The operation of welding the hinges is a mandatory part of the installation entrance doors, wickets and gates made of metal. In order to weld fittings, the craftsman will definitely need an electrode welding machine, a welding mask, and special clothing.
It is necessary to prepare bearing metal loops (they should be stronger, the heavier the future structure will be). A grinder, solid oil, litol or other oily liquid can also be useful.
The order of work here will look like this (for convenience, let’s imagine that the hinges need to be welded onto an ordinary metal gate).
First, thick metal plates are welded to the hinges - they are called plates or ears. This is done like this:
- two plates are laid horizontally so that there is a gap of about 2-3 millimeters between them;
- a loop is placed in the gap;
- These same plates are welded to the loop with a continuous seam - one to the top of the loop, the second to the bottom.
The presence of lugs greatly facilitates further work and increases the service life of the gate. They do not allow the fabric to “tear” even with the heavy mass of the entire structure.
Marking
The next step is to lift the gate leaves to a vertical position and install them “idle” to where they should be located.
Don't forget that the doors should open outwards. If they open only inward, then in winter with heavy snowfall this will result in serious problems.
Then you should mark the locations for future installation of hinges on the gate - they should be located at a distance of approximately 20 centimeters from the lower or upper border of the door leaf.
Sometimes, if the structure weighs too much (more than 200 kilograms), another additional fitting is placed at the top of the support.
All hinges must be installed strictly vertically; even a tiny misalignment during welding will lead to difficult closing or opening, and therefore to rapid destruction of the support bearings. The evenness of their position can be checked with a plumb line or laser level.
Welding
Now you need to use the welding machine: first, the fittings are welded to the gate leaf, and only then to the support pillars. In this case, it is necessary to constantly monitor the quality of the resulting seams.
When all welding work is completed, it is advisable to process the new seams with a grinder.
You can weld hinges on a gate, garage door and on a metal door according to the same scheme as described above.
However, it should be noted that the craftsman usually has the opportunity to weld the fittings onto the door at the moment when it is in a horizontal position on a flat area, which greatly facilitates the process.
This doesn't work with gates: support pillars, as a rule, are installed much earlier than the actual installation of the canvases begins.
Which loops to choose
When choosing hinges, you must be guided by the parameters of the object on which they are going to be welded. Garage hinges, by definition, should be larger and stronger than hinges for a modest gate or door.
Typically, hinges with ball bearings are used for gates and metal doors. Moreover, such hinges and hinges in them can be of different shapes:
- cylindrical;
- square;
- hexagonal;
- drop-shaped.
Most often, cylindrical models have been used lately; square and hexagonal versions are found much less frequently in hardware stores.
And about the last drop-shaped loops (canopies) on the list, special mention should be made. Their use allows you to slightly simplify the installation process. There is no need to first attach ears to them - this is the main advantage of the teardrop shape.
Without any preparation, such loops can be welded to a support post. Moreover, only the top of the lower part of the canopy should be in contact with the post, and the top of the upper part should be attached to the gate leaf.
Drop-shaped products must be welded carefully - after welding they should still rotate easily and freely. And only if this is really the case, you can begin further work.
Other features of welding fittings
There are a few more nuances that those who are planning to weld hinges need to know about. The bottom of the hardware should always be welded first.
Hinges must be welded to round posts with an offset of 5 millimeters towards the opening. This offset allows the gate to open as wide as possible without any obstacles. However, for rectangular or triangular supports, no such manipulations need to be done.
Welds must be smooth, strong and deep. The presence of gaps in such seams is unacceptable.
When vertical welding, it is very important to choose the correct electrode guiding speed. Experts advise home craftsmen to resort in this case to smooth circular movements, which will, as it were, lift the flowing metal upward.
Welding work requires the performer to strictly adhere to safety precautions. You should start welding the fittings only when you have put on the protective equipment and removed all flammable objects nearby.
Methods for welding hinges on door and gate frames.
