Frank Turley Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Last week, we installed a large double gate near Ojo Caliente, New Mexico. The photo shows the strap hinges. We finished with latches and bolts, which photos I will show later when we get back to the site. The hinges are 1/4" x 2" x 40" with forge welded barrels drifted for the 5/8"D pintles. The hinges were attached with traditional clinched nails. The gates were made by Shivam O'Brian who was brought over from Ireland to do the work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LawnJockey Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Nice. Were they locally designed or did Shivam do that too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 The client is a friend and cohort of Shivam's, and he and Shivam have visited back and forth. I sense that the gate design was collaborative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Coke Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Greetings Frank, That was an interesting challenge to design and build hinges for gates like that with so much detail... You nailed it... The design must be just enough but not too much to lessen the eye appeal of the gates... What is the upright ?? Wood ?? I see work on a fieldstone wall... Quite a project... Forge on and make beautiful things Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianinsa Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Looks great Frank, how do you quote for the installation as it must have been a mission? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share Posted October 13, 2014 The piers are of wood, about 20"+ thick. They were a little out of plumb, so we did some axe, adze, and chisel work. For the pintle plates, I ordered on-line a strange drill bit from a cable installation firm, a 1/2" x 24" made of a 3/16" rod with a lemon shaped 1/2" drill on the end. We started with a regular 12" auger w/ lead screw and finished with the oddball one, which worked! We also drilled through the adobe wall immediately above the field stone for a hook-and-eye to hold the door open in a fixed position. The winds are strong here. The 1/2" holes received 1/2"D Allthread bolts w/washers and nuts. The pintle plates were reinforced with 4 Timberlock screws. This was a five day job. We cut out a wicket in the corresponding door. We had made 2 thumb latches, 2 astragals, 2 hooks-and eyes, a foot (cane) bolt, and small knuckled hinges for the wicket. I'm currently making a horizontal bolt to help hold the doors in alignment in the closed position. Our days were not longer than six hours per day on site because of travel time. We had three helpers furnished gratis by the client. My helper, Taylor, had a big say-so in the work. I charged by the hour for Taylor's and my presence. At my age, I was pretty much the director. This was in a countrified area, so Taylor and I were allowed to haul a forge, anvil, leg vise, and gas welder to the site. When needed, we did some final fitting and touch up work with the forge and torch. More photos to be posted at a later date. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Fantastic job...work of art from all. Interesting that you stayed authentic and used clinched nails instead of screw or bolts. They should still be there when we are all departed from this planet :) You mentioned you drilled through the adobe for the gate hold-down. Wouldn't the buffeting from the high winds combined with the soft adobe tend to loosen and possibly pull the hold-downs out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Turley Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 Arkie, The adobe wall is about 20 inches thick. We took a 1/4" x 2" strap and buried it about 1.5 feet in the ground. The exposed top above ground was forged to a curve that fit and butted against the rock foundation with a portion sticking up and drilled 1/2"D for the long bolt. The strap was installed on the side opposite that shown in the photo. On the near side we made a washer out of the 1/4" x 2" about 7" long. We were assured that on this near side, the bolt would be withdrawn, the adobe wetted and replastered. For the final assembly, the near side washers will be inlet a bit and plastered over. The hook is not fastened straightaway from the bolt, but hooks through the eye at an angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arkie Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Sounds like it should hold! Once adobe hardens over the years, it should be plenty strong along with the strap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 You guys out did yourselves on the whole job. I find myself getting lost in details when I look at it and like Jim said the iron work is detailed enough without intruding on the wood's details. At first blush the iron looks plain then a person is rewarded when looking more closely to see the details. The more closely I look the better the treat, delicious eye candy all round. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIGHSIDER Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Wow, that is beautiful.. First thing that entered my head when I saw the photo was "Mexico" and then I read your post...Ah, I was right! Well done Sir, you've done a top rate job there..(thumbs up!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Close to right; New Mexico is a state in the United States located between Texas and Arizona and above Mexico the country. It has a long proud Latino and Native American history though----my town was named before Jamestown (first permanent English settlement) was founded... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HIGHSIDER Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Thank you Thomas for clearing that up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted October 15, 2014 Share Posted October 15, 2014 Not a problem, it happens so often that "New Mexico" magazine has an ongoing series called "One of Our 50 is Missing" where readers send in examples of when other people in America don't know that New Mexico is a state in their own country. (websites that won't ship to NM as it's out of country; people asking about passports and visas, compliments on how good a person't english is, etc). Of course down along the border between New Mexico and Mexico people used to wander back and forth fairly easily till recently; teenagers in El Paso Tx used to go party in Juarez, folks had family on both sides; there are a couple of towns where the border goes right through the middle of town. Still a lot of that nowadays; but you have to have passports and documentation. I currently live right where Texas, New Mexico and Mexico meet. I live in New Mexico, Shop in Texas and work in Mexico. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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