Anyone Here Built Their Own Automatic Gate?

[Boyd]

Either sliding or hinged?

I'm looking at the 'instant reverse' motors on the Surplus Center website and it has me thinking about designing my own sliding gate for a private drive.

 

[lonestarky]

I work for a linear actuator company, and we sell to gate manufacturers. Building the gate is the easy part. Software and power can be the complicated part. We also sell gear motors that run sliding style gates as well. Both work very well.

If you have questions or ideas, I'd be happy to discuss them.

 

[brouser01]

I built my own automatic gate about 5-6 years ago. The first thing you find out when you start researching gate opener electronics is they are very expensive (not my style at all). Here is the solution, go and buy a chain driven garage door opener and mount it on its side (gear/sprocket side towards your gate). Next, go to your local bicycle shop and buy some chain. You will also need to buy an old derailer, you will need it for parts. The chain has to run the length of your gate. With the old derailer sprockets make a bracket that keeps the chain under tension on the garage doors sprocket. My bracket is an 1/8" piece of strap steel with the derailer sprockets mounted on each end with a mounting hole in the center (mounted in the center so it can teeter back and forth while still putting pressure on both sides of the units main sprocket). The great thing about this setup is it is a cheap solution compared "gate openers". After you get the distance all dialed in, build a nice cover. Good luck.

 

[ADSR]

I built my own automatic gate about 5-6 years ago. The first thing you find out when you start researching gate opener electronics is they are very expensive (not my style at all). Here is the solution, go and buy a chain driven garage door opener and mount it on its side (gear/sprocket side towards your gate). Next, go to your local bicycle shop and buy some chain. You will also need to buy an old derailer, you will need it for parts. The chain has to run the length of your gate. With the old derailer sprockets make a bracket that keeps the chain under tension on the garage doors sprocket. My bracket is an 1/8" piece of strap steel with the derailer sprockets mounted on each end with a mounting hole in the center (mounted in the center so it can teeter back and forth while still putting pressure on both sides of the units main sprocket). The great thing about this setup is it is a cheap solution compared "gate openers". After you get the distance all dialed in, build a nice cover. Good luck.

great idea! we need pics of said setup!

 

[Hencini]

Subscribed because I've been contemplating this type of project for a while.

 

[Clik]

I've checked into the store bought ones and they do seem over priced for what they are.

I can't do sliding because of heavy snow drifting and ice. I'll be interested in seeing what answers you get.

 

[HTGTS350]

Yep, dual sliding 20 footers on the same rail, can't have both of them open all the way at the same time as I only have 30' between them but they were quite easy, I used Centurion high speed motors from south Africa.

 

[wrench409]

Watching for ideas. Mine is a swing gate. I only want a closing mechanism, gravity opens it fine.

(inexpensive ones, homebuilt ones that aren't tacky or cumbersome, yadda, yadda, yadda)
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[dladcock]

Had looked at used garage door openers for an unrelated project. (An automated TV lift) During that adventure ran across this information. Some of these are not DIY, but the principles are intact.

dla

 

[lonestarky]

If you go to Mcmaster-carr, or grainger, you can buy linear actuators and gear-motors to do this sort of thing. The other option is an air cylinder if you have the compressed air available and only want 1 way operation.

You can get a simple acme drive 12v linear actuator with limit switches, but the power (battery, and how to charge it) and the start signal is whats complicated. You'll need a RF transciever, receiver, switch combination. and probably a bunch of other electrical gobblety gook. You'll also need someway to lock and unlock the gate shut at the other post automatically. otherwise you're just pulling against the locks or depending on your closing device to lock the gate.

We sell to US Automatic, and they make a reputable product. Good customer service. They have their stuff for sale on amazon.

One thing to consider is safety. A true gate opener system with all the correct circuits and switches would be adjustable, and include provisions to stop the gate if it detects that it hits an obstruction.

 

[ibedayank]

have the wife get out and open it

 

[Slednut]

Here's a video of a swing type I built, it's opened by a regular door opener. A telescoping bar between the gate and opener enables it to be opened by hand. It has a latch which is opened when the door opener starts up.

 

[kingchevy]

Go to Gatedepot.com, I got my Doorking sliding opener and accessories from them. There is also an information center on there website that was really helpful in designing a system. If you are trying to build your own, I don't know how you would incorporate the safety features like a photoeye sensor or something to stop it when it hits resistance (car, dog, kid). You also need an exit loop or probe. The probe works really well. I would look for a used opener if you don't want to break for a new one.

