Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-07-20
A PLANTATION GATE.

MEssRs. EDIToRs-I have, after long
time," endeavored to make good my promise
to DR.. Lee, by preparing a draft and des-
cription Of my Gates; after do years expe.
lience, believe them superior to any other
for the same cost, and will last at least 30
years. Back piece by 6 and about + feet
inches long; head peace full by 3 and
about feet 3 inches long and rhen dressed,
d inches wide and l thick, if pine; if oak
they may be saued that thickness, the bars
should be morticed square entirely through
both back and head piece, not shouldered;
the distance between the bars should be,
commencing at the bottom, as follows ),
81, 4, 5, 7, and 10 inches: both the cross
braces and the two palings are nailed to the
bars with the best Of wrought nails, with
large heads, from the JlGck smHh'S shop,
three inches long, and we'll clinched; the
two palings are (of course) on the opposite
side of the gate to the cross braces, these
braces are Of great Importance; the long
one is dovetailed in the side and near the top
of the back piece, passing to the lower bar
close up to foot Of head piece; the short
brace merely butts against the long brace
on fifth bar from the bottom and against the
back piece on the bottom bar, well nailed
to each bar it crosses. All timber for gates
should be of the best quality and thoroughly
seasoned; better use bars than an Indifferent
gate, or even one badly hung.
Now, the hanging requires far more skill
than the making lit is rarely well done even
by the best of workmen if timber is plenty,
get the post 10 by II Gf scarce, s by 10
will do) and 10 feet inches long, and al
ways four feet in the ground; you want
to dig your holes with the least possible la
Dor, commence them feet long and 2 feet
wide, (uot as my friend did, lsinches square,
and took an able hand two days, as he said,
to get the dirt OUT; put in the post the gate
is to hang to first, and ram well from bot
tom to top, taking care the postis plumb;
or perhaps it is best to lean it about an inch
or two the way the gate is to shut; that
much is imperceptable to the eye, and it
frequently settles back a little by the weight
Of the gate, and should it remain just so, it
isnot Objectionable.
The hinges should be heavy, and full 3
feet long, we'll nailed with large wrought
nails, to the top bar and back piece, and
second bar from the bottom and back piece;
good half inch bolt and tap is best through
the back piece, 81 inches long and square
at its butt end a strip three inches wide and
about tLree. quarters thick, must be tack
ed on the bars that the hinges are nailed to,
so as to make an even surface from the back
piece to the end of the hinge, the lower
hinge should project two inches further
from the back Of the back piece than the
upper one, aud be bent outwards so as to
give the gate fall the lower hook must cor
respond as shown on the plate, and must
lot be driven up as close by about 2 inches
as the upper one; they should be strong
shanks made to follow an inch anger: and
OF the same thickness from end 10 end, not
tapcred like q wedge; when boreing for the
hooks slightly incline the point Of the au-
ger to the centre of the post, and bore
entirely through, then, should a hook break
or be driven too far, it can be driven back
with bolt size smaller than the hole; be
careful that the gate, when hung, has about
three-q quarters of an inch between the back
and the post; gate that binds soon breaks
itself or the hinges, never shuts well, and is
a standing trap for children's fingers, (you
know they will be there, for to swing on the
gate was a great luxury when was young
ster, and they are welcome to swing on