There are a lot of masters and each is right in his own way. I want to show one of the options, which, in my opinion, is the most well thought out, reliable and not difficult to manufacture even for those who are just starting to make doors.
These photos show how the hinge is located.
Gate leaves are completed profile pipe 25x40x2
I usually make the frame and gate box from a 63×4 corner, if you have 50×3, it will also work.
Pay attention to the gap between the sash and the frame; I have embedded plates for this purpose. Before welding the hinges, you need to set a gap of 1.5 mm on the hinge side between the sash and the frame, and on the upper and lower horizons of the frame there should be at least a 10 mm gap between the sash and the frame.
As you can see in the photo, I make the embeds for the hinges from the same 63×4 corner; I weld the embedded corner tightly to the sash, from below and from above, at a distance of 200 - 250 mm. After this, I attach the hinges, not forgetting to place a 1 mm plate for a small gap between the frame and the hinge, using a rule or any other metal strip, we check the alignment of the hinges by first placing them on the top of one side. After making sure that the hinges are aligned, you can begin welding. When welding, the hinges pull specifically, purely for myself, I learned the method of attaching small tacks to each part of the hinge. Along the edges then the center, then each part of the hinge. And only after that scald it properly.
Why am I describing this particular method in this article?
Usually the hinge is welded at the junction of the frame and the sash. If you shift the center of the hinge on the frame, the sheet that is welded to the sash will have a greater overlap than in the case where the hinge is welded at the joint.
In the photo you can clearly see the overlap, about three centimeters; with other options, such an overlap on the frame was obtained only along the upper and lower horizons and on the gate vestibule in the center.
We weld the cladding sheet to the sash using clamps, at points at intervals of 150 - 200 mm.
Now let's pay attention to the bulging of the sheathing sheet in the places where the hinge is embedded on the sash, which we made from a 63x4 corner.
This is clearly visible in the photo.
We will need the same corner 63 or a powerful chisel.
With God's power we begin to straighten. To make it convenient to hold the corner with the shelf down, you can weld a handle in the form of a rod or fitting.
A couple of good blows with a sledgehammer and the result is obvious.
I usually use 2mm smooth cold rolled sheet. If you use a 3 mm or 4 mm sheet, it would be better to heat it with a gas burner in these places before straightening.
If you follow the recommendations described above, you can make a gate in three or four hours.
I hope this method will be useful to you.
These are support loops through which the canvas is hung on the frame base. At the same time, only competently carried out welding operations allow for high-quality hanging of the door leaf and ensure the safety of their operation. In this article we will look at how to weld hinges on garage doors.
Types of gate hinges
Gate hinges can come in a wide variety of shapes. In the practice of garage construction, hinges of various shapes are most often used:
- cylindrical;
- square;
- hexagonal.
Cylindrical hinges, despite their unusual appearance, are welded to the base much easier than any other. That is why we will choose them as the subject of consideration in our article. To make it easier to work with such hinges, metal “ears” are first welded to them, the size and shape of which are selected based on the dimensions and total weight of the gate, as well as taking into account their decorative qualities.
Note! To increase the service life (due to improved sliding), it is advisable to choose hinges supported by a ball inserted inside, used as a bearing.
First, it is necessary to carefully check all the installation dimensions of the structure, ensuring the placement of the canvas in the frame harness With a gap of no more than two mm. Only after this can you begin to mark the places where the hinges will be welded on the canvas itself and the frame. In this case, it is necessary to ensure accurate alignment of the hinge seats, which, after welding, must be located strictly on the same center line.
To prevent unauthorized removal of the gate, the hinges must be welded towards each other or equipped with a special stop to prevent this.
Installation procedure
Before the beginning installation work you will need the following working tool:
- electric welding machine with a set of electrodes;
- a special grinding machine with a disc for metal processing;
- level with a plumb line, tape measure and hammer.
And only after all installation dimensions have been verified and the necessary tool, you can proceed to the main operations.
Note! The location of the hinges in the vertical plane must be controlled by a plumb line, after which it will be possible to tack it by welding at several points. The same should be done with the mating parts of the hinges mounted on the gate frame.
