Man project: Welding a driveway entry gate

[grohl]

About a year ago I decided I wanted to take up welding. No real reason other than that it sounded really cool, plus I like to push the do-it-yourself projects and thought it would increase my skill base.

So, I took a class at a local art school titled "intro to metal sculpture" and learned the basics of arc welding. Then I started to add to my tool collection: Lincoln 220v MIG welder, Milwaukee cut-off saw, Dewalt grinder, bench grinder, clamps. I helped my brother in law fab some deer feeders, then we moved into a new house.

driveway space to close off

So, I thought about it, priced some gates, and figured, hell, let's give it a shot. On Easter weekend I came up with a sketch, then started putting it together. The scrolls were all from a local metal shop that's amazing, kings metals.

my initial sketch

laying the framework out

framework finished

starting the middle section

middle took about 20 hours

finishing touches

primer before black paint


All in all I paid about $800 for the raw materials. I had a friend help me paint it then subbed out the install which cost another $2300. That may sound steep, but the opener/wireless controller is $1500 separately. Plus the fact that the gate weighed about 500 pounds = money well spent.

install

finshed product

closing video


Hope you like it! Man card firmly in place and now has extra endorsements.

really lame movie of the process with bad music don't waste your time

 

[Jimmah]

Very nice, you did a pretty fantastic job. Looks great and really adds that finishing touch to your driveway.

 

[Chryso]

Nice work!

 

[Chryso]

Oh, where are my manners?
Pics of Kemery?

 

[rbV5]

Excellent project!

 

[drnickriviera]

Hope you used oil based paint. Did you price out power coating it?

 

[Old Hippie]

You did good! :thumbsup:

 

[grohl]

drnick: the painter is a friend of mine who works for a commercial paint company. They use a water based pain by Sherwin Williams that is the "best", rated for marine use, etc. He says it is "all" they use for exterior metal painting, his cost was $35 a gallon....

sigh, ok here's one with my wife checking out the design. side photo but that's all you get.

http://i303.photobucket.com/al...rohlgrohl/IMG_3379.jpg

 

[Squisher]

Where'd you get your welding skillz?


Great Job.

 

[BoomerD]

Nice work. Looks like you picked up the welding skills pretty well.

What's your next project?
Something like this?
http://www.whodah.com/albums/album06/aax.jpg

That'd look great on your front lawn...

 

[swbsam]

Excellent work, love the video.

Is your wife's name Brooke? That would be weird..

 

[PottedMeat]

Nice work! Very cool - did you use gas for the welding? - I don't see a cylinder.

 

[mugs]

Good work, but I found a flaw in your security. Someone walking in the grass above your driveway could drop right over that wall.

 

[grohl]

the main goal of the gate was not security - the house/driveway sits on an incline. I have small kids, so it keeps them away from the street...plus it keeps balls and toys from rolling down and into the storm drain.

no, her name is not Brooke.

 

[grohl]

Originally posted by: PottedMeat
Nice work! Very cool - did you use gas for the welding? - I don't see a cylinder.

No, I did use a oxy/acytelene torch to cut of a bunch of 1/2 in rod from some old fence panels and recycled them for the middle section. I used a Lincoln MIG welder for all of the welding.

It was just a bunch of practice to learn how to weld - I am a much better welder with this project under my belt.

 

[Liet]

Way to go! Fantastic work - looks like a lot of work and a lot of detail!

I'm in the process of learning, the same way you did. I was passing by a small custom motorcycle shop and was chatting with the owner about the best way to learn. He said to screw the overpriced technical schools, and referred me to an Art school in lower Manhattan that teaches welding. Right now I'm still getting the hang of oxyacetylene welding, and then arc and MIG are next.

Hardest part is thinking of cool projects.

Congrats again, it feels great solving a problem with your own two hands, huh?!

 

[rudder]

No a man project would be having those spike things that come up out of the ground to disable the UPS truck or something like that.

 

[rh71]

NICE property

 

[JulesMaximus]

Looks great! Nicely done! :thumbsup:

 

[Freshgeardude]

nice project! looks very nice!

 

[pray4mojo]

looks professional. great job

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: rudder
No a man project would be having those spike things that come up out of the ground to disable the UPS truck or something like that.

Nah, a man's project would have razor-sharp spikes on the top of the gate and fence, glass and sharp spkes embedded into the top of the walls, and hydraulically controlled bollards that retract into the driveway to allow vehicles to pass, but raise quickly to stop unwanted intrusion...

 

[rivan]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Looks great! Nicely done! :thumbsup:

 

[MrPickins]

Originally posted by: rh71
NICE property

QFT.
Texas hill country?

The gate looks really nice also. Do you have any estimate how much money you saved by doing it yourself?

 

[40Hands]

That one guy looks tiny in this picture. Or the other guy is a giant. I can't quite tell.
http://i303.photobucket.com/al...rohlgrohl/IMG_3376.jpg