To make swing automatic gates, you can purchase a linear or lever type drive. They are produced by industry, and quite a lot of models. These mechanisms have a very high strength, reliability, they can without problems ensure maximum performance of the entire structure under absolutely any weather conditions. Of course, this is ideal in the manufacture of automatic gates, if not for the cost.
Actuators and a control unit will cost you about 15,000 rubles. and higher. For this reason, many homemade workers try to produce all the elements of the gate on their own. In this article, we will look at how to make 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 consider such factors:
- Place of installation.
- Overall dimensions of both gate leaves.
- Opening option - outward or inward.
- View, as well as the method of mounting mechanical drives.
- Method and type of installation of supports.
- How will the electrical wires to the mechanisms be laid.
- Features of the design of the latch.
- Power supply - from a backup battery or household power supply.
You also must take into account all the features of those materials from which you plan to make the gate. Only after all the nuances are taken into account, it is possible to begin the design of the structure and the choice of drives. First, let's decide what dimensions should be at the gate leaves.
A bit about sash sizes
When you design automatic swing gates with your own hands, you need to focus on the width of the cars that will continue to drive into the yard. In order for the car to pass unhindered, it is necessary to make an opening approximately 2.5 meters wide. But if it is necessary that trucks and tractors call into the yard, you need to increase the width by about 1 m, or better, more. Determine whether cars can enter the opening at right angles.
If there is a very narrow road near the courtyard, which does not allow for maneuvering, a one and a half times extension of the passage is allowed. Be sure to pay attention to whether the sashes will protrude onto the road when opened. Sometimes you have to slightly improve the design, double the thickness of the canvas.
But if the site allows you to make a fairly wide gate, then you should not miss this opportunity. After all, you cannot say with absolute certainty today that in a few years you will not have to drive a dump truck, a construction crane or a cesspool truck to the site. As a rule, an opening with a width of more than 4 meters ensures the free passage of almost any car, including a truck.
Choose material
And now let's talk about what materials the gates should be made of. Metal pipes of square or rectangular cross section are best suited. They have a fairly high degree of strength, and this is the most important thing. Indeed, a very rigid structure can be made of profile pipes. When installing automatic swing gates, it is necessary to comply with all requirements, select only high-quality materials. You will also need such materials to fill the canvas:
- Decking.
- Board or picket fence.
- Polycarbonate
- Sheets of metal.
- Forging.
The gates with a combination of several materials look quite attractive and very original. For example, polycarbonate, wood and forged elements can be combined. But usually, when choosing materials for the manufacture of gates, cost influences. But keep in mind that if you make the sashes yourself, you will save a very decent amount. Therefore, due to the savings in labor of the hired specialist, it is possible to purchase expensive stamping or forging.
What to make support racks
In order to make support racks, you can use the following materials:
- Steel pipes or channels.
- Brick or masonry.
- Reinforced concrete products.
- Timber. It is advisable to use only made of solid wood.
As a rule, when choosing the material for the manufacture of pillars, it is necessary to take into account the total weight of the paintings. If this is not done, then the doors will begin to converge under the weight, which makes 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 the design has quite original elements. But with its independent manufacture, it makes no sense to clearly follow any project. Focus on your imagination, as well as financial viability. In our article you will see only affordable and least labor-intensive manufacturing options for automatic swing gates.
What may be needed
And in order to make beautiful swing gates, you will need the presence of such materials:
- In the manufacture of supports, it is necessary to purchase metal pipes, brick or stone. In the event that pillars are made in the form of masonry, it is necessary to prepare metal mortgages in advance.
- The frame can be made of profile pipes, the cross section must be selected at least 40x20 mm. The maximum pipe size is 60x60 mm.
- In order to fill the frame, it is necessary to use corrugated board, wood, forged elements, steel sheet or polycarbonate.
- Hinges for hanging the wings on racks.
- Elements of mechanisms for locking.
If anyone does not know, then embedded elements are metal parts that must be installed in the joints of the masonry in order to subsequently fix the flaps and other components of the structure. Usually embedded elements are made of very thick sheet steel, channels, corners.
In order for the design to be as stable as possible, it is necessary to concrete the racks. If pillars made of brick or stone are used, then a simple foundation is constructed.
A bit about drive
For swing gates, the drive can be made from used components of vehicles, as well as household appliances. To automatically open the 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 out of a simple alarm system or central locking. For this, the electric motors of the drives must be connected via an electromagnetic relay.
You will also need:
- signal lamp
- several limit switches
- mounting wires.
In such a simple way it is possible to make swing automatic gates with remote opening.
Manufacturing tools
In the manufacture of automatic gates, the availability of special tools or any other devices is not required. But here are some elements of an automatic drive, depending on the design, can be turned 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.
- Grinders.
- Riveter.
- Electric drills, as well as it is necessary to purchase a set of drill bits for metal.
- Level.
- Roulettes.
- Set of wrenches.
- Scriber or highlighter.
Also, do not forget that you will definitely have to carry out concrete and earthwork. Therefore, you 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 primer for metal processing in advance.
Installation of supports
Poles 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 mass of the shutters, these poles will begin to move, much away from the vertical position. To install the supports you will need:
- Mark the installation location.
- Dig out 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, compact it as much as possible. Layer height no more than 20 cm.
- Install the support and level it in all planes.
- For pouring, use cement grade M-400 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 the wings is very large, then you will need to use pillars made of brick or stone.
At the same time, the stands are ligated and the foundation is poured. The 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, fill up small gravel, ramming it. Layer thickness no more than 20 cm.
- At the edges, install racks, align them.
- You weld jumpers made of a metal profile pipe or channel between the racks. Jumpers should be 30 cm from the top and bottom edges.
- In the case when it is necessary to make brick or masonry, 30 cm from the extreme points of the column, you need to weld the mortgages that are necessary for fixing the loops. In this case, the struts from below may not be installed.
- The whole structure is filled with a solution of cement and sand. Only then can mechanisms for swing automatic gates be installed.
Sash making
And now you need to make the sash, for this you need to perform the following steps:
- Cut the profile for the manufacture of metal gates into pieces with the desired size.
- First, lay the lower cross member on the slipway, then two side posts are welded to it at right angles.
- Install the upper cross member and other frame components.
- Weld the hinges.
- If necessary, fasten the material to fill inside the cusps.
- Strip all welds on metal gates.
Then it is necessary to weld the counter elements of the loops on the posts, after which the sashes can be hung. But the painting work needs to be done only after the final installation of the drive mounts.