Building a field gate

[ning]

I need to build a couple field gates, and we're hoping to match the look of our fence for visual continuity and proper fit (o

The fence is a no-climb horse fence, 5' high of 2"x4" rectangles (knotted, not welded); galvanized of course, and a few lines of barbless above that (the fence is 7½' to keep a variety of creatures out).

I'm trying to figure out the best way to get some of that horse fence to stick to my square-tube steel frames...

I'm not a particularly experienced welder, but I can manage to build the frames with my (very) small Millermatic 130 w/flux core wire; I've done similar before. I'm thinking of tacking the wire on at one end, but I have another concern - this wire looks best when it's under some tension, so I also have to figure out how to put tension on the gate panel and then tack it on.

So, hoping for suggestions from people who've made something similar before, or just may have good ideas

To begin with my plan (so far, all theoretical) is to practice tacking some scrap fence wire on some scrap tube - do you think the galvanization is going to be a problem? Then I'll tack the fence to one end of the gate, attach my fence stretching clamp to the fence just past the other end of the gate... and try to figure out how to get at least a bit of tension across the panel, and then release one wire at a time and tack it down on that end (like when you wrap fence to an anchor post).

Thoughts?

 

[TractorGuy]

I would tie it on with galvanized tension wire.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/YARDGARD-12-5-Gauge-392-ft-Galvanized-Tension-Wire-328788DPT/100322550

 

[ChuckT]

We buy and install fence gates with the grid already welded and the grid is heavier (thicker gauge) than fence wire.
If you're dead set on matching your fence height you might have to buy higher than usual gates and weld on (I think they're called) "hog panels" - they are a heavier gauge and thenuse 3 hinges on each leaf. I suppose you could make up a welding table with a stretching fixture to tension the fence wire before welding then cut off and grind smooth, be kind of tricky to get enough tension without distorting the vertical tubing.

 

[Western]

What ChuclT said

We had tons of pens we used the 2x4 non climb horse wire on, we also used 2x4-4gauge hog panels for all the gates. I wouldn't even waste the time trying to weld fence wire to the anything, not enough there for any kind of strength.

 

[gsganzer]

I made similar gates by making a frame using 1 1/2" square tubing and then welding 2" x 4" horse panels on (got the panels from Tractor Supply, $79/ea.) and the weld-on hinges and spring loaded latch from the local metal supply house. It's surprisingly quick and easy to make a gate this way. You'll never get the no-climb wire tight and looking good on such a short distance. Also, put a diagonal rod and turnbuckle so you can correct gate droop over time.

 

[ning]

I appreciate the knowledge shared here, in the posts and DM's - it gave me the confidence to build.

This gate is about 12.5' wide, 7.5' high; made mostly with 1.5" square tube (11ga), and a 3/8" rod on the diagonal incorporating a turnbuckle. It's hung using gate hinges from TSC, with the straps shortened and welded to the main tubing; the grid panel is a 6ga horse panel.

The height and general form matches the fence the gate is in, which is designed to keep bobcats and coyotes out (the gate will also have hot wire on it soon, on the outside) as well as dissuade deer from coming in... just in case you're wondering why the gate isn't the typical 4' field gate (which would've been much cheaper in time and money straight from TSC!).

 

[oosik]

That's a very fine looking gate. I have four field gates. Barbed wire with three vertical standing limbs across the opening to hold the wire up. It matches the four strand barbed wire fence around my 80 acres.

Just a note - Your gate and fence may discourage bobcats and coyotes. However - if there is a real reason to be on the inside they will simply dig under. Same for badger, raccoons and skunks.

 

[ning]

That's a very fine looking gate. I have four field gates. Barbed wire with three vertical standing limbs across the opening to hold the wire up. It matches the four strand barbed wire fence around my 80 acres.

Just a note - Your gate and fence may discourage bobcats and coyotes. However - if there is a real reason to be on the inside they will simply dig under. Same for badger, raccoons and skunks.

My experience (25y at this place) here is that the animals I'm concerned about haven't taken the effort to dig but only come in very opportunistically because our animals (chickens for the most part) are mostly out if we're out too - so it's primarily hit & run.

In the past when the fence was an ancient falling down 5' mesh we got deer in our orchard & roses all the time, and coyotes prowling the border; I'd take pot shots at them and not see them for a couple weeks after.

With this new fence we haven't had deer or coyotes, but the bobcat just changed where it comes in and out - to where I haven't replaced the not-quite-as-bad fence with the better fence...

 

[oosik]

I think there is an obvious answer here. The wildlife in and around your property, Ning, are well fed. Albeit - from other sources. The wildlife around my property are not so lucky and must check out all possible sources. Folks around here have used many varied approaches to exclude wildlife. The animals will always find a way.

