We have a couple of wooden gates. The latches keep bnreakiong because
the gates were badly designed so that all of the force of closing is
borne by the latch. I would appreciate suggetsions for how to modify
the gate to add some sort of "stop" to take the force off the latch.

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/4vx3hg

01-02: The gate from the front, both closed and open.

03: The gate from the back.

04: The broken latch. This time, the latch got metal fatigue and
broke. Other times, it has pulled the screws loose.

05: This shows that the gate has no stop other than the latch. If
pushed closed without a latch, it will go well past fully shut. The
latch takes the full force.

06: This shows that the side rail of the gate and the frame are the
same width. One idea I had was to nail a length of 1/2" x 1/2" stock
vertically onto the frame. The problem is that the gate will then not
close fully. In addition to having to shim the latch, I will get grief
from SWMBO because it doesn't align.

07: This shows the bottom of the gate. There is very little clearance.
Another idea I had was to make a threshold with a stop similar to the
idea above. The stop could be outside the frame, which would allow the
gate to close fully. The downside to this is (a) the clearance and (b)
it will be something to trip over.

Another idea is to fasten small "fingers" on the back side of the gate
(parallel with the latch). I was thinking one at the top and one at
the bottom. Maybe one in the middle. The downside of this is it is
unattractive and they would be prone to stabbing someone.

My last idea is to fasten a piece of 1x5 to the front of the
latch-side frame with about 1" protruding into the opening for the
gate to bang against. This is minimally obtrusive and not likely to
snag anyone.

Is there a better way?

PS: Sorry for cross-posting. I wasn't sure which group is the better
fit.

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?

Get a level, check and report back here.

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?

Especially when the download is limited to 80KB unless you upgrade to
Max which costs 6 dollars a week and 100 dollars a year. Boing!!!

Other people find free places to post their pictures, at least that
are free to us.

Get a level, check and report back here.

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?


I didn't even try because of the ridiculous requirement to enable
scripts.

Get a level, check and report back here.

On Jun 12, 8:14*pm, Prof Wonmug wrote:
We have a couple of wooden gates. The latches keep bnreakiong because
the gates were badly designed so that all of the force of closing is
borne by the latch. I would appreciate suggetsions for how to modify
the gate to add some sort of "stop" to take the force off the latch.

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/4vx3hg

01-02: The gate from the front, both closed and open.

03: The gate from the back.

04: The broken latch. This time, the latch got metal fatigue and
broke. Other times, it has pulled the screws loose.

05: This shows that the gate has no stop other than the latch. If
pushed closed without a latch, it will go well past fully shut. The
latch takes the full force.

06: This shows that the side rail of the gate and the frame are the
same width. One idea I had was to nail a length of 1/2" x 1/2" stock
vertically onto the frame. The problem is that the gate will then not
close fully. In addition to having to shim the latch, I will get grief
from SWMBO because it doesn't align.

07: This shows the bottom of the gate. There is very little clearance.
Another idea I had was to make a threshold with a stop similar to the
idea above. The stop could be outside the frame, which would allow the
gate to close fully. The downside to this is (a) the clearance and (b)
it will be something to trip over.

Another idea is to fasten small "fingers" on the back side of the gate
(parallel with the latch). I was thinking one at the top and one at
the bottom. Maybe one in the middle. The downside of this is it is
unattractive and they would be prone to stabbing someone.

My last idea is to fasten a piece of 1x5 to the front of the
latch-side frame with about 1" protruding into the opening for the
gate to bang against. This is minimally obtrusive and not likely to
snag anyone.

Is there a better way?

PS: Sorry for cross-posting. I wasn't sure which group is the better
fit.

Post some pictures of your golf net so people will know you follow
through.

R

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:07:30 -0400, mm
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?

Especially when the download is limited to 80KB unless you upgrade to
Max which costs 6 dollars a week and 100 dollars a year. Boing!!!

Other people find free places to post their pictures, at least that
are free to us.


