I will need to fix a new wooden gate post (4x2") to the front of an existing metal post. The metal post looks like its (rusty) mild steel, square hollow section about 3" square, with a wall thickness of 3 or 4mm.
Any good suggestions for a suitable fixing system?
(the post is concreted into the ground at a friends place, so poking it under the pillar drill in the workshop will not be an option!)
I'd personally move the hinges from the wooden gate post to the steel post if the gate would still work properly when that is done and use very large steel pop rivets or the large self drilling self tappers we call tek screws.
If you want to keep the wooden gate post, use large bolts with a decent washer under the heads to bolt the wood to the steel post with the bolt going right through the steel post.
I normally weld up the gate out of square hollow tube, and just weld on a hinge onto the metal post, just a vertical pin that goes into a flat plate that is welded onto the bottom rail of the gate, but you obviously need a welder and know how to use it etc.
I have successfully drilled and tapped M8 into a very similar post to take light fittings in my garden. It just took patience, a very large hand tapping wrench and lots of tapping lubricant.
Colin Bignell
Coach bolt all the way through? (With optional recess bored into the wooden post to accomodate a nut to prevent over-tightening.)
They do make fixings for creating blind threaded holes in box section. They're related to clinch nuts but go in from the outside. Look a bit like drop in anchors. Think of a tubular section with a small flangs, part threaded at the bottom with a weakened section that balloons out when tightened.
Failing all that, I've had success using the metal umbrella style expanding plasterboard fixings in metal.
Scott
I have a rivet nut tool. Came from Ebay at a reasonable cost and takes up to 8mm bolts, according to the 'rivet' you use. It's a bit like a pop rivet in how it works. You just drill the appropriate sized hole and rivet the nut in place. Very handy device. The nut obviously stands slightly proud of the face - rather like a pop rivet does. If the material is thick enough you can countersink (or whatever) the hole to get a flush fit, if that is needed.
There is no break off part as a pop rivet - the tool screws into the thread and pulls that back to crimp on the reverse of the work.
ah, handy had not seen them before. I take it you mean something like:
I had thought of a bit of m8 studding all the way through the lot, then nuts & washers on each end. 4 holes of that size ought to be doable, although not particularly quick...
Yup, seen those now - look possible.
Would need a fair size of clearance hole though...
I also contemplated getting a couple of conventional steel hex headed bolts, and welding their heads onto the face of the metal post, then drilling the timber to match the position of them and putting it over the protruding bolts. Nut and washer in a slight rebate on the front, and then a touch of weld to prevent the nuts being removed.
That'll be the tool for what I described then! I did mine by tightening then up with a bolt and washer (to stop the fitting spinning.) Might be tempted to buy the tool to go with the remainder of the handfull I bought.
Scott
As long as it's plain steel then it shouldn't be too hard going to knock a few holes in it. The key with steel is to keep up the axial force - ie lean hard on the drill so it cuts a chip and doesn't just skid on the surface. And working up the drill bit sizes helps. I use my cheapy 12v Makita and M8 is about its limit but a decent mains one (if you can get leccy out there) like my Bosch Green hammer wouldn't struggle.
Scott
Yup lekky is easy there, although I expect I will use my 18V combi - its got much the same power as my mains drill, but much better speed control.
Just trying to work out if its worth buying a new toy to save drilling two extra holes ;-)
What other situations have these fixings proved useful?
I dunno about you but I've bought several tools over the years for some time/effort saving that have then sat around for years afterwards. Seems a bit daft but I quite relish the feeling of "Ah, I've got one of those!" when it's eventually needed again.
'54 plate isn't older! ;-)
There's a weak point on mine where an exhaust hanger is welded to the diff carrier. I could buy the repair plate for £50 from BMW or make my own out of the scrap bin (guess which). Either way it had to be fixed to a box section and these little things were what BMW used and were actually available from the local nut & bolt place.
Never seen them before so bought a few spare. Not come up with another use for them yet but am still tempted by the tool!!!
Scott
Update for those that are interested....
Fitted them the other day. In the end went with the drill through the post, and bolt onto the face using M6 stainless studding with nuts and washers either end. Drilling was not too difficult, couple of minutes per pair of holes with a Bosch multimaterial bit. Did three sets of fixings in the end since I was using the slightly skinnier M6 rod, and the gates were fairly solid. Using the face of the post also allowed the wooden post to be trimmed in width to get the best fit for the gates, and a slight squint to be cut on the far side of it to allow more opening angle for the neighbours gates.
Ended up looking like:
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