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Project: Welding an Ornamental Entry Gate
For my 1997-98 Mechanics project, I decided to build an ornamental entry gate for my home. A pipe fence with an extravagant entry gate was ideal for providing both security and an appealing decorative look. Ornamental Entry Gate: The Project 
I first approached this project with a layout plan and a list of working materials. You can view both the plan and list of materials below. After some consideration, it was apparent that a dual swinging entry gate with a double-overhead archway would work best for our home. Each gate panel 81 ½" wide and 64" tall. The panels had twelve verticals topped with cast ornamental spear points. The top archway would need to be 14’1" wide and be crafted from 1 ¼" square tubing. The two top arches of the overhead arcs of the overhead arch would be placed 2’ apart to allow sufficient room for two "deer" silhouettes cut from 16 gauge metal to be welded between the upper and lower arcs. The outer support posts were 2 7/8" pipes.
After laying out the design, I calculated the building materials needed for construction of the project.
After compiling my list and gathering the needed materials, it was a snap to get underway with the actual construction. For the actual welding, I suggest a 250 amp machine such as the Power MIG 255. It is a great choice for large projects such as this. This machine comes as a complete ready to weld package and it combines a power source and wire feeder. The base and sides of the gate panels fit together smoothly, since they were straight and they were welded on 90-degree angles. Welding the top arc to the gate panels was a little more difficult since the arc was not a straight piece and a square could not be used. However, this was easily worked around by taking some creative license by leaving the arc as a whole piece, welding it to the end-posts of the gate, and then cutting off the excess metal. In order to get an exact match on the two gate panels, I tack welded the pieces for one panel together and then laid the second panel on top of the first. Welding projects are extremely individual and this one will definitely require a lot of your own ingenuity, as it did for me. Careful planning and procedure are just as important (and as much fun) as the actual welding. I made sure I had a large roomy work area that was well ventilated. Also during construction I used appropriate clamps to make sure that the in-progress gate was fully supported. When welding don’t forget to prep yourself with all the right equipment: a welding helmet (such as the Ultrashade helmet), gloves, and cover-alls. Good luck and safe welding!
Material List
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©1999-2012 The Lincoln Electric Company. |
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