It took me 4:26 to download Windows 7 at 202 KB speed - 3.5 GB.

Free until 2010. Found he http://www.sevenforums.com/

Get a level, check and report back here.

In article ,
Prof Wonmug wrote:

We have a couple of wooden gates. The latches keep bnreakiong because
the gates were badly designed so that all of the force of closing is
borne by the latch. I would appreciate suggetsions for how to modify
the gate to add some sort of "stop" to take the force off the latch.

....snip...

One idea I had was to nail a length of 1/2" x 1/2" stock
vertically onto the frame. The problem is that the gate will then not
close fully. In addition to having to shim the latch, I will get grief
from SWMBO because it doesn't align.

Another idea I had was to make a threshold with a stop similar to the
idea above. The stop could be outside the frame, which would allow the
gate to close fully. The downside to this is (a) the clearance and (b)
it will be something to trip over.

Another idea is to fasten small "fingers" on the back side of the gate
(parallel with the latch). I was thinking one at the top and one at
the bottom. Maybe one in the middle. The downside of this is it is
unattractive and they would be prone to stabbing someone.

My last idea is to fasten a piece of 1x5 to the front of the
latch-side frame with about 1" protruding into the opening for the
gate to bang against. This is minimally obtrusive and not likely to
snag anyone.

Is there a better way?

My thoughts (but please don't take this as gospel!)

Is it necessary that the gate be latched closed, or merely that it stay
closed? If the latter, perhaps a self-closing hinge of some sort--I'd
probably choose a double-direction one if it were me--would be an ideal
answer. No latch, no banging, no nothing. Lee Valley has such a
"Double-Acting Hinge" in their Gate Hardware section.

If that won't work, I might be tempted to see about introducing some
sort of buffer material in the hinges; a thin piece of leather, say,
glued to one of the leaves. If it's in the middle of the hinge, I don't
think it would tend to rip them off/apart all that much, and if sized
right, it could provide some added dampening for the latch.

Another possibility might be a different style of latch, one that
requires manual intervention to activate. One old design uses an offset
vertical rod on the gate and a ring held captive in a handle-like piece
on the post. To latch, the ring is lifted and slipped over the vertical
rod of the gate, encircling it and the bit on the post. Another
possibility is some kind of a trough arrangement that hinges down from
the post over the top of the gate.

Of the ideas you posted, I think the doorstop ones (whether one built
into the ground or a stop plank added on to the post) are the most
practical. The stop plank may tend to work loose from the post or split
and break from the banging of the gate if not sufficiently well sized or
attached.

--
Andrew Erickson

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot
lose." -- Jim Elliot

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Jun 12, 8:14 pm, Prof Wonmug wrote:
We have a couple of wooden gates. The latches keep bnreakiong because
the gates were badly designed so that all of the force of closing is
borne by the latch. I would appreciate suggetsions for how to modify
the gate to add some sort of "stop" to take the force off the latch.

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/4vx3hg

01-02: The gate from the front, both closed and open.

03: The gate from the back.

04: The broken latch. This time, the latch got metal fatigue and
broke. Other times, it has pulled the screws loose.

05: This shows that the gate has no stop other than the latch. If
pushed closed without a latch, it will go well past fully shut. The
latch takes the full force.

06: This shows that the side rail of the gate and the frame are the
same width. One idea I had was to nail a length of 1/2" x 1/2" stock
vertically onto the frame. The problem is that the gate will then not
close fully. In addition to having to shim the latch, I will get grief
from SWMBO because it doesn't align.

07: This shows the bottom of the gate. There is very little clearance.
Another idea I had was to make a threshold with a stop similar to the
idea above. The stop could be outside the frame, which would allow the
gate to close fully. The downside to this is (a) the clearance and (b)
it will be something to trip over.

Another idea is to fasten small "fingers" on the back side of the gate
(parallel with the latch). I was thinking one at the top and one at
the bottom. Maybe one in the middle. The downside of this is it is
unattractive and they would be prone to stabbing someone.

