The Gate Escape

[PJA]

Ah The serenityYou can see that we are blessed with a beautiful creek frontage in our new townhouse. If you jump the fence there is some bushland that is surprisingly narrow. Although it looks as though we back a national in fact it is just a small green belt which serves to carefully disguise the ‘serenity’ of the high tension power lines, and the creek which is a floodway.

After the rain has cleaned the algae bloom off the still waters of the creek, it makes for a great swimming hole which is more than chest deep in parts and the eels and taddies don’t seem to mind the company.

Having jumped the fence you can also take a short walk down behind the rest of the townhouses and the School emerging onto the main road and in 5 minutes and you are in the village that is Albion Park.

But why jump the fence?

A gate is what is, or rather was what was, sorely, needed.

The problem was that I didn’t want to change the look of the fence line if I could help it. Also Strata laws quite rightly prevent you from changing the outward appearance of the lot without “Owner’s Corporation’ approval.

So I didn’t act straight away.

Ordinarily a gate would mean chopping a section of the fence in half; concreting in a post from which to suspend, or swing the gate. There would also be the question of replacing the other half of the cut section and then latches etc for the gate. Perhaps even a pad bolt for security.

Not only a lot of work, but not the look I wanted.

So I spent many hours walking the aisles of my favourite Hardware Warehouse, looking for gate inspirations and in the meantime spending heaps $$$ on things that I hadn’t necessarily gone in to buy. Well we’d just moved into a new home and we needed these things. Chainsaw, shovels, lawnmower, shed, tool kits, plants; you get the idea.

Then I saw the solution. Bunnings had a pair of Gudgeon Hinges; simple.

Dislocate the section of fence that you wish to convert into a gate.

top gudgeon pinRemove the support brackets on the ‘fixed’ end of the proposed gate and replace with gudgeon hinge pivots. The top one will face down ¬and the bottom one face up˾. Drill a hole in the top and bottom of the fence section, big enough to accept the gudgeon pin/s and fit the fence section onto / between the pins and marvel at how easy that was and how the fence section has become a big gate.

 cut away to allow gate to rest and openNow you may have to remove the support brackets on the free side of the gate and cut out one side on the top and bottom supports to allow the gate to swing into the support and therefore close (supported). It will also give the appearance, when closed that it is just the same as all the other fence sections, only varying almost imperceptibly on the hinged side, from the rest of the fence

Neat HuhYou will have to shave the end of the fence/gate to fit its new environment.

Thus in a few short hours, you have transformed a section of fence into an easy gate in keeping with the regular fencing in your yard.

It would be a simple matter, if required, to fit a pad bolt, or sliding lock, even a bike lock if you require the security and to stop your large dog from just pushing it open in a desperate bid for freedom.

Tools required: - gudgeon hinges; spanner or screwdriver; drill and drill bit; and a metal hand saw

[Rolando]

Brilliant thinking!