rrebell Come on guys, this thread is getting close to 20 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Come on guys, this thread is getting close to 20 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!!
richhotrain rrebell Come on guys, this thread is getting close to 20 years old!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, I missed that when I replied. That guy revived two ancient threads on Monday. Rich
Yeah, I missed that when I replied. That guy revived two ancient threads on Monday.
Rich
Alton Junction
Here's one:
https://www.trains.com/mrr/beginners/ask-trains/how-do-i-build-a-layout-swing-gate/
And
https://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/t/292217.aspx
Simon
If you Google 'swing gate for model railroad layout', you will find lots of articles and YouTube videos.
I need to build one. I can't seem to find article with link. Newbie here
My swing gate is 4 feet long.
The only time it hangs on the hinges is when it is open.
When it is closed it rests on 2x4s on BOTH ends.
It doesn't budge.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
good to see that the gate has worked as well as you had hoped and without any problems. i`m sure this is because you kept it simple .
IMO many of the replies to your post have tended to make things more complicated than neccessary
i have a gate almost the same which has worked well for me for about 12 months and I find I don`t even have to use the bolt to hold it in place.
I got a number of emails over the past week or so requesting that Part II be written up so in response I've spent the past few days cobbling it together. The completed web page for Part II of the tutorial on the swing gate is published on my PD web site.
One note to mention: The swing gate main construction will reach it's first year of installation in March and so far I can say that it has held up nicely and I have not seen any need to make any adjustments or re-alignment.
The links for both tutorial installments are here:
Building a Swing Gate and alternative to the duckunder Part I
Building a Swing Gate and alternative to the duckunder Part II
Cheers,
Ryan
Ryan BoudreauxThe Piedmont Division Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger eraCajun Chef Ryan
PUBLICATION ALERT!!!
Just got my July issue of That Other Magazine - the one that doesn't sponsor this forum.
Check out the article, "Building a Model Railroad Gate," by Fred Headon. I'm not going to give anything but a vague explanation (to keep from treading on anyone's copyright toes,) but the problems of gate-top scenery, multi-level trackage on the gate, electrical protection (killing approach tracks) and bulletproof alignment are well and thoroughly explained.
I hesitate to publicize Kalmbach's competition, but this one is worthy of a long, slow read (with notebook in hand.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - planned gate eliminated by redesign)
pilot wrote:It seems like what you need is an adjustment screw for both vertical and horizontal fit, on both ends. Then you can close the gate and useing screw/clamps adjust it to a perfect fit. I am skeptical that there is ANY foolproof way of getting it to stay lined up. Everything moves, plan on it moving and have the adjustment you need to get in into tolerance.
Pilot,
Good point you made there!
For the vertical shift the throw side of the swing gate clears this small apron and matches up with the 72 degree bias cut and also prevents the gate from swinging too far.
Also, the dead bolt latch prevents any horizontal movement once the bolt is thrown.
If in doubt, use steel!
Seriously, the specific steel I would use is a pretty hefty machine screw - #10 pan head, or even 1/4" if it will fit - with a flat washer, lock washer and dome-top nut on the far side. A hinge or barrel bolt secured with that caliber fastener will NOT loosen of its own volition, and can be tightened if the wood shrinks.
If vertical alignment might become an issue, make the roadbed support adjustable and leave the swinging hinges alone.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Zandoz wrote:Something came to mind that I'm not sure how to explain....but I'll give it a try. Instead of traditional hinges, think pivot points...like the stationary pivot point of a bi-fold door. The better bi-fold door pivots are adjustable both horizontally and vertically, and the weight of the door/gate sits on the pivot point, rather than outside of it increasing the lever effect of the weight of the gate. Instead of building a gate from scratch, cut down a hollow core door, and fasten a flat deck to the top edge of it. <shrug>
Thank you.
I have an old door in reasonably good condition. I will cut THAT down.
Excellent...like surgery! I would now file the flange sides of the rail heads to bevel them...all four ends, and also bevel all four rail tops at the end, just the slightest bit. Those bevels will greatly insure that you cross the gap many times safely with minimal hitches or picking.
Nice and patient approach you had there....well done.
After having put the roadbed and track onto the swing gate and then allowed it to dry overnight. (Actually setup for a couple of weeks) Then added some CA to both sections where I would be making the cuts to the track and roadbed and let that set for a few days too (overnight would be fine though). I can finally open the swing gate again, crawling on the floor to get under the gate gets old quick!
I made the final cuts yesterday and here are the results:
Making the Cut!
The Cut
Swing Gate Swung!
tohowalk wrote:Just a thought here - I have never built a layout that needs a gate, but my next one will. Would it be possible to prevent "droop" by putting a castering wheel on the gate? Run a leg down the open side of the gate, opposite the hinge side, and attach a caster to the bottom. It's possible this could lead to a bit of a twist in the gate from top to bottom when opening and closing (which wouldn't be hard to overcome), but wouldn't it control or eliminate "droop"?
