Panel and Gate Jig

[cerkac]

I'm new to this forum but I'm hoping you all can help. I need to build a bunch of livestock panels and a few gates. Panels will range from 8 to 12 foot and the gates will range from 10 to 14 foot. Since I have a bunch of them to weld up I was hoping to build a jig to make it easier and faster. Does anyone have a jig that they could share photos of or have plans for building one ? I'd like the jig to be adjustable to allow for the various lengths of panels/gates but also to allow for different rail spacing and heights as needed. Thanks

Kevin

 

[charlz]

By jig do you mean a full-scale layout jig/table or little jigs that help you keep the corners square, cross pieces perpendicular etc?

 

[cerkac]

Sorry. A full-size layout jig/table. Thanks.

 

[weldermike]

Maybe 7ft channel turned upward so gate can lay in groove, with pipe legs drilled and tapped for a set screw. Put smaller pipe with plate legs inside bigger pipe with set screw, adjust height and lock set screws. Pipe inside of pipe will make up for uneven ground

 

[weldermike]

Very rough scetch, busy workin and pen wouldnt write, hope it helps bud!

 

[rhett]

Hurm,

Fabricating, the Gates and Panels will most likely be Rectangles and most all pieces will join at 90 degree angles, that is why the jig is wanted to help with alignment (keep things squared).

Might I suggest using wood, easy to get, cut, assemble and re-purpose later.

1 or 2 pieces of plywood for the work surface.
2x4's or any handy lumber to attach to the plywood bottom keeping the work surface flat
some decking or drywall wood screws
2x2's to make the jig framing (these can easily be unscrewed and moved as needed)

The Base Jig Frame should not need to be moved once squared. Other aligning strips can be easily measured and adjusted from them keeping things square.

Base Jig Frame attached to the top of plywood (L-shaped and squared):

|
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| ------------------------- (moveable 2x2's for stringers)
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|_________________________________ (one side and bottom stationary and squared)

Keep a Water Spritzer (spray bottle) handy if wood catches fire when welding. Maybe even keep the wood damp helping keep burning to a minimum.

Good Luck

 

[weldermike]

Sorry, thought you had fence already. If you have a flat and big enough garage floor I would lay out, square up frame,tack weld a couple stiffeners to keep em square, flip it over, finsh all your sructual center pieces, then flip back over break off stiffeners, and grind the tacks smooth. A big square and some long pieces of cheap stock for the stiffeners, should do you good. If floor is not that even could always use some different size welding rods for shims. Good luck bud!

 

[Shield Arc]

What about buying a couple sheets of 12-GA, lay them on the floor, and use angle iron clips tack welded to the 12-GA for your jig. I do this all the time on my 4x8 welding table.

 

[charlz]

Or carefully build the first one and then tack small pieces of metal to it that provide alignment for the pieces of subsequent ones. Then when you are done knock off and grind down where the tabs were. This would save you from having to figure out what to do with a full-size jig when you are all done.

 

[cerkac]

Shield Arc and charlz, thanks for the ideas. I would like jig to be quickly adjustable for different length panels/gates and also adjustable for different spacing between rails. Any thougths on adjustability?

Ideally I think I will want the jig to stand up (or maybe a slight tilt backwards) instead of laying flat on the floor or table. I even thought about putting casters on it so I could roll it out of way when not using it.

Kevin