In this case, you should start with the lower hinges, after welding them you need to check them again for alignment (preferably using a laser level). Immediately after this, the upper hinges are grabbed, after which the gate can be checked. During this hanging process, the gate is checked for ease of movement, as well as for the presence of the required clearances.
If the result is satisfactory, the hinges are finally welded in the same sequence (first the lower fastening, and then the upper). When installing hinges, due attention should be paid to the verticality of their installation line, as well as aesthetics welded joints. To make the seams beautiful, they can be processed using an angle grinder.
Some subtleties of installation procedures
When carrying out installation work, the following features of welding procedures should not be overlooked:
- When welding gate hinges, it is desirable that the welding current does not flow through the support hinges. This is necessary so that welding tacks do not form in the loop itself. For this purpose, when welding the hinge, the contact clamp with the “ground” must be fixed on the sash itself. In the case of welding a loop to a strapping element (to a stand, for example), the clamp with “ground” can be transferred to this stand.
- To eliminate possible welding deformations, the hinges must be welded to the canvas and the box “crosswise”.
- When hanging gates on vertical metal posts, be careful to leave a gap that allows the gate to open completely. (In the case of supports with a square cross-section, this need does not arise).
- If the gate has a significant mass, you can organize lubrication of the hinges by installing a special grease nipple in them, which ensures oil supply to the area of maximum support load.
Work safety
The organization of welding work of any class requires the contractor to comply with safety requirements. In this case, first of all, you will need to worry about the availability of appropriate protective equipment (special shield and gloves).
In addition, to ensure the required safety, welding work must be carried out in a well-ventilated area or in the open air, at a sufficient distance from flammable and combustible materials.
Video
This video talks about garage hinges. This information will help you choose the right hinges for welding to garage doors:
This is a professional arc welding training video covering welding technology and electrode selection:
To properly install a gate structure, first of all, you need to know how to weld hinges onto a gate. Properly welded canopies are the most important factor when installing gates and guarantee the reliability of the mechanism for many years. An essential aspect of high-quality installation is the availability of appropriate components.
You can weld such hinges yourself
Loop selection
The purpose of installing any type of gate is to protect personal property from unauthorized attacks. But, in addition to the high-quality manufacturing of the locking structures themselves, important point is their correct installation. It is on this that consumer qualities such as easy unlocking and locking, the absence of jamming when opening, gaps and cracks depend.
In this video you will learn how to weld hinges:
When choosing a type of canopy, you must be guided by the design of the gate itself, its weight, size, dimensions, etc. According to the structure and purpose of the loops there are:
- Cylindrical with ball bearing. This device is suitable for holding sashes weighing no more than 400 kg. Such designs are the most common. The hinges themselves look like a collapsible cylinder consisting of two parts. In the first part there is a rod, which is included in the second part, which contains a bearing that gives smooth operation to the canopies under heavy loads. Most modifications have a special opening groove for lubricating the device, which ensures more durable and stable operation. Hinges of this type are only welded.
- Cylindrical reinforced (winged). Capable of holding sashes weighing up to 600 kg. They differ from the previous ones in the presence of fastening plates, which allow evenly distributing the load from the sashes onto the supports. Made from heavy-duty steel, they have a longer-lasting shaft and walls, as well as a marking bearing. This provides a margin of stability for the hinges when working with heavier loads. Canopies are also welded during installation.
- Hanging hinges. Used in cases where welding is not possible. Fixed with self-tapping screws or bolts. The mount provides a lightweight design with a maximum weight of up to 200 kg. The rod in the loops of this type is through and connects the two halves. A plug must be installed at the bottom to prevent the pin from flying out.
- Hidden loops. Provide the most reliable protection against burglary. They are welded from the inside of the frame to the frame of the pillars. They are not visible from the outside.
The doors can be made from different material. At the same time, for heavy iron sheets, the canopies must be selected according to the design and clearly welded.
