Author Topic: McKay Sunshine gate repair  (Read 5651 times)

Charlie

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McKay Sunshine gate repair
« on: 26 July, 2019, 09:52:15 am »
Hi Everyone,
First time go at connecting with the group.  I have just purchased three old Sunshine farm gates for our property (12 Ft-double cross stays).  They're in pretty good nick except for a couple bent cross stays and a rust hole at one bottom corner (where its been dragged I suspect).  Anyway, not sure how to straighten the bends.  I worry about damaging the cast iron joins.    Metal is not my thing-more wood and stone. I have limited metal based gear-no welder. Any ideas would be appreciated.
Cheers,
Charlie

Oldengines

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #1 on: 26 July, 2019, 10:41:51 am »
Charlie,
i have done plenty of these, but you need to find someone with a oxy/acet unit to heat the bend up,
then you can gently push the bend out,
if you hit to hard trying to bend them cold you will break the cast, cheers,
Chester.
Cheers from West Aussie.

Charlie

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #2 on: 26 July, 2019, 11:21:19 am »
Thanks Chester,
Thought that heat might be the answer but wasn't sure on how to do it.  Don't really know anyone with an oxy set.  Might need to look at another way of heating it up.  What should I use to push it out?
Cheers,
Charlie

Oldengines

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #3 on: 26 July, 2019, 12:31:35 pm »
you can use a lpg torch but it takes a long time to get enough heat into it, (it needs to be glowing red),
then it will move easily, just push it out with a bit of wood, slight knock on the end with a hammer if needed,
where are you?, im sure someone close by would have a oxy set, cheers,
Chester.
Cheers from West Aussie.

Charlie

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #4 on: 26 July, 2019, 12:41:44 pm »
Thanks again Chester,
We're in Axe Creek near Bendigo Vic.  Thinking I might need to invest in an oxy setup.  Have used one a long time ago and could do a lot with it around the place.  Have looked online and found budget disposable tank ones but reviews suggest they're not worth it.  Maybe a proper secondhand unit with refillable tanks might be the go?
Cheers,
Charlie

cobbadog

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #5 on: 26 July, 2019, 04:10:32 pm »
To get your gate done rent a set and then look carefully into buying your own set up.
Rental on gas bottles can be extremely high and then there is the option of buying your bottles at a cost then you only have to pay for gas each time you fill up. Not sure if Bunnings do oxy n acetylene but you can do it through them at a respectable price, this is what I did with my gas for the MIG.
Another option is you still need the oxy but it can be mixed with lpg and it is almost as good.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

32Voltnut

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #6 on: 26 July, 2019, 04:36:12 pm »
Hi Charlie
Your story on the Sunshine gates took me back to my days on the farm nearGilgandra.
We would light up a big white box log --when reduced to red coals we would drag the bent part of gate over it
& get it red hot-- Then one bloke would hold a piece of 4x2  over the bend to reduce marking while  the other
would attack with the sledge hammer!  No Oxy  or flash tools like welders in those days!
I believe those gates are still swinging!
Cheers  Don

wee-allis

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #7 on: 26 July, 2019, 08:03:37 pm »

Charlie, if you do go the "buy my own" route, as others have said, rental is the killer. I dealt with BOC for many decades, but in the end their prices got to high to continue.  I now use Bunnings gas for oxy, acetylene and argon. I pay a once only $200.00 per bottle with no annual rental. The re-fills are cheaper than any other supplier and when you are finished with them, simply hand them back and get the $200 refunded.

I might add that after closing my BOC account, they offered me free rental for the first twelve months, if I re signed with them. Trouble is, after the first year, you are back on their tread mill.

As for straightening the pipes on your gates, a method we used to use on stainless bow rails on launches was to get a length of 4 x 2 about 3 feet long and attach a small block of timber to each end which had a groove to match the diameter of the pipe. This was placed on the pipe on the outward side of the bend and another block with the same groove placed opposite. We then used a large "G" cramp to squeeze the two pieces toward each other, thereby gently straightening the pipe without risk of further damage. Yes, I know Sunshine gates are made of good stuff, so you may need a bit of heat to help it along.

Cheers, Steve.
If it's old, treat it like gold.
 38 Allis B,50 Morris Six,  Moruya, Sth coast NSW.

Charlie

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #8 on: 27 July, 2019, 10:20:03 am »
Thanks Chester, Steve and Don.
Funny, thought about lying the gate over a wood fire.  Also maybe using a clamp of some sort.  Don't have a large G clamp but do have a couple of old and tough sash cramps.  Will check out Bunnings for gas bottle rental.  The gates I purchased are going to be delivered to our place in the next couple of weeks (too long for the Ford ute).  I do have one single cross that I was given a long time ago that has quite a bow in one stay (around 20 cm off line).  This starts about a hand width from each casting.  With the heat, should I extend that all the way to the castings?
Cheers,
Charlie

Charlie

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #9 on: 27 July, 2019, 11:19:39 am »
Hi again folks,
Great to connect with people that can help.  If I went down the Bunnings gas bottle path I'd need a starter kit to add to it.  Any ideas on something basic and of good quality? Apart from the gates, I'd use it for fixing stuff around the property.  Just need something I can rely on as I teach myself the techniques.
Cheers,
Charlie

cobbadog

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #10 on: 27 July, 2019, 04:05:36 pm »
By a 'starter kit '  do you mean the gauges and hoses to attache to the bottles?
If so you need to do some research on what is available and how much you want to spend. For me if the gas bottles are acceptable in cost to you then the gauges and hoses and attachments should be a quality set as they are for you to use and to be looked after. I wouldn't suggest a cheap set but something in the middle of the range should work. I initially bought a cheap end gauge for the MIG and it went kaput so a replacement was sent and it too started to do the same thing so I pulled the first one apart and found the problem and that was where the gauge screwed into the housing was leaking because the nylon washer it sat against was too thick and the gauge could not be screwed into enough thread to seal properly so I fitted a thinner nylon washer and used some stag jointing paste and that fixed the first one. Then I did the second one and it is a spare now. As the supplier was kind enough to send the replacement and quickly I let him know by email and pics of what the problem was and how to fix it.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Charlie

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #11 on: 27 July, 2019, 07:04:38 pm »
Thanks John and Dee,
By starter I suppose I mean all the stuff you need on top of the two bottles.  Just after something good in a mid range price-home handyman use. I know you generally pay for what you get and I don't want to blow myself up.   Also, still thinking of sitting the gate over a wood fire and then using the sash cramps to straighten.  Just seems like a great old fashioned way.
Cheers,
Charlie

cobbadog

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #12 on: 28 July, 2019, 03:39:37 pm »
Sounds like a good plan the open fire, just don't have too many refreshments while waiting for the heat to be absorbed.  ::)

Mid range oxy/acetylene kits will do the job. I look for anything that is built to our Australian Design Rules (ADR) that way you wont be joining any astronauts in the space station. I don't know if the old CIG Comet set are still made as they have been around for a light year and will do what you want.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Charlie

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #13 on: 29 July, 2019, 10:25:52 am »
Thanks John and Dee,
I think I'll start off with a good fire and some 'quenching' supplies.  Had a look at CIG starter kits and at around $350- $400 you seem to get something reasonable.  The only thing is that these basic kits don't come with flashback arrestors.  I presume that you need these at both bottle and torch ends??
Cheers,
Charlie

cobbadog

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Re: McKay Sunshine gate repair
« Reply #14 on: 29 July, 2019, 03:41:56 pm »
Only required at the bottles as far as I am aware and not sure if it is a required fitment or not. If you do require them, then it is a case of buying a set that has the lot included.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.