Gate Question - Possible to hang from a T-Post?

[Pehsness]

DH and I just came from TSC where we bought t-posts to beef up the pasture fencing for the winter (equibraid that saw some high drifts last year).

I really want to replace the “gates” (you know, the pseudo electrobraid “gates”) with actual farm gates. They have the fairly light hollow core farm gates at TSC. I know they’re not the greatest for horses because they are so light and bend easily, but with these two that I have here I’m not too worried.

Because they are so light, is it possible to hang them from a t-post somehow? Maybe if you put a wheel on the non-fixed end that opens/closes it would lessen the drag on the t-post?

The fence people didn’t call me back about getting my composite/wood posts pounded in, so that’s not getting done before winter. But I would really, really like to get at least one gate installed so a) it’s easier to take a horse in/out of the field without having to turn off the fence and juggle 4 strands of rope and hooks while keeping the remaining horse in the field and b) so I don’t have to keep climbing my pregnant self through the fence.

But, I recognize I might be crazy.

[cowboymom]

With a wheel you might get away with it for a while, at least until spring when you can put in a better post.

[csaper58]

Will the gates be electrified? If not the horses will soon be pushing on them.

[ReSomething]

We have one 6 foot Tarter gate that opens on a downhill slope that has worked fine for several years, DH doubled up the tposts with a 2x2 for the hanging end, it’s a t-post, wood, tpost with that old hay bale sized wire seizing keeping it all together, and the receiving end is doubled t posts also IIRC. We’ve also got EB.

[Equibrit]

Google OZ fence posts.
http://www.signetfence.com/wood-anchors-s/1827.htm
I think Home Depot have them.

[Murphy_s_Mom]

I use fence panels (formerly part of my round pen) for gates. They don’t swing but that is ok with me.

[fordtraktor]

Just get a pair of post hole diggers, every farm needs them, and do it by hand. It is more than doable for a gate. It is only two post holes. Concrete them in which you need to do anyway to hold the weight of a gate without sagging, long term. If you don’t know how, ask a horsey friend. This is a job that will take like an hour tops, make them dinner for helping show you the ropes or something.

[Pehsness]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8392400]
Just get a pair of post hole diggers, every farm needs them, and do it by hand. It is more than doable for a gate. It is only two post holes. Concrete them in which you need to do anyway to hold the weight of a gate without sagging, long term.[/QUOTE]

Now this is intriguing… if I can figure out how to set my own fence posts I will be unstoppable…

There is a rusty old set of post diggers here, but despite me analyzing them several times I can’t figure out how they could possibly work. Is it possible to just set a post with digging a hole with a shovel??

I must do some googling.

[fordtraktor]

Hold them with the poles together so the ends are open. Point them at the ground. Slam them at the ground. Pinch them together by pulling the poles apart as hard as you can. Lift the dirt away. Repeat 500 times until the hole is 3-4 feet deep. That’s all!

[Pehsness]

so google explained the function of the diggers… I must go try them out!

[fordtraktor]

Also, if you want to set regular fence posts you need a tamping bar. The non-concrete ones.

[Pehsness]

[QUOTE=fordtraktor;8392407]
Hold them with the poles together so the ends are open. Point them at the ground. Slam them at the ground. Pinch them together by pulling the poles apart as hard as you can. Lift the dirt away. Repeat 500 times until the hole is 3-4 feet deep. That’s all![/QUOTE]

I just went to try them! I don’t know if they’re a home-made version (the t-post pounder that also came with the place appears to be home-made), but they have more of a lever-type action with one pole fixed and then a lever to open and close. Pretty rusted, but they worked! I can definitely see how they could (slowly) get the job done in soft ground.

Now to see if DH will comply so I don’t put myself in to early labour.

[Mallard]

We have a lot of rock here and cannot dig proper post holes and I have farm gates ‘hung’ on T-Posts.

Drive your heavy-duty T-Post into the ground. The hard part is driving it in and making sure it goes in straight!

Get a 4x4 post … measure and drill the holes for your gate hardware in it.
Screw hangers into the post.