My last idea is to fasten a piece of 1x5 to the front of the
latch-side frame with about 1" protruding into the opening for the
gate to bang against. This is minimally obtrusive and not likely to
snag anyone.

Is there a better way?

PS: Sorry for cross-posting. I wasn't sure which group is the better
fit.

Post some pictures of your golf net so people will know you follow
through.

R

-end of previous posts-
R,
Wouldn't he have to post a video of his swing so people could tell if he
follows through? ;-)
Kerry

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:13:40 -0500, Gary H
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?


I didn't even try because of the ridiculous requirement to enable
scripts.

I've used that site many times in the past and no one has complained.
I didn't realize that it required scripts. But I've only uploaded,
never downloaded.

Do you know of a bettetr place to post the photos?

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

In article ,
Prof Wonmug wrote:

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

There's a lot of free or cheap programs around that can crop and reduce
resolution of digital pics. You should easily be able to reduce a 2MB
file to less than 100K without losing anything noticeable. Takes about
10 seconds to do the change. Look into it. (I use GraphicConverter, but
it's only for macs)

Prof Wonmug wrote:
On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:13:40 -0500, Gary H
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug
wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?


I didn't even try because of the ridiculous requirement to enable
scripts.

I've used that site many times in the past and no one has complained.
I didn't realize that it required scripts. But I've only uploaded,
never downloaded.

Do you know of a bettetr place to post the photos?

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

Flickr.com is free (as long as you don't do too much volume) to both post
and view, requires no registration or login or anything else to view,
automatically creates thumbnails in several sizes, and once you have set up
your account and installed their uploader software it's drag-and-drop
convenient.

J. Clarke wrote:
Prof Wonmug wrote:
On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:13:40 -0500, Gary H
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug
wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:
Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?

I didn't even try because of the ridiculous requirement to enable
scripts.
I've used that site many times in the past and no one has complained.
I didn't realize that it required scripts. But I've only uploaded,
never downloaded.

Do you know of a bettetr place to post the photos?

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

Flickr.com is free (as long as you don't do too much volume) to both post
and view, requires no registration or login or anything else to view,
automatically creates thumbnails in several sizes, and once you have set up
your account and installed their uploader software it's drag-and-drop
convenient.

I'll second the vote for flickr.com. The a.b.p.w newsgroup might
otherwise be the obvious choice, but these days it seems most people no
longer have access to the binary groups unless they're willing to pay
extra for the service. flickr.com is free, easy to use, and has a lot
of nice features.

--
See Nad. See Nad go. Go Nad!
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

In article , Prof Wonmug wrote:

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB.

Absolutely unnecessary to make them that large.

I uploaded 7 different
views.

Most folks won't bother downloading 14MB of still images of a gate. Stills of
Jennifer Anniston, maybe....

I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

There are numerous programs available, free, which can resize images to
whatever size you want. IrfanView is one of the best.

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:08:33 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:13:40 -0500, Gary H
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?


I didn't even try because of the ridiculous requirement to enable
scripts.

I've used that site many times in the past and no one has complained.
I didn't realize that it required scripts. But I've only uploaded,
never downloaded.


I block scripts too.

For may find it significant that I've been using computers since 1982
and have NEVER gotten a virus.

Do you know of a bettetr place to post the photos?


I have my own website, which I post photos too. Free websites are
available to anyone.

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

I wouldn't need lower resolution, but there are people limited to POTS
dial-up.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent
force for atheism ever conceived." -- Isaac Asimov

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 23:23:30 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
Prof Wonmug wrote:

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

There's a lot of free or cheap programs around that can crop and reduce
resolution of digital pics. You should easily be able to reduce a 2MB
file to less than 100K without losing anything noticeable. Takes about
10 seconds to do the change. Look into it. (I use GraphicConverter, but
it's only for macs)

I use IrfanView on the PC.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent
force for atheism ever conceived." -- Isaac Asimov

On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:56:33 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Prof Wonmug wrote:

[snip]

I would be interested in seeing how it works to view something on
Flickr.com . Do you have a link for viewing something?
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent
force for atheism ever conceived." -- Isaac Asimov

On Jun 13, 10:41*am, (Doug Miller) wrote:
Prof Wonmug wrote:

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB.

