I've read the FAQ on building a gate and there is a lot of quite
complicated mortice and tenon work plus different thicknesses of frame to
fit the planking in flush.

Offhand mention of power chisel morticing machines and the like make me
realise how unworthy I am to even approach timber.

Now the current gates are crap, made of thin wood, but they do seem to
have retained their shape.

As far as I can tell there has been no fancy jointing, just rails, braces
and stiles nailed together at the joins and the whole thing made rigid by
the planking nailed to the frame.

I remember as a youth working with my brother to construct a gate on
similar lines using robust timber and that seemed to last - it was still
there when we left the house many years later.

So how important is the mortice and tenon jointing for an external gate?

I have a lot of off cuts of 2 * 5 which are tempting me to make a 'robust'
gate with perhaps inch thick planking.

Cheers

Dave R