Need ideas - gate too short for doorway

[weedsportpete]

This is also posted on CBN.

We have an indoor arena for horses; I asked for doors on each (long) side to be 12 feet wide, and the door on the far end to be 10 foot wide. They installed sliding doors. In doing so they added an extra 2x6 /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif to the door jamb interior 6x6 post and then mounted some door latch hardware on that.

The inside diameter of the side doors is now 11 feet 7 inches. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Even if I took off/cut into the 2x6 board, I'd still have 11 feet 9 inches (approx) of inside diameter. Yes, the doors should have originally been 12 feet wide inside diameter /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif , but they are not and we were not thinking about interior gates a year ago when it first went up.

The standard (livestock) gate sizes are 8', 10', 12', etc. The gate must fit into the door jamb - if it was mounted on the inside of the arena, the hardware/gate would stick out a couple inches and possibly snag horses or riders if they were too close. It can't be mounted on the outside because of the sliding door. Note: gates are typically 2 inches shorter than stated size in order to accomodate the gate hardware. I'm not going to cut into the 6x6 posts - they are a main structural element.

I've got a 10' gate for a 11'8" opening.. I could:
a) insist on attaching it to the inside of the arena, and maybe build up a little edge protector (2x4 with plywood 'ramp') that covers the gate hardware and keeps the horses from getting snagged- but this faces opposition from the CFO/horse-person-in-charge /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif , or
b) just build up more 2x6's on the door jamb until the diameter is 10' (I really don't like this for several reasons), or
c) install the gate/gate hinge hardware on one side and find 'some' way to latch the other end (over a distance of 1 foot 6 inches, give or take an inch).

I'm focusing on c). Other options are welcome. If c) sounds good, how can I:
a) keep the 'latch contraption' inside the door jamb
b) be reasonably strong (against the pressure of an inquisitive horse (not a wild, fired up horse who would run through a horse fence anyway))
c) be able to swing out of the way (90 degrees) when the gate is open
d) have a latch that is easy to open and close.

Any thoughts, suggestions or comments will be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[MikePA]

Pete, get some Breezy Gates. They make them according to the dimensions you send them and they are so much better than standard gates you can get at places like TSC. We have two of them at either end of the main aisle in our barn and love them.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I've got a 10' gate for a 11'8" opening )</font>

Instead of having an answer, I've just got a question. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Why could you not get a 12' gate, cut it in two somewhere near the middle, cut out the necessary amount (4"?) and weld it back together?

 

[Spencer]

My first thought was exactly what Bird said. My second thought is to either take the gate to your local welding shop and have them modify it or better yet have them build you a custom gate that would be much stronger. When I was at my local welding shop getting my toothbar resized they were in the process of making custom gates for a customer, they said they do it all the time.

 

[MikePA]

A 10' Breezy Gate is $129, a 12' Breezy Gate is $139. Adding $15 for special length, these prices rise to $144 and $154.

TSC online shows these same gates are $59 and $64, respectively.

I imagine you could get them modified for less than $90 each. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I still like my Breezy Gates! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[weedsportpete]

I like the breezy gates; they are a little expensive though. I bought two 10 foot gates for the two 11 foot 7 inch doors with the idea that I would find a way to latch them. I don't think we will buy them now because our budget is so tight.

I called a local welding shop and without seeing the gate they quoted between $50 and $100. I could swing $50, but not much higher.

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue">I called a local welding shop and without seeing the gate they quoted between $50 and $100. </font>
Yikes! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif If you're going to have as much in a standard gate plus cutting and welding, I'd opt for the Breezy Gate. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[weedsportpete]

I would LOVE to get a welder, of any kind. That is unexplored territory. I'll start asking for xmas...

Followup - I couldn't talk the chief stylist/CFO into shortening the gates or creating a neat latch, so I did one gate by adding 2x6's to the door jamb.. 5 on one side and 4 on the other. Looks very odd, was kind of a pain. Told her the price of the P.T. lumber and that was enough to decide to go back to the welding/shortening the gates method! So the other two gates, $50 each (including a strengthening metal tube on the inside of the crossbars), will be done today, and I'll redo the first gate in a month or two.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.

 

[just_toolin]

The one additional though I had was to use two smaller gates hinged on each side of the opening to gain a total of 4 inches less than the total width, two six foot gates for a 12 foot opening. You mentioned you can get the opening to 11'9". If the hinge pin is mounted next to the gate with the attachment strap 1/4 turned, the gate can mount almost flush to the opening, but only swings in one direction. Don't know if you want to deal with the additional gate and single direction swing however.

 

[weedsportpete]

Thats a good idea.. it would save two inches on each side. Though I really like being able to open it either way; plus I like the Sure Latch that lets me latch it either way.