This requires a pretty level floor under, or some kind of spring mounted caster to compensate for floor irregularities. This is something I've pondering and experimenting with for a couple years in 1:1 scale...wife wants a double (if not double bi-fold) gate across our driveway, but the drive is compound tapered in that area for drainage.
Reality...an interesting concept with no successful applications, that should always be accompanied by a "Do not try this at home" warning.
Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.
"Oooh...ahhhh...that's how this all starts...but then there's running...and screaming..."
A different approach...
We've all had the hinged gate screwed into wooden post problem. I fixed my large driveway gate sag problem a few years back permanently... I through bolted a piece of angle iron onto the wooden post then mounted the hinges to the angle iron. perhaps something like that could be done here. I'm pretty sure you can buy 1" square metal tubing at Home Depot. Drill thorugh holes in the steel and attach hinges that way. No more pull out problem!
just my .02
Similar to others here, I have two benchwork areas to be connected via a RR bridge.
For now I have constucted a simple temporary liftout but it is a PITA to lift it out then put it back as this area gets a lot of trafic.
So, I am in favor of the swing or lift gate.
Regards,
Tom
R. T. POTEET wrote:For those of yoou trying to get a screw to anchor into the edge of plywood you have a real problem: IT CAINT BE DONE.But it is done by cabinet makers every day.1) Drill a hole in the surface of the plywood;2) Glue in a short length of dowel (same size as the hole you drilled in step #1);3) Sand Dowel flush with the surface of the plywood, and;4) Drill into the edge of the plywood and into the dowelYou now have a solid piece of wood to anchor your hinge screws into.
Rpoteet,
You reminded me of a very simple idea that I learned like 20 years ago in shop class... DUHHH!!!! I forgot that lil trick! Hence, why I am NOT a master (or even journeyman) carpenter. Thank god I have a day job!
Brian
selector wrote: In my opinion, yes, it could create some difficulty in getting the moving end set in whatever it needs to be fixed. In my case, the twin brass hinges offer perhaps 1/8" of lateral play if I want it, and that is at the opposite end of the span some 46" away. It turns out I don't need it...but that is another issue. Remember, mine is a swing-down.For a gate moving in azimuth, probably not nearly as much. If the far latch or fastener is situated correctly at the first, then the piano hinge should be that much more reliable in getting the bolt or whatever to the right location in height.
In my opinion, yes, it could create some difficulty in getting the moving end set in whatever it needs to be fixed. In my case, the twin brass hinges offer perhaps 1/8" of lateral play if I want it, and that is at the opposite end of the span some 46" away. It turns out I don't need it...but that is another issue. Remember, mine is a swing-down.
For a gate moving in azimuth, probably not nearly as much. If the far latch or fastener is situated correctly at the first, then the piano hinge should be that much more reliable in getting the bolt or whatever to the right location in height.
To also add to Selector's comments at the latching point.
Remember that you are spanning 2 separate sections of benchwork. Any movement, however slight, in any direction, can cause a major misalignment. We have been talking more about making the hindging portion bullet proof. It may be necessary to incorporate some type of alignment method to always position the closed end exact even if the benchwork has swelled, shrunk or overwise shifted.
I would recommend not only angling the closure point as some have showed, but fabricating a tapered locating dowel/ pin. The tapered dowel will engage and pull/push the benchwork even slight to find it's proper alignment before latching.
At certain times when humidity conditions are at a norm the gate may work fine, but this is a bit of insurance for the off times when you could have problems.
As a carpenter, as I build a cabinet or hang a door, I always try to eliminate any future problems from normal and even abnormal abuse. "Doors always have to get the Mad Wife or kid test by slamming it shut a few times"
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
A different idea...
One thing I like about a swing gate is that when the gate is opened the track end going into the void at the hinge end can be closed off automatically.
I wish I could post a sketch as it would be a lot easier... but...
What you need is a bar extending at right angles from the face of the hinge side of the gate very close to the hinge. This bar then turns back parallel to the track in the direction of the hinge. When the gate swings open this bar then swings across the track and stops things rolling off on that side of the gap.
Hope this makes sense.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
That is the advantage of a swing-down. The hinges are presumably fixed well and securely, but the real anchors for alignment in both azimuth and altitude are the barrel locks at the rising end.
I agree about piloting holes. It takes more time, but it is the cheapest insurance you can ever get against split members that you had counted on for strength. If sized just a bit small for the shank on your screw, it should do a superior job of keeping its grip over time. If you are a bit concerned about it still, fashion a metal L-bracket, drill holes, and screw it to the side of the fame member on which your hinges rest. Do it in such a way that the bottom part of the L lies hard against your hinge. You should never have to lose an hour's sleep again.
That's a good point about the sloppy hinges. mine are used only to set the height when closed and the barrel stay on the right of the shelf sets outer height and and alignment. I also used a pin on the rail to add a posittive stop for the upper track as a back up. J.R.