Preparation for work
Garage locking mechanisms are considered the most common and most often installed. One of the distinctive properties of this design is intensive use. Every morning and evening, car owners open and close their doors. During installation, almost every garage owner was faced with the question of how to properly weld hinges onto garage doors, so as not to have any unpleasant moments during operation in the future.
In order to understand how to properly weld hinges on gates, you need to understand the principle of operation of awnings. If there are no extraneous creaks or jamming when opening or closing the doors, then the hinges are working well.
Proper operation ensures uniform distribution of the load on the supports. This can only be achieved when both hinges are positioned strictly parallel to each other at the required distance on the sash.
Installation of hinges on gates is carried out after preliminary preparation all necessary tools:
- welding machine with required quantity electrodes;
- welding glasses or mask;
- a reliable hammer or sledgehammer;
- proper construction level;
- construction pencil or chalk;
- welding gloves.
Step-by-step welding algorithm
After everything is folded and prepared, you can begin to weld the hinges to the gate. Step by step it looks like this:
- First, the loops are welded to the plates using a uniform continuous seam. This is the name of a plate made of durable iron, which serves as a kind of load distributor. The thickness and width are selected based on the weight and size of the gate structure.
- After preparing the hinges, it is necessary to install the gate correctly. They must stand in the opening perfectly accurately in all planes. A long building level will serve as an indispensable assistant when adjusting the position of the sashes.
- When the required position of the structure has been selected, you should first lubricate the hinges with thick automotive lubricant, for example, grease or its equivalent. This is done to make the hinges move lightly and smoothly after installation.
- Next, you need to mark the location of the hinges. This is done with a construction pencil or chalk. The hinges should be located at a distance of 30 centimeters from the upper and, accordingly, lower edges of the sash structure.
- Loops are welded onto the marked areas with a few drops of metal. This is done to fix the gate structure. After this, you need to try opening and closing the gate several times. If a skew or unevenness is detected somewhere, a hammer, which is used to beat off the loops, will help correct the situation. Then they are welded again, taking into account the identified deviations.
- When the gate opens and closes as expected, the hinges should be completely welded along their entire length. It is necessary to achieve smooth, uninterrupted seams. It is necessary to start welding work from the lower hinge.
Safety precautions
The technology teaches not only how to properly weld hinges on gates, but also how to ensure long-term and safe operation . After the welds have cooled completely to room temperature, they need to be cleaned and polished. To protect against corrosion, they are primed and painted with moisture-resistant paint.
With the right approach, the result will be long-lasting and flawless gate service. When carrying out welding work, you should approach safety precautions with special care.
Carelessness in handling welding machine- this is a high probability of not only fire and burns, but also electric shock. To avoid unpleasant consequences, before turning it on, it is necessary to inspect all connections for the absence of bare areas, make sure that the electrical wiring is in good condition and that there are fuses.
Close to welding Flammable liquids and materials should not be present. Be sure to have a working fire extinguisher and first aid kit. Safety depends only on your own care and compliance with work rules.
Gate hinges are a metal device that secures the gate to the posts. And, accordingly, the quality and reliability of the functioning of the entire structure, as well as its service life, directly depend on them.
Peculiarities
When talking about the design of the gate, we must not forget even about the little things, especially about such an important component as the hinges. One of the main properties of hinges is their ability to rotate even with the heaviest door, without forcing the owner to exert much effort, protecting the gate from jamming and similar problematic situations. Therefore, the selection and process of welding loops requires special attention.
So, loops can be characterized as:
- A power element, the main task of which is to take on the entire weight of the doors. Based on this, the hinges must have sufficient strength;
- Parsed element. When the structure is completely assembled, you should make sure that when the gate is closed, the hinges will not be removed and burglars will not be able to disassemble them.
Features of operation and operation of loops:
- Mandatory presence of special holes for lubrication. The mobility of the part depends on proper care, so they need to be lubricated regularly, even in winter time of the year;
- The opening radius of the gate directly depends on the hinges. Therefore, they need to be welded precisely and correctly. Before welding these elements, you need to place them on different platforms, draw up a kind of drawing and make sure that the doors open without problems;
- Particular attention must be paid to the position of the hinges if they are intended to be fixed inside the sash. It is very important here that it opens well and does not jam.
