As subject, I have to mount a 19mm (3/4") square spike for a bottom gate
hinge in a softwood post. What size hole do I want? 19mm, 20mm, 21mm
or 7/8"? I want to use the largest practical size as it is a bit near
the edge of the post and I don't want to split it.

Many thanks for advice.

--

Roger Hayter

Roger Hayter wrote:
As subject, I have to mount a 19mm (3/4") square spike for a bottom gate
hinge in a softwood post. What size hole do I want? 19mm, 20mm, 21mm
or 7/8"? I want to use the largest practical size as it is a bit near
the edge of the post and I don't want to split it.

Many thanks for advice.


One of these ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gate-Hinge-.../dp/B00W3MYYZK

The spike is rather long. I've only got one drill bit for
the job, which is an "aircraft bit", maybe 3/16" in diameter.
And close to a foot long. At least that could be used to
drill four pilot holes to define the corners.

The 13mm for the center, I'd use a 12.5mm bit, but it's
only about half the length of that spike, and now I'm
screwed. How much smaller than 12.5mm to go, depends on the
type of wood. Some woods being more obliging before splitting
than others. I drill a lot of pilots to avoid splitting
stuff myself.

And the only size aircraft bit available, I bought one. They don't
make the other bit sizes that long.

Why, I would have to drive to the machine shop, which stocks
weird tool-age. I can go to that place and get a #2 tap, whereas
any other store here "we'll order it for you". That's the kind
of place you go for the more exotic bits. The aircraft bit was
in a regular hardware store, and I bought it as soon as seeing it.
A collectors item.

If your spike is rounded, then it's one of those judgment calls.
Pretty easy really. Take a piece of wood from your junk pile, of
the right dimensions for a simulation. Drill the intended hole
Start to drive the spike, just a little bit. Does the wood
compress well ? Is the driving force astronomical ? Back off,
drill bigger hole, try again. That's how judgment works :-)
The wood will tell you. I would not be testing the actual
gatepost that way, for fear of buggering the job. As a timid
DIYer, that's how I get good results. Measure twice cut once,
cut again and again. Apply paint to cover damage. Apologize
for mess made.

*******

Or for comedic effect.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32730385592.html

"Mortiser Drill Bit Set"

"Various existing bits, can only process a circular hole,
square hole can not be processed, to machining square hole,
must drill the hole or cutting machine processed crude hole,
then chisel made from artificial hand. The utility model in
the hole drilled by the rotary body, while the impact of the
use of hammer impact force transmitted to the outer body, the
material crushing round hole and square head wall, a one-time
processing of a square hole, and the dust can be broken slag
discharged from the tube. Using different specifications of
the square hole drill, matching the appropriate power of the
square hole machine, you can play a square hole to meet the
requirement."

You could play the square hole, to put it in best Chinese English.

*******

How big is this post ? Big enough for an 8" spike that
is not sunk quite fully into the post ? To get a post
that big, I'd have to go to a mill outside town. The
chain stores don't carry 8x8 posts.

Paul

Paul wrote:

Roger Hayter wrote:
As subject, I have to mount a 19mm (3/4") square spike for a bottom gate
hinge in a softwood post. What size hole do I want? 19mm, 20mm, 21mm
or 7/8"? I want to use the largest practical size as it is a bit near
the edge of the post and I don't want to split it.

Many thanks for advice.


One of these ?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gate-Hinge-.../dp/B00W3MYYZK

The spike is rather long. I've only got one drill bit for
the job, which is an "aircraft bit", maybe 3/16" in diameter.
And close to a foot long. At least that could be used to
drill four pilot holes to define the corners.

Only about 5" needs to go in the wood.


The 13mm for the center, I'd use a 12.5mm bit, but it's
only about half the length of that spike, and now I'm
screwed. How much smaller than 12.5mm to go, depends on the
type of wood. Some woods being more obliging before splitting
than others. I drill a lot of pilots to avoid splitting
stuff myself.

And the only size aircraft bit available, I bought one. They don't
make the other bit sizes that long.

Why, I would have to drive to the machine shop, which stocks
weird tool-age. I can go to that place and get a #2 tap, whereas
any other store here "we'll order it for you". That's the kind
of place you go for the more exotic bits. The aircraft bit was
in a regular hardware store, and I bought it as soon as seeing it.
A collectors item.

If your spike is rounded, then it's one of those judgment calls.
Pretty easy really. Take a piece of wood from your junk pile, of
the right dimensions for a simulation. Drill the intended hole
Start to drive the spike, just a little bit. Does the wood
compress well ? Is the driving force astronomical ? Back off,
drill bigger hole, try again. That's how judgment works :-)
The wood will tell you. I would not be testing the actual
gatepost that way, for fear of buggering the job. As a timid
DIYer, that's how I get good results. Measure twice cut once,
cut again and again. Apply paint to cover damage. Apologize
for mess made.

