Building a jig

oj

Member
I'm wanting to build a jig this winter to help build gates for the cattle yards. I'm previous years I've used an old gate as a pattern,but I would like to build a jig instead to make the process a little easier and quicker.
Wondered about using lumber, maybe a subframe of 2x4 and then some 1x6 ripped in half to 1x3 to hold the steel in place. Just need to get it tacked to stop everything moving, the I can weld it up out of the jig.
Looking for ideas, thanks in advance.
 
I made a round bale trailer. It's 8' wide and 12' long, made out of 8" channel laid flat, and I was real careful to get two adjacent sides perfectly square. That thing is a perfect welding table for gates and other big items. I cut tabs out of angle iron and weld them right to the trailer, then I can clamp the parts to the tabs to hold them in position for welding. The gaps in the trailer let me step in and stand on the ground while welding the parts out in the middle. I use it a lot, but it has wheels on it, so it goes to the woods when it's not needed.
 
I built this gate out of pipe and sucker rods using two saw horses.
I adjusted the height of the horses to a comfortable welding height.
The saw horses were too short so I nailed a 2 X 6 on top of the horses to lengthen it for the gate height.
it was then just a matter of welding all the pieces together.
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Lumber will work for tack welding. It'll probably scorch overtime. I think the problem you will find with 2x4's is finding pieces that are straight enough or don't rack out of shape once you made it. Welding tabs on the old gate might be the best option. If you keep the corners of the tabs rounded off you could probably keep using the jig gate and just lift it off when you need it to make more.
 
Go ahead and use wood -- no problem!! Just make sure to mix up a solution of Boron and water, then liberally apply to the wood and let dry.

Boron can easily be found in the detergent Borax.
 
Take U bolts that fit the pipe size that have long threads. (like muffler clamps) Put them on the old gate with the threaded extra sticking up. Lay the new parts on top and tack firmly. You can use as many as needed to keep movement to zero. Jim
 
When I built my 21 ft. picnic table I made my own leg assemblies. I use a sheet of plywood and 2x4's held in place with screws. Not fancy but it worked real good. You can clamp and tack weld it all and then take it out and finish welding it. You could join as many sheets of plywood together to make the desired length.---Tee
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A friend makes panels professionally. Mostly rhs (rectangular hollow section)

He cuts the lengths he needs and then assembles them on a completed panel using long legged rectangular clips that drop over the new assembly and hold things in place while he tacks. Then lifts the clips and tacks another panel together. The clips are long enough that he can tack maybe half a dozen panels before taking them off to finish welding.
 
I make gates from conduit for my miniature horses and fix a makeshift jig with boards clamped in saw horses using nails to drop the cut conduit into for tacking in place. When tacked I slide the saw horses in to clear the welding area. The next gate does have to be squared up before tacking. This works for me but would not work well for production to get square gates. My gates are much lighter in weight than yours would be. I don't support my eight foot gates in the center when welding and have to take care that the center does not pull down.
 

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