Varieties
According to the GOST standard, loops are divided into:
- Cylindrical, having a support bearing (or with an eccentric);
- Cylindrical, having a reinforced structure;
- Through;
- Hidden;
- Three-section overhead.
Cylindrical ones are equipped with a ball, or, in other words, a bearing. They are well suited for installing lightweight standardized gates. But it is worth remembering that the load on all hinges should be no more than 400 kg. This is the maximum weight that can be held. It needs to be clarified at the time of purchase, since it is different for each type of loop. Therefore, it is important to know this indicator.
They are standard both in form and in appearance and look like a cylinder consisting of two parts. Accordingly, on one part there is a pin, which is inserted into the second part. However, hinges with support bearings are also equipped with a ball. This ball is located in the second part into which the pin is inserted.
The ball ensures smoother operation under heavy loads. In addition, on the opposite side of the bearing there is often a special hole that is closed with a plug. If necessary, remove it and lubricate the structure. Also, sometimes there are models where the bearing is located in the middle and the two parts seem to slide over the ball, ensuring easy opening and closing of the valves. The downside is that it is difficult to lubricate, since you have to lift the sash a little.
Cylindrical reinforced (with wings) hinges can withstand heavy loads, reaching up to 600 kg. They can be distinguished from ordinary cylindrical ones by their appearance and the presence of additional parts (fastening plates). This allows the frame, sash and gate supports to bear the weight of the entire structure evenly. They are attached by welding or screwed with self-tapping screws and provide opening in two directions.
They are made from stronger metal and therefore can withstand greater loads. In addition, the walls with the rod are thicker than usual, therefore their load-bearing capacity is increased. Bearings for such models are always marked.
Through (hinged) fastenings are suitable if it is not possible to provide welding or screw fastening. To attach them, you will have to drill through the gate support column and use screws or nuts. However, the hinges are distinguished by their small mass of maximum holding weight, reaching only 200 kg. They are right-handed and left-handed. They can be equipped with awnings.
Through loops have a rod that goes right through. The most simple designs are divided into three main elements: a pin to connect the two halves, and two loops. In more complex versions there may be much more elements. To protect the pin from being removed from below, a plug is installed (welded or screwed). If it is not there, then a special limiter is welded on top of the pin.
Overhead three-section (magnetic) fastenings are advisable if the sashes are very heavy.
They are suitable for fencing and differ:
- High wear resistance and reliability;
- Does not allow the canvas to sag, as it takes on almost the entire load;
- They open and close easily and silently;
- The most burglar-resistant of all types.
They can be confused with through ones, but they are cylindrical. There are two pins in the middle that point in different directions from each other. Empty bearings are attached to them on both sides and welded.
These hinges have literally stood the test of time, since this design was first created many hundreds of years ago. These days they are attracting attention due to their unusual and cute designs. They come in any shape, are made in the form different figures. They are best combined with doors made of wood and metal.
Hidden hinges are not visible when the gate is closed. They are located in the sash frame and are welded from the inside to the frame and to the transverse side of the pillars. They are extremely difficult to find, much less hack.
Arrow hinges can be hinged or semi-hinged and are suitable for fairly heavy and large gates.
They can be:
- Ordinary;
- Curly;
- Removable.
Adjustable hinges easily allow you to change the height of the sash. They are very convenient if the support posts are to be displaced. The maximum load on them reaches 200 kg.
Differences in shape of loops:
- Cylindrical. The fixation of the hinges is very tight on any gate. They have a round shape and wrap easily without touching anything;
- Square. The shape is quite specific, so installation requires a small distance from the frame. They are fixed more securely, are hardly noticeable on the canvas, and have an attractive appearance;
- Hexagonal. Similar to square models. They are fixed approximately between cylindrical and square, that is, they are universal;
- Drop-shaped. Suitable for wooden and metal gates. They are very stable and different high strength. And, on top of everything else, they are quite attractive in appearance.