Down at the old town of Amber there is a fairly large cherry and apple orchard. Half cherry trees/half apple. The owners installed an eight foot high, heavy gage, mesh fence around this orchard. It worked well in the summer. Come the winter - they found small herds of mule deer inside the fenced area. A wildlife camera showed that the deer found a favorable location and were jumping over this eight foot high fence. They never worried about getting back out. Apparently they understood that, sooner or later, the big gate would be opened and they would be herded out.

The WA Dept of Fish & Game use to, long ago, supply materials to orchardists. The orchardist would install eight foot high mesh fencing around their orchards. This didn't exclude the deer. The WDFG quit suppling these materials looooong ago.

Wildlife and fruit trees have been an ongoing problem - ever since the first fruit tree was planted around these parts.

An answer - eight foot high mesh fencing and an outrigger, barbed wire, deterrent on top. I've only seen this a couple times. Cost of installation and maintenance would be considerable.

 

[goeduck]

I think there is an obvious answer here. The wildlife in and around your property, Ning, are well fed. Albeit - from other sources. The wildlife around my property are not so lucky and must check out all possible sources. Folks around here have used many varied approaches to exclude wildlife. The animals will always find a way.

Down at the old town of Amber there is a fairly large cherry and apple orchard. Half cherry trees/half apple. The owners installed an eight foot high, heavy gage, mesh fence around this orchard. It worked well in the summer. Come the winter - they found small herds of mule deer inside the fenced area. A wildlife camera showed that the deer found a favorable location and were jumping over this eight foot high fence. They never worried about getting back out. Apparently they understood that, sooner or later, the big gate would be opened and they would be herded out.

The WA Dept of Fish & Game use to, long ago, supply materials to orchardists. The orchardist would install eight foot high mesh fencing around their orchards. This didn't exclude the deer. The WDFG quit suppling these materials looooong ago.

Wildlife and fruit trees have been an ongoing problem - ever since the first fruit tree was planted around these parts.

An answer - eight foot high mesh fencing and an outrigger, barbed wire, deterrent on top. I've only seen this a couple times. Cost of installation and maintenance would be considerable.

Impressive. We have not seen deer jump a 6 foot fence here, but then there are probably many more places to select from. Not that a deer is going eat a chicken in this case. We plant full size fruit trees so deer can only eat the windfalls.

 

[oosik]

goeduck - that is a BIG mistake I made when I planted my orchard. I planted semi-dwarf. Easier to prune - easier to pick - unfortunately,,,,easier for the deer to harvest.

I have raccoons. A very active family down in the cattails on this end on my lake. They, obviously, enjoyed MY apples also. The adults would send the youngsters up the trees and out the branches to harvest apples. The adult would wait, on the ground, for "falling fruit". Smaller critters can go further out on smaller limbs.

I hope they got stomach aches from all the green apples they ate .................

 

[goeduck]

The down side to full size trees is pruning them, they can grow to 25 or 30 feet tall. After a certain height they just grow however they grow. Plus you end up picking from a ladder. But that is how we have always done it, so it seems normal to me.

 

[oosik]

From my front porch I can easily see all of the old orchard area. Two times I saw this. Deer and adult 'coons out in the orchard. Young 'coons up the trees harvesting the apples. It was a race to see who got to the fallen apples first. Young 'coons bringing the apples down to lower branches so they could eat them and not loose balance and fall. Old 'coons getting frustrated and "barking" at young 'coons.

I realized it was a lost cause. The trees were old and so, four year ago, I ripped the last four out and converted them to bar-b-que chips.

Now I go to an area north of Spokane, Green Acres, and buy the apples by the box. I had apple trees for 35 years. Guess that's all I will get.

If I planted another apple tree it would be to watch ALL the wildlife and their nightly squabbles. Besides - the fruit trees attracted a couple types I never really learned to appreciated.

Skunks and porcupines.

However, the up side - my field gates DO keep the neighbor's cows out of my yard.

 

[goeduck]

The down side to full size trees is pruning them, they can grow to 25 or 30 feet tall. After a certain height they just grow however they grow. Plus you end up picking from a ladder. But that is how we have always done it, so it seems normal to me.

I spent a number of hours pruning my 60 or so young apple trees last weekend. Some are getting high enough that I need to top them but I will have to use an orchard ladder to get up there.

 

[oosik]

Here is one of my three "field gates". It's designed, engineered & constructed to accomplish just one task. Keep the cows out. It does that very well.

Heck, ning - the gate you constructed is a whole lot fancier than the first - outer - gate on my driveway.