Absolutely unnecessary to make them that large.

I uploaded 7 different views.

Most folks won't bother downloading 14MB of still images of a gate. Stills of
Jennifer Anniston, maybe....

I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

There are numerous programs available, free, which can resize images to
whatever size you want. IrfanView is one of the best.

I like IrfanView as well, but for most things Picasa is the simplest
solution I've found. Unless I have something very specific to do
where I need to use more than one application to do it, I use Picasa.

It imports your pictures automatically when you put the card in your
computer (not just importing to a folder), the editing functions are
fairly robust for a simple program (it's not Photoshop), all editing
is reversible, it will upload to your free Picasa web albums,
automatic resizing when uploading, etc., etc.

R

Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:56:33 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Prof Wonmug wrote:

[snip]

I would be interested in seeing how it works to view something on
Flickr.com . Do you have a link for viewing something?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/3026461692/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2200236174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/336792852/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2624791390/

WARNING, THIS IS AN ON TOPIC POST!!

I only saw one regular size post at abpw. What I saw among other things
were a bungee cord, obviously a subsitute for the broken latch. And brick
surface.

I am going to suggest something that worked for me. It may or may not work
for you.

My gate was dragging on the ground. The gate was quite heavy. The post and
hinges were very strong, albeit at a slight angle. And like you, I hade a
gate latch that barely worked.

Being a farmboy, who used to make BIG gates as a kid, I used a little
farmboy logic. I went to Ace Hardware and ordered a "Gate Caster (or
Castor)". This is a hard rubber wheel that bolts to the gate. It lifts and
supports the gate. It has a spring to adjust the tension. If you make the
spring tight, the gate closes at about a tenth of the speed of it swinging
freely. This was an unintended effect in my case. But still far superior to
what existed before. And the reduced speed, slight extra effort to close
the gate, may be just what you need.

I also bought the biggest, baddest gate latch they had. MUCH bigger and
stronger than that little peice of junk hardware that you have on your gate.
Back in the day, they did not make junk like that. Now you have to look for
a beefy alternative or special order them. Again, I found both items ate Ace
hardware.

Take some good measurements. You will need some big bolts to to fasten the
gate caster. (And maybe a helping hand to mount it.) I used small latg
screws to mount the heavy duty gate latch. It sloved my problem. I an foggy
on the price, but is seemed to me that I paid about $40 - $50 for the
everything. Make sure you have a drill bit long enough to drill the
necessary holes. I used both locking washers and some kind of locking nut
on the bolts. Be sure to drill pilot holes for your gate latch. And get
extra long and BIGGER screws for the gate latch.

Remember, this ain't art. Just get the biggest, baddest stuff you can buy
and mount it with beefy fasteners. You are big. You are bad. You are macho.
Now go kick some ass!

After that, I feel tired. I think I will go take a nap. VBG

J. Clarke wrote:
Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:56:33 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Prof Wonmug wrote:
[snip]

I would be interested in seeing how it works to view something on
Flickr.com . Do you have a link for viewing something?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/3026461692/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2200236174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/336792852/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2624791390/

Follow the link in my sig for more examples.

--
"Our beer goes through thousands of quality Czechs every day."
(From a Shiner Bock billboard I saw in Austin some years ago)
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

On Jun 13, 2:58*pm, Steve Turner
wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:
Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:56:33 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Prof Wonmug wrote:
[snip]

I would be interested in seeing how it works to view something on
Flickr.com . Do you have a link for viewing something?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/3026461692/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2200236174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/336792852/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2624791390/

Follow the link in my sig for more examples.

--
"Our beer goes through thousands of quality Czechs every day."
(From a Shiner Bock billboard I saw in Austin some years ago)
To reply, eat the taco.http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

Nice rocking chair, that honey locust is.

