leaf? very nice taper to points. The Al gate is intriguing from a technical stand point. The warpage you mentioned and just the fixtures in general. I am curious about the back end of the gate. There is a track top and bottom with guides and rollers, how much 'tail' is there? is the operator a chain drive? how is that hooked up? I ask as I have a slider gate project that is going to be a challenge for me and I am looking at other gates to gain some insight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dillon Sculpture Posted April 11, 2010 Author Share Posted April 11, 2010 The clovers or quatrefoils were forged in two pieces and welded, material length was calculated punch marked the bends and forged by eye to similar proportions, we used this method because it was easier to jig bend a open form than closed one. The length of the tail is right over 1/3, this gate was 12' total length with 7' decorative and 5' support, the large one was 24' overall with 15' decorative and 9' of support. I don't have pictures of the clover gate because it was concealed behind a wall underground but the pics shown are for the large gate, the extra distance between the vee roller and post is for clearance of the chain drive. Adjustment of the gates is done with leveler nuts under the supports and the holes are also elongated, make for easy line up. Again all this stuff was engineered for wind loads etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLMartin Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 great looking stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mills Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 Terrific, that is a neat design. It is certainly new to me and I find the possibilities for it are tremendous. Thank you. The quaterfoiles are welded? I don't see it. That is slick. I just noticed the finials appear to be forged from the solid as well. Nice work. I think all of the elements are very well executed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainely,Bob Posted April 12, 2010 Share Posted April 12, 2010 I saw how you made the quatrefoils from 2 pieces and never even suspected that was how it was done.The 2 parts mate so fairly thru the major diameter it is well hidden in the pics and I`m sure in person as well. I vote we elevate you right through the other levels and bestow the title of " Forge Shaman" upon you. If you are uncomfortable with that we can go with "Hammer Mage" or simply drop back a notch to "Wizard". :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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