Gate Hinge Held Tight With Muffler Clamps
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Russell Hackman has been featured previously in FARM SHOW for clever fencing ideas developed over 40 years of farming and ranching. He sent us a package recently of his newest invention that’s bound to catch the eye of anyone who has ever had gates break loose from a metal post hinge.
“The clamp-on hinges sold in most farm stores work fine on a small yard gate, but they aren’t much good when it comes to holding a large pipe gate on a metal post,” says Hackman. “I’ve had them break off, fall off, bend or just plain rust up. Every one of those problems is a nuisance. Now I make my own brackets and they can hold a gate that weighs a couple hundred pounds.”
Hackman makes his metal hinge supports from flat stock that’s 1/4 in. thick and 1 1/2 in. wide. To make 2 hinge brackets he cuts 6 pieces of the flat stock 2 1/2 in. long. Three pieces are used for each bracket: one for the horizontal surface, one for the vertical surface and the other for a diagonal support. He welds the pieces together in the shape of a triangle, then welds a 1/2-in. by 2-in. metal shaft upright on the flat surface. The shaft supports one of the gate eyeloops and holds it in place with a cotter pin inserted on top of the shaft.
Hackman uses 2 heavy duty 2 1/2-in. muffler brackets to attach each hinge bracket to a 2 1/2-in. metal post. He welds one of the U-bolts onto the 90 degree angle under the top of the hinge and another one below the 45 degree angle support on the bottom. “These hinge brackets are a lot stronger than the ones you can buy in a store,” says Hackman. “I’ve never had one break, even on a gate that’s 16 ft. long.”
Hackman says for metal posts larger than 2 1/2 in. he uses larger muffler clamps and that makes an even stronger hinge. The hinge bracket can also be adapted for wooden posts using a pair of U-bolts and a metal strap to secure the hinge. Another alternative would be to make the vertical support on the bracket about 6 in. long, then drill 2 holes for 3/8-in. bolts that thread through the post and are held on the opposite side with nuts and lock washers.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Russell Hackman, P.O. Box 1084, 2523 FM 884, Yorktown, Texas 78164 (ph 361 564-8855).
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Gate Hinge Held Tight With Muffler Clamps FENCING Gates Russell Hackman has been featured previously in FARM SHOW for clever fencing ideas developed over 40 years of farming and ranching He sent us a package recently of his newest invention that’s bound to catch the eye of anyone who has ever had gates break loose from a metal post hinge “The clamp-on hinges sold in most farm stores work fine on a small yard gate but they aren’t much good when it comes to holding a large pipe gate on a metal post ” says Hackman “I’ve had them break off fall off bend or just plain rust up Every one of those problems is a nuisance Now I make my own brackets and they can hold a gate that weighs a couple hundred pounds ” Hackman makes his metal hinge supports from flat stock that’s 1/4 in thick and 1 1/2 in wide To make 2 hinge brackets he cuts 6 pieces of the flat stock 2 1/2 in long Three pieces are used for each bracket: one for the horizontal surface one for the vertical surface and the other for a diagonal support He welds the pieces together in the shape of a triangle then welds a 1/2-in by 2-in metal shaft upright on the flat surface The shaft supports one of the gate eyeloops and holds it in place with a cotter pin inserted on top of the shaft Hackman uses 2 heavy duty 2 1/2-in muffler brackets to attach each hinge bracket to a 2 1/2-in metal post He welds one of the U-bolts onto the 90 degree angle under the top of the hinge and another one below the 45 degree angle support on the bottom “These hinge brackets are a lot stronger than the ones you can buy in a store ” says Hackman “I’ve never had one break even on a gate that’s 16 ft long ” Hackman says for metal posts larger than 2 1/2 in he uses larger muffler clamps and that makes an even stronger hinge The hinge bracket can also be adapted for wooden posts using a pair of U-bolts and a metal strap to secure the hinge Another alternative would be to make the vertical support on the bracket about 6 in long then drill 2 holes for 3/8-in bolts that thread through the post and are held on the opposite side with nuts and lock washers Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Russell Hackman P O Box 1084 2523 FM 884 Yorktown Texas 78164 ph 361 564-8855
