Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper (if its not
too ludicrously expensive). It seems that there are a few US suppliers
for such items (see http://www.postcapsource.com/catalog.php?cat=c for
an idea of what I'm after - but minus the wood bit!), but cant find
anyone in the UK that does this size. I could have it made I guess -
but who would do such a small job at a reasonable price??!

Is this possible to do at home with no experience ;-) If so how would
you go about it?

Any thoughts/pointers gratefully received.

TIA

"Richard" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper (if its not
too ludicrously expensive). It seems that there are a few US suppliers
for such items (see http://www.postcapsource.com/catalog.php?cat=c for
an idea of what I'm after - but minus the wood bit!), but cant find
anyone in the UK that does this size. I could have it made I guess -
but who would do such a small job at a reasonable price??!

Is this possible to do at home with no experience ;-) If so how would
you go about it?

Any thoughts/pointers gratefully received.

TIA

It will get nicked by the scroats who think that a bit of copper will make
them rich due to irresponsible reporting of metal thefts by the media.
--


--
John

Take pity on a Hoody.
They suffer from limited peripheral vision and must have difficulty walking
with the crotch of their tracky bottoms at knee level.

Richard wrote:

Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper


Lead is typically used for such a fitting, though I'd reckon that copper
could be just as good, though a bit harder to get fitted correctly.
I doubt there are suppliers that make such a thing, as all fence posts
are marginally different sizes, you'd need to buy a sheet, and
bend/hammer it into shape.
Alan.


--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

"Richard" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper (if its not
too ludicrously expensive). It seems that there are a few US suppliers
for such items (see http://www.postcapsource.com/catalog.php?cat=c for
an idea of what I'm after - but minus the wood bit!), but cant find
anyone in the UK that does this size. I could have it made I guess -
but who would do such a small job at a reasonable price??!

Is this possible to do at home with no experience ;-) If so how would
you go about it?

I provided protection to wooden posts in a similar situation, using
Flashband. Unlike copper nobody will want to nick it. Warming gently helps
adhesion and I use a wallpaper edge roller to smooth it down.

Colin Bignell

You can get lead flashing from a builders merchant but it comes in
fairly long rolls so is quite expensive. If you can find a house being
demolished or altered, you may be able to get a small amount.
You could use copper. An old hot water cylinder is a good source of
thin copper sheet.

John

Lead can be bought from builders yards but they sell in roll
quantities. You may find some flashing from a demolition site that
would do.
An old hot water cylinder would provide enough copper.

John

On 7 Jul, 21:45, (A.Lee) wrote:
Richard wrote:
Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper

Lead is typically used for such a fitting, though I'd reckon that copper
could be just as good, though a bit harder to get fitted correctly.
I doubt there are suppliers that make such a thing, as all fence posts
are marginally different sizes, you'd need to buy a sheet, and
bend/hammer it into shape.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

Thanks. Any idea how would you make sure the inevitable joins were
watertight?

"Richard" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper (if its not
too ludicrously expensive). It seems that there are a few US suppliers
for such items (see http://www.postcapsource.com/catalog.php?cat=c for
an idea of what I'm after - but minus the wood bit!), but cant find
anyone in the UK that does this size. I could have it made I guess -
but who would do such a small job at a reasonable price??!

Is this possible to do at home with no experience ;-) If so how would
you go about it?

Any thoughts/pointers gratefully received.

TIA

As others have noted, if it's out in the street, the kids will have it off
whatever you do: I spent time making nice wooden caps to go over our flat
topped posts and held them down with 4 long stainless screws each, from
which I drilled the screwdriver lugs. Soon all were split from the posts by
screwdrivers banged into the wood and heaving. Natural inclination would
have been to make some stainless or Al caps from old saucepans, but I could
not figure a way to prevent their removal, so never got round to it.

If your posts are in a more secure place, lead would be the easiest to bend
around your, presumably pyramidally pointed efforts (then copper, then Al),
but you would need something similarly pointy, and hard, to form them on (If
you have a good bench vice and a selection of cold chisels or other bits of
pointed metal with flat sides, that you can use for 'anvils' to form/fold
your metal round, you might be able to do it, but getting the edges to meet
up nicely would not be easy, I suspect.) and you'd still have to rivet or
solder/braze the join.

On the other hand, if you do have some old lead flashing to hand (and it is
very handy), and your post is not yet permanently affixed, or you can make a
dummy from another bit of wood, you might even be able to cast a cap
something like this: get a bucket of damp sand; push your post or dummy into
it and withdraw to check it has made a clean impression; make some means of
suspending the post or dummy in the impression you have just made, but with
a couple of millimetres space around it; melt sufficient small pieces of
lead flashing in a stainless saucepan on the cooker hob; scrape off the
clagg (who's proper name I should remember from the days I used to make
type, but don't...); pour into your mould around the post top. When cool
rub down the outside with wet sand after trimming off any odd bits with a
decent knife. Don't be tempted to hammer it to shape too much, as this will
tend to make it get bigger... When you are satisfied with your efforts, put
a jollop of mastic inside for good measure and firm it down on the post.
Secure with a clout nail at the bottom of each face for symmetry's sake.

Actually, thinking about those nails, you might be able to simply wrap a
suitably shaped bit of lead sheet around the post and clout nail down the
overlap and trim. Worth a try if you have the material.

Hmm almost makes me want to have a go myself. [I did have a go recently at
making a lead ball, and found it quite a satisfying material to work with.
In that instance, I poured some lead into a piece of copper tube and then
poked it out to get a cylinder of about the right size. Then simply lightly
tapping the edges over and over got it approx ball shaped, and rolling in a
plastic pot with wet sand polished it off.]

S

"Richard" wrote in message
...
On 7 Jul, 21:45, (A.Lee) wrote:
Richard wrote:
Hi, I'm trying to find a UK supplier for a metal capping to go over a
7x7in 4 way pointed gate post, to a) finish it off and b) stop water
pouring into the checks forming in the top of the post. I would like
either a plain old galvanised finish or possibly copper

Lead is typically used for such a fitting, though I'd reckon that copper
could be just as good, though a bit harder to get fitted correctly.
I doubt there are suppliers that make such a thing, as all fence posts
are marginally different sizes, you'd need to buy a sheet, and
bend/hammer it into shape.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

Thanks. Any idea how would you make sure the inevitable joins were
watertight?

What inevitable joins? I would make a hollow former and dress the metal to
shape as a seamless cap. However, if you want to cut and fold, both copper
and lead solder well. OTOH, if you have a big, old-fashioned soldering iron
that you stick in a gas flame, you can simply melt lead together at the
seams.

Colin Bignell

On Jul 7, 9:37*pm, Richard wrote:
Is this possible to do at home with no experience ;-) If so how would
you go about it?

Get a water cylinder from a scrappie, make a card template.

A simple cap should only need 1 seam, this could be soldered or pinned
through.

cheers,
Pete.