To make automatic swing gates, you can purchase a linear or lever type drive. They are produced by industry, and there are quite a few models. These mechanisms have very high strength, reliability, they can easily ensure maximum performance of the entire structure under absolutely any weather conditions. Of course, this is an ideal option in the manufacture of automatic gates, if not for the cost.
Actuators and control unit will cost you about 15,000 rubles. and higher. For this reason, many homemade ones try to make all the elements of the gate on their own. In this article, we will look at how to make do-it-yourself automatic swing gates from improvised materials.
Preparatory work
In order to make automatic swing gates with your own hands, to ensure maximum convenience and practicality, you need to take into account the following factors:
- Installation location.
- Overall dimensions of both gate leaves.
- Opening option - outward or inward.
- View, as well as the method of fastening mechanical drives.
- Method and type of installation of supports.
- How will the electrical wires be laid to the mechanisms.
- Features of the latch design.
- Powered by backup battery or household power.
Also, you definitely need to take into account all the features of the materials from which you plan to make the gate. Only after all the nuances are taken into account, it is possible to start designing the structure and selecting drives. First, let's decide what dimensions the gate leaves should have.
A little about the size of the valves
When you design automatic swing gates with your own hands, you need to focus on the width of the cars that will later drive into the yard. In order for a passenger car to pass freely, it is necessary to make an opening about 2.5 meters wide. But if it is necessary that trucks and tractors drive into the yard, you need to increase the width by about 1 m, and preferably more. Determine if vehicles can enter the opening at right angles.
If there is a very narrow road near the yard that does not allow maneuvering, it is allowed to widen the passage by one and a half times. Be sure to pay attention to whether the sash will protrude onto the road when opened. Sometimes it takes a littleimprove the design, double the thickness of the web.
But if the site allows you to make a fairly wide gate, then you should not miss this opportunity. After all, today you cannot say with absolute certainty that in a few years you will not have to drive a dump truck, a construction crane or a sewage truck to the site. As a rule, an opening more than 4 meters wide provides free passage for almost any car, including trucks.
Choose material
And now let's talk about what materials it is necessary to make gates from. Metal pipes of square or rectangular section are best suited. They have a fairly high degree of strength, and this is the most important thing. After all, a very rigid structure can be made from profile pipes. When installing automatic swing gates, you must comply with all requirements, choose only high-quality materials. You will also need the following materials to fill the canvas:
- Profiling.
- Board or picket fence.
- Polycarbonate.
- Sheets of metal.
- Forging.
Gates with a combination of several materials look quite attractive and very original. For example, you can combine polycarbonate, wood and forged elements. But usually, when choosing materials for the manufacture of gates, cost has an impact. But keep in mind that if you make your own sashes, you will save a very decent amount. Therefore, due tosaving on the labor of a hired specialist, you can purchase expensive stamping or forging.
What to make support posts from
In order to make support posts, you can use the following materials:
- Steel pipes or channels.
- Brick or masonry.
- Reinforced concrete products.
- Brus. It is advisable to use only made of solid wood.
As a rule, when choosing a material for the manufacture of poles, it is necessary to take into account the total mass of the canvases. If this is not done, then the doors will begin to converge under the weight, which will make it very difficult to close the gate. Needless to say, the normal operation of the automatic device cannot be guaranteed.
It is not very difficult to make swing gates, but there are quite original elements in the design. But with its independent production, it makes no sense to strictly follow any project. Focus on your imagination, as well as financial solvency. In our article, you will see only affordable and least labor-intensive options for manufacturing automatic swing gate devices.
What you may need
And in order to make beautiful swing gates, you will need the following materials:
- In the manufacture of supports, it is necessary to purchase metal pipes, brick or stone. In the event that poles are made in the form of masonry, it is necessary to prepare metalmortgages.
- The frame can be made from shaped pipes, the cross section must be chosen at least 40x20 mm. Maximum pipe size 60x60 mm.
- In order to fill the frame, you must use corrugated board, wood, forged elements, steel sheet or polycarbonate.
- Loops for hanging sashes on racks.
- Elements of mechanisms for locking.
If anyone does not know, then embedded elements are such metal parts that must be installed in the seams of the masonry in order to subsequently fix the sashes and other structural components. Typically, embedded elements are made of very thick sheet steel, channels, corners.
In order for the structure to be as stable as possible, it is necessary to concrete the racks. If brick or stone pillars are used, a simple foundation is built.
A little about the drive
For swing gates, the drive can be made from used vehicle components, as well as household appliances. To automatically open swing gates, you can use:
- Power windows installed in cars.
- Electric motors of gear type, it is necessary that the force is not less than 120 N.
- Screw type jacks.
- Actuators for driving satellite dishes.
As for the remote control system, it is much easier to make it from a simple alarm or central locking. ForTo do this, the electric motors of the drives must be connected through an electromagnetic relay.
You will also need:
- signal light,
- several limit switches,
- mounting wires.
In this simple way, you can make swing automatic gates with remote opening.
Making tools
In the manufacture of automatic gates, you do not need special tools or any other devices. But here are some elements of the automatic drive, depending on the design, can be machined on special machines. In general, you need the following tools:
- Welding machine. A small inverter is enough to make it convenient to move around the construction site.
- Bulgarian.
- Riveter.
- Electric drills, and you also need to purchase a set of metal drills for it.
- Level.
- Roulettes.
- A set of wrenches.
- Scribe or marker.
Also, do not forget that you will definitely have to carry out concrete and earthworks. Therefore, you will need shovels, containers, wood for the manufacture of formwork. Also, do not forget that all metal surfaces must be carefully protected from the effects of precipitation. Therefore, you need to buy a rust converter, paint and a primer for metal processing in advance.
Installation of supports
Pillars made of metal and wood must be installed in such a way that they enter the ground to a depth of at least 1 m. Otherwise, under the weight of the leaves, these poles will begin to move, far away from the vertical position. To install the supports you will need:
- Mark the installation location.
- Dig two holes. The diameter is not more than 50 cm, and the depth is up to one and a half meters.
- At the bottom it is necessary to pour crushed stone, to compact it as much as possible. Layer height no more than 20 cm.
- Install the support and align it in all planes.
- For pouring, use M-400 cement and sand.
- Pour concrete into the pit and compact as much as possible so that there are no air bubbles inside.
The second rack is installed in the same way.
Installation of brick supports
But if the mass of valves is very large, then you will need to use pillars made of brick or stone.
In this case, the racks are bound and the foundation is poured. Work is carried out in this way:
- Dig a trench, its depth - no more than 120 cm, width up to half a meter.
- At the bottom you fall asleep small gravel, ram it too. Layer thickness no more than 20 cm.
- Install racks at the edges, align them as well.
- Weld jumpers made of a metal profile pipe or channel between the racks. The lintels should be 30 cm from the top and bottom edges.
- Whenit is necessary to make brick or masonry, 30 cm from the extreme points of the column, it is necessary to weld the mortgages that are necessary for fastening the hinges. In this case, spacers from below may not be installed.
- The whole structure is filled with a mortar of cement and sand. Only after that it is possible to install mechanisms for swing automatic gates.
Sash making
And now you need to make sashes, for this you need to do the following:
- Cut the profile for the manufacture of metal gates into segments with the desired size.
- First, lay the lower crossbar on the slipway, then two side posts are welded to it at a right angle.
- Install the top crossbar and other frame components.
- Weld hinges.
- If necessary, fix the filling material inside the flaps.
- Clean all welds on metal gates.
Then it is necessary to weld the counter elements of the hinges on the poles, after which the sash can be hung. But painting work should be done only after the final installation of the drive mounts.
