Cattle Grid

[Rick]

Anybody know where to get a reasonably priced cattle grid. The best price I have locally is 750 quid + VAT, which sounds like the bees knees model, and is more than I wanted to pay.

The steel cost is about 200-300 quid, but I have never welded before. I could build a castle shaped wall at the ends, and 2 in the middle, and just sit the steel onto it, as long as I can get the steel out once a year for cleaning the pit .......

I need to get large tractors to go over the top, so it needs to be strong, any idea on what size steel section I need ?

I have all the info I need on wether I am allowed to put one where I want, and the only thing stopping me is that I am not aloowed to make access down the track more difficult for disabled than able bodied people, which means a "side gate" is required. This rule pretty much throws out all but the most expensive gates, and I expect landowners will ignore it.

I could of cource look at putting an electronic opener on a 5 bar gate :-)

Thanks Rick

[Rob Morley]

Could you use scrap railway track? Just an idea.

[Phil]

I reckon that a cattle-grid might be the only time you can make it more difficult for able bodied people than disabled (think about it!) - especially if using girder section rather than round hollow section. The commercial grids I have seen range from 2" x 1/4" wall embedded on concrete supports to 6" x 2" rsj bolted down to sleepers, or welded. Lots of them around the Forest 'ere.

Phil.

[Rick]

It depends what the disability is, a wheelchair may go over easier then feet, but a blind person may be in big troubble ......

The RSJ bolted to sleeprs sounds a good idea, or I could shape the sleepres and rest the RSJ in, so they can come out for cleaning the pit.

A 152x127mm RSJ will take 210 kN on a 1.5 m span, this seems a huge ammount, like it will take almost the whole weight of the tractor & trailer, any ideas how low I can go whith this figure ?, a 89x89mm will take 61kN, which sounds more reasonable.

Rick

[:::Jerry::::]

If he has access to a crane, yes !...

[Rick]

Any idea where to buy scrap railway track, if it takes hundreds of tonnes of train, it should take a tractor ?

Rick

[Peter Crosland]

In these litigious times you might want to check with your insurers to see that they will be happy with what you install.

Peter Crosland

[Rick]

Should not be an issue, I got a half tonne oak truss up single handed.

Rick

[:::Jerry::::]

Ask in uk.railway, stating your location, you might even find a friendly PW engineer on the group...

The contact point / supports take less than 20 tonnes, in other words the axle weight, rail will snap with a well aimed and positioned blow from a sledge hammer....

It should still be more than strong enough though.

[Tony Bryer]

Note that availability of RSJ sections is iffy from what I've been told. UB and UC sections are the norm

[Mary Fisher]

Ask on uk.business.agriculture - and say roughly where you are.

Mary

[Owain]

You could put a ramp at the side of the cattle grid. Hinge it along the edge transverse to the road and spring or counterweight it so it's default position is lifted vertical. Wheelchair attendant simply folds the ramp down to horizontal, wheels front end of w/chair onto ramp, weight keeps ramp horizontal until wheelchair rolls off the other end, when the ramp self-returns to vertical.

Owain

[Stuart]

Or maybe Scaffolding poles .?? Stuart

Shift THELEVER to reply.

[The Natural Philosopher]

At last, a Plonkett trap!

[look]

Look up in Yellow pages for someone who does metal fabrications, especially for the agricultural community or ask in your nearest farmsuppliers for advise.

I had one made up a few years ago, for a reasonable price to fit the space I had.

Decide what may be driven over it to get a load rating and remember all the fencing etc that needs to go around the edges.

Robert royall at which net

[Rob Morley]

I was going to suggest something like that but I thought it was a bit far-fetched.

[:::Jerry::::]

landowners

Are you dumb or just stupid ?!..

What if there is no 'wheel chair attendant', how will any wheel chair attendant both hold the 'flap' down and push the said wheel chair onto it, are you aware that some wheel chairs have anti tip steadies sticking out the back which are likely to get side swiped by any returning flap ?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Shame. I was hoping that any unattended wheelchair user venturing onto farmland with cattle woud get his skull bashed in by a specially desiugned spring loaded ramp before the cattle ran him over.

That way the blood could go into the grid, and not spoil the grass.

[:::Jerry::::]

Assuming that is were the grid is being used, OTOH it could be intended to stop herded live stock from straying on to private non farmland.

[Rick]

Thats where I got my very expenive price from .............