I think that is probably what I'll do, but I was hoping one of those
posters on here with farming experience could tell me what worked in
practice. It is obviously a compromise between not splitting the wood
and having the spike fall out.




*******

Or for comedic effect.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32730385592.html

"Mortiser Drill Bit Set"

"Various existing bits, can only process a circular hole,
square hole can not be processed, to machining square hole,
must drill the hole or cutting machine processed crude hole,
then chisel made from artificial hand. The utility model in
the hole drilled by the rotary body, while the impact of the
use of hammer impact force transmitted to the outer body, the
material crushing round hole and square head wall, a one-time
processing of a square hole, and the dust can be broken slag
discharged from the tube. Using different specifications of
the square hole drill, matching the appropriate power of the
square hole machine, you can play a square hole to meet the
requirement."

You could play the square hole, to put it in best Chinese English.

*******

How big is this post ? Big enough for an 8" spike that
is not sunk quite fully into the post ? To get a post
that big, I'd have to go to a mill outside town. The
chain stores don't carry 8x8 posts.

Paul

It is made up of sections screwed together and fixed to a wall.

--

Roger Hayter

On 12/06/2020 20:28, Roger Hayter wrote:
As subject, I have to mount a 19mm (3/4") square spike for a bottom gate
hinge in a softwood post. What size hole do I want? 19mm, 20mm, 21mm
or 7/8"? I want to use the largest practical size as it is a bit near
the edge of the post and I don't want to split it.

Many thanks for advice.

Usually using a 8" round or a square post when hanging wooden gates out
here in the country. If using a spike just drill a 18/19mm hole , it
just has to be a friction fit and allow for the wood drying out etc.

If getting it level etc is critical then dont use a spike but a bolt
through hook similar to what you are probably using on the top hinge.
This give you more adjustment options and drilling the correct diameter
hole right through will lessen the risk of splitting the post.

If there is any chance of someone lifting and nicking the gate then turn
the top hinge hook upside down.

Robert wrote:

On 12/06/2020 20:28, Roger Hayter wrote:
As subject, I have to mount a 19mm (3/4") square spike for a bottom gate
hinge in a softwood post. What size hole do I want? 19mm, 20mm, 21mm
or 7/8"? I want to use the largest practical size as it is a bit near
the edge of the post and I don't want to split it.

Many thanks for advice.

Usually using a 8" round or a square post when hanging wooden gates out
here in the country. If using a spike just drill a 18/19mm hole , it
just has to be a friction fit and allow for the wood drying out etc.

If getting it level etc is critical then dont use a spike but a bolt
through hook similar to what you are probably using on the top hinge.
This give you more adjustment options and drilling the correct diameter
hole right through will lessen the risk of splitting the post.

If there is any chance of someone lifting and nicking the gate then turn
the top hinge hook upside down.


Thanks. At least I know what I should do. Given the relative frailty
of my post I may use a bigger hole to make it easier to drive without
breaking the post off the wall. If the hook falls out I can redo it
with two part filler!!

--

Roger Hayter

Roger Hayter wrote:
Robert wrote:

On 12/06/2020 20:28, Roger Hayter wrote:
As subject, I have to mount a 19mm (3/4") square spike for a bottom gate
hinge in a softwood post. What size hole do I want? 19mm, 20mm, 21mm
or 7/8"? I want to use the largest practical size as it is a bit near
the edge of the post and I don't want to split it.

Many thanks for advice.

Usually using a 8" round or a square post when hanging wooden gates out
here in the country. If using a spike just drill a 18/19mm hole , it
just has to be a friction fit and allow for the wood drying out etc.

If getting it level etc is critical then dont use a spike but a bolt
through hook similar to what you are probably using on the top hinge.
This give you more adjustment options and drilling the correct diameter
hole right through will lessen the risk of splitting the post.

If there is any chance of someone lifting and nicking the gate then turn
the top hinge hook upside down.


Thanks. At least I know what I should do. Given the relative frailty
of my post I may use a bigger hole to make it easier to drive without
breaking the post off the wall. If the hook falls out I can redo it
with two part filler!!


I remember that style of hinge now. It was on our
gate back home, the one that opened onto a driveway.

What a pain those are, when the gate begins to droop
and you need to adjust it. For years, the bottom of the
gate used to drag on the ground, and visitors would
have to "pick up" the gate so they could close it.
At first, we fiddled with it, but after a while,
the family just gave up and nobody cared :-)

The example at the bottom here, with the threads,
when the gate droops, you can rotate it anti-clockwise
one turn and bring the hinge out and lift the
gate a bit. But the resolution is limited to
full turns. Some of the other styles don't look
all that practical.

https://snugcottagehardware.com/Snug...ch%20Pins.html

Our posts were not PTL, and I think we had to replace
one gate post when it rotted where the pin went in. I
don't think any of the fence back home was PTL, ever.
And it was a maintenance sink (the scraping, the painting,
replacing rails, replacing pickets).

Paul