 

[Jack Olsen]

At my previous house, we had a manual gate that I automated with an inexpensive overhead-style opener. I had the opener run at foot level along the side of the house, and had an arm that connected to the gate. It worked for as long as we lived there. It might still be working.

 

[Coolabah]

Either sliding or hinged?

I'm looking at the 'instant reverse' motors on the Surplus Center website and it has me thinking about designing my own sliding gate for a private drive.

I actually did that 20 years ago and am still living in the same house. My gates are swing type.

Things to consider:
-hinges need to be high quality ie so the gates can swing freely by hand eg those ball bearing hinges
-ideally metal gates or if wood they need to be braced. Thnk seriously about sturdy metal gateposts as wet/dry is bad enough for dimensional soil change let alone when you add wood into the mix ie when it rains your gates swell and can jam shut ie they WOULD open if they were not motor controlled with a good yank but won't with the gate motor
-think about wind resistance eg metal skeleton ornate gates vs solid wood panel
-the controller for the motor is probably more important than the motors- mine is programmable for how fast they open where they open to , where they close to , what happens if they jam against something. They will also respond if needed to input eg IR beam or manual open switch and much more.
-how are you going to automate them - are you wanting to use the spare button on your garage remote ( in which case need to have a suitable interface board for the gate from your garage door controller manufacturer or equivalent)
-how are you going to open them from the house , do you want a manual button near the gate too ?
-what are your laws for safety during opening / closing eg I have read some posts that some parts in the USA require IR beam for auto garage doors for child safety ?
-what happens in a power failure ( need to be able to manually disengage gates eg with a key on the gate motor or have battery back-up etc etc)


I started off with mains powered motors originally but the motors wore out a couple of times so I ended up switching to a 12 volt system powerpack to mains with 12v battery backup, there is a solar option but I didn't spring for that.

I don't know about the US , but where I live the most reliable and low maintenance stuff comes from Italy FWIW

anyway , HTH

 

[Coolabah]

have the wife get out and open it

LOL in my experience that is a very high maintenance gate opener wned: LOL

 

[Richard D]

I have a remote controlled slider with a garage door opener brain as well. I didn't build it, the previous owner did, but it works pretty slick.

 

[brouser01]

I broke the light bulb cover a while back. The best part of this is the wireless remote control. There are better ways of doing this task, but this was my first shot at it and it worked. Someone mentioned not being able to use the safety sensors in case a dog or someone or something is in the path of the closing gate, FYI you can utilize all sensors & make this setup just as safe as a closing garage door.
Good luck.

 

[ADSR]

I broke the light bulb cover a while back. The best part of this is the wireless remote control. There are better ways of doing this task, but this was my first shot at it and it worked. Someone mentioned not being able to use the safety sensors in case a dog or someone or something is in the path of the closing gate, FYI you can utilize all sensors & make this setup just as safe as a closing garage door.
Good luck.

Thanks for the pictures! It's a great setup!

 

[ducktapeguy]

I seriously considered it. I have a couple of old overhead garage door openers that I was going to cannibalize for motors and controllers, plus a few saginaw steering boxes that I figured I could rig up as the gearbox. The mechanical part I think would have been simple, but as Lonestarky mentioned it was the software and safety aspect that prevented me from doing it. With little kids and a dog running around, I didn't want to take a chance of somebody getting hurt or killed by one of my projects. In the end I just ended up buying one and I'm glad I did.

 

[Clik]

A bump gate may work for some of you guys:

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

That's a great idea. I've not seen that before and wouldn't be hard to rig that up yourself if you're cheap like me.


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[turbowoodworker]

Reviving an older thread to show off my recent project. I used a gate and opener package from amazinggates.com and the install was fairly easy. Also my first attempt at block construction and stucco. Very happy with the results. We got lots of compliments from the neighbors.
Certainly a DIY level job for anyone with a strong back.

 

[TLCObsession]

I built one using a Mighty Mule package and it was a piece of cake. Planning another one for my place next spring.

 

[Boyd]

Reviving an older thread to show off my recent project. I used a gate and opener package from amazinggates.com and the install was fairly easy. Also my first attempt at block construction and stucco. Very happy with the results. We got lots of compliments from the neighbors.
Certainly a DIY level job for anyone with a strong back.

GREAT job! Very nice.