Get a small 12"x12" concrete patio stone and place it on the ground right beside the T-Post where you want the gate to hang. A large flat rock will also work.
Set the drilled 4x4 on top the stone.

Use heavy fencing wire to wire the 4X4 to the T-Post in several places.

Now just go ahead and hang the gate!

We have a 16’ and a 14’, as well as a 4’ gate, all hung this way.
We do have wheels on all but the small 4’ gate.

Would a wild and crazy horse run through it?
Of course!
Has it ever happened to me?
No.

When we moved here 22 years ago there were several gates that were just ‘hung’ by multiple strands of heavy fencing wire wrapped around a T-Post.

[Simkie]

Totally agree about just setting a couple posts yourself. It’s not fun, but a post or two is totally doable with a manual post hole digger. Don’t even think you’d need a real post for both sides…a well set covered t would likely be fine for the latch.

Do you have a friend who could help? If you were around here, I’d come over and dig. You could buy the beer

[Frog_Pond]

[QUOTE=Mallard;8392558]
We have a lot of rock here and cannot dig proper post holes and I have farm gates ‘hung’ on T-Posts.

Drive your heavy-duty T-Post into the ground. The hard part is driving it in and making sure it goes in straight!

Get a 4x4 post … measure and drill the holes for your gate hardware in it.
Screw hangers into the post.

Get a small 12"x12" concrete patio stone and place it on the ground right beside the T-Post where you want the gate to hang. A large flat rock will also work.
Set the drilled 4x4 on top the stone.

Use heavy fencing wire to wire the 4X4 to the T-Post in several places.

Now just go ahead and hang the gate!

We have a 16’ and a 14’, as well as a 4’ gate, all hung this way.
We do have wheels on all but the small 4’ gate.

Would a wild and crazy horse run through it?
Of course!
Has it ever happened to me?
No.

When we moved here 22 years ago there were several gates that were just ‘hung’ by multiple strands of heavy fencing wire wrapped around a T-Post.[/QUOTE]

Mallard, THANK YOU!! I am going to copy this method, well, forever. I have a very rocky place and am fence it with corral panels, t-posts, and Horseguard. It works great, but gates are my weakest link. I had a fencing contractor just shake his head and tell me to call someone else last week, because pinning wood posts to the granite ledge is “not his thing.” It’s not my thing, either, and it’s way too much $$. This is a great DIY.

[Pehsness]

Thanks you all! Mallard - I can visualize that, that’s great. Honestly, right now I just want a 4’ gate to make life a bit easier. The longer gate can wait until spring when I’ve convinced DH of my need for a riding ring and getting the real posts pounded in

Simkie - I would buy copious amounts of beer! Something we do well up here in the great white north (even if technically I’m further south than you!)

Upon further thought we might just go the t-post route for now, just because the placement might not be exactly right, so if it isn’t we can pull it in the spring and re-design. But thank you all!

[saultgirl]

We dug holes for our gate by hand, with shovels. We used 2 posts for the side the gate actually hangs on, though, because it’s a big heavy gate. So it’s like a post, then cross-braced to the next post, and the post it connects to stands alone.

[Hermein]

I think you can rent a gas-powered auger for one or two people. While it might give you an appreciation for an old-fashioned post hole digger (as the auger is spinning you around), if you can find a spot without big rocks, it’s quicker.

[cowboymom]

At this time of the year and you pregnant, I would worry about the digging later as you said.

You can make a simple brace with T posts-google that. Between the brace and a wheel I think you’ll get through the winter just fine. :yes:

[Bluey]

Ok, I missed you wanted to hang a mere 4’ gate.

This is what you need and you can pound two T-posts and wire this to them and when not going thru it any more, move it wherever you need it next:

https://www.livestockshed.com/p-370-tarter-valu-line-5-bar-4-walk-thru.aspx

in a pinch, you can make a bow gate out of 2" x 4" for the frame and hang the gate inside them.

When someone talks about hanging a gate around livestock, my brain defaults to at least 12’ gates, a whole different animal than a walk thru 4’ one, sorry.