R

RicodJour wrote:
On Jun 13, 2:58 pm, Steve Turner
wrote:
Follow the link in my sig for more examples.

Nice rocking chair, that honey locust is.

R

Thanks! :-)

--
Any given amount of traffic flow, no matter how
sparse, will expand to fill all available lanes.
To reply, eat the taco.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbqboyee/

On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 14:20:50 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Mark Lloyd wrote:
On Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:56:33 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

Prof Wonmug wrote:

[snip]

I would be interested in seeing how it works to view something on
Flickr.com . Do you have a link for viewing something?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/3026461692/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2200236174/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/336792852/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39383723@N00/2624791390/



The thing keeps wanting me to enable scripts, like most commercial
sites do. However, it does work properly without them.

That site is something I could mention if I'm asked to recommend
something.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us

"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent
force for atheism ever conceived." -- Isaac Asimov

"Mark Lloyd" wrote:

I use IrfanView on the PC.
--

Seconded.

Jon

"Prof Wonmug" wrote in message

As for the size, each photo is almost 2MB. I uploaded 7 different
views. I can set the camera for lower resolution and reshoot.

Are you shooting them for a magazine cover? Get them down to 100k and I'll
look at them. 2 MB is just plain silly.

WTF? Advertisements, and a huge file I have to download? Buy a vowel. Get
a clue. Put it on Flickr, or photobucket, or any commonly used format on
the Internet, and I'll give you some advice.

Steve (former steel erection contractor, welder, construction magnet)


"Prof Wonmug" wrote in message
...
We have a couple of wooden gates. The latches keep bnreakiong because
the gates were badly designed so that all of the force of closing is
borne by the latch. I would appreciate suggetsions for how to modify
the gate to add some sort of "stop" to take the force off the latch.

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/4vx3hg

01-02: The gate from the front, both closed and open.

03: The gate from the back.

04: The broken latch. This time, the latch got metal fatigue and
broke. Other times, it has pulled the screws loose.

05: This shows that the gate has no stop other than the latch. If
pushed closed without a latch, it will go well past fully shut. The
latch takes the full force.

06: This shows that the side rail of the gate and the frame are the
same width. One idea I had was to nail a length of 1/2" x 1/2" stock
vertically onto the frame. The problem is that the gate will then not
close fully. In addition to having to shim the latch, I will get grief
from SWMBO because it doesn't align.

07: This shows the bottom of the gate. There is very little clearance.
Another idea I had was to make a threshold with a stop similar to the
idea above. The stop could be outside the frame, which would allow the
gate to close fully. The downside to this is (a) the clearance and (b)
it will be something to trip over.

Another idea is to fasten small "fingers" on the back side of the gate
(parallel with the latch). I was thinking one at the top and one at
the bottom. Maybe one in the middle. The downside of this is it is
unattractive and they would be prone to stabbing someone.

My last idea is to fasten a piece of 1x5 to the front of the
latch-side frame with about 1" protruding into the opening for the
gate to bang against. This is minimally obtrusive and not likely to
snag anyone.

Is there a better way?

PS: Sorry for cross-posting. I wasn't sure which group is the better
fit.

"Prof Wonmug" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:13:40 -0500, Gary H
wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:52:48 -0700, Oren wrote:

On Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:14:41 -0700, Prof Wonmug wrote:

I have uploaded several photos of the gate to this link:

Any reason I should DL a 13 MB Zip file?


I didn't even try because of the ridiculous requirement to enable
scripts.

I've used that site many times in the past and no one has complained.
I didn't realize that it required scripts. But I've only uploaded,
never downloaded.

Do you know of a bettetr place to post the photos?

Flickr

I would be interested in seeing how it works to view something on
Flickr.com . Do you have a link for viewing something?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/deserttraveler/

My current Flickr postings to go along with current Usenet newsgroup
discussions. Free, easy, and people don't have the aversion to using it as
when they have to watch ads or download files that come from a place that
leads off with advertising.

Steve