How to choose?
Wickets and gates can be made of wood, sheet steel, corrugated board or other finishing panels. The installation of hinges is also different. For metal structures Welded hinges are typical; they are also fixed with bolts and self-tapping screws (for metal). Wooden gates are typically secured with self-tapping screws.
Based on this, when choosing, you need to focus on the fabric from which the gate is made, its dimensions and weight. For example, if the fasteners are designed for a weight of 200 kg, and the canvas is large and heavy, then they will quickly break. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to install special reinforced hinges for heavy gates.
The location of the loops is also important. The most common are hidden and internal.
The hinges must perform the following functions:
- Ensuring silent opening;
- Retention of the canvas - it should under no circumstances sag;
- The hinges should turn easily;
- Long service life;
- Burglary resistance;
- Gate opening width.
Most best option- These are devices equipped with a ball and support bearing. This model has many qualities and is durable. Adjustable models are also very good as they are very comfortable. And finally, the choice of hinges may depend solely on the aesthetic side of the part. For example, antique-style design of hinges, inlay with carvings or some forging element.
Sometimes questions may arise about the difference between hinges for gates and wickets. In fact, they are no different from each other, because they are selected for the gate according to the same criteria and must perform the same functions as the gates.
How to install?
Based on the size, weight of the leaves and the design of the hinges themselves, the door leaf can be hung on two, three, or even four hinges.
Installation of hinges is carried out in two main ways:
- Bolts or self-tapping screws. Used for fastening small-sized structures with low weight;
- Welding. Used for large, massive gates (for example, three-meter fences).
For those who installed their own homes interior doors, attaching the hinges with self-tapping screws will be quite simple. After all, both of these methods are similar to each other. The hinges are attached to the front area of the sashes and the support post. In this case, they become a kind of decorative element of the entire structure and are suitable for both wood and metal.
How to weld correctly?
It is better to weld open loops one opposite the other. This is done for the purpose of resistance to hacking. If the hinges are prying from below, it will still be impossible to remove them.
Required equipment and parts:
- Selected loops;
- Mounting plates;
- Grinder with electrodes;
- Hammer;
- Personal protective equipment: protective gloves, mask and clothing.
Sequencing:
- We take the structure and place it on a flat surface. We outline the places where the fasteners will be located;
- Lubricate the hinges themselves with grease;
- We take the sash and place it plumb in a vertical position;
- By using spot welding we grab two parts of the loop;
- We check the location of the hinge axes;
- We grab the top loop;
- We check the presence of gaps and cracks, the quality of movement of the valves;
- We weld everything completely;
- We clean the cooking area using a grinder and paint it with paint.
During welding work, it is necessary to control the passage of current so that tack does not form in the loops. It is better to carry out the process itself crosswise to compensate for welding deformations.
Useful tips when welding loops:
- For straight hinges, it is better to choose a horizontal welding position;
- Before starting work, we take the substrate and place it under the sash, more precisely, under its lower area. The size of the backing should be approximately ½ of the loop. The upper area of the sash must be held on the transverse edge with your hand;
- To evenly distribute the mass onto the hinges, additional mounting metal plates can be welded to them;
- A 5 mm external outlet is made to round-shaped pillars. Rectangular pillars are fixed at the same level with the transverse edge of the support;
- It is more expedient to weld the hinges twice on all sides in turn using small clamps;
- We attach wooden block to the hinges. With it you can level them, and only then weld them;
- Before internal welding, you need to check how smoothly the doors move. If the movements look like jerks, then we do a few more grabs from the outside;
- Before finally welding the hinges, you need to close the doors and place a backing under them. This way the blade will not sag and the welding will be correct;
- The welding seam goes from bottom to top;
- Until the welding seams have completely cooled down, the gate cannot be opened;
- Hidden fastenings should be installed by a professional.