Livestock housing

[nigel5022]

I have just had a new livestock building erected with rsj uprights. I have bought 15 foot swinging feed gates with one inch eyes. Can anyone recommend the best type of fixings to the rsj's please? These barriers are very heavy hence the one inch hangers.

[Mark Bowles]

I assume you need the metal hinges on square backplates and then weld them in place onto the rsj. Once you hang the barrier maybe worth drilling a hole above the eye thru the hinge and puting a nail through or something, that stops the hole barrier being lifted off the hinge, if you see what i mean.

[carole]

thats a real good point Mark, our old bull was a master at lifting gates until we "pinned" the gates.
carole

[Broomcroft]

Haven't fitted barriers but our cattle gates are mounted on to bolted brackets with the top one being upside down, same as our gates in field. We bolted instead of welded so we could move things around, also some fittings have difference distance between top and bottom.

If you bolt the brackets, you can also do a series of holes and move brackets higher as the bedding deepens. But you could also weld extra brackets.

Hell of a job drilling the beams, had to use a really sharp drill and keep it cool and oiled every few seconds.

Weldings probably easier.

[davidw]

If you need to drill stanchions, you might try hiring a magnetic stand drill or better still a rotabroach. They hold everything steady and make the whole job easier.

[nigel5022]

Many thanks for your thoughts, Clive who supplied your hangers? Were they 25mm ?We are in Shropshire.

[Broomcroft]

I got them from Jones & Co Welshpool but they have shut down. Try Darren Griffiths, Churchstoke (not certain about location?), Mobile 07882-780574. Darren really knows his stuff and he was main contact at Jones & Co when they were going. We've got normal sized ones and heavy ones which are 25mm I think.

If you're ordering, I'd try and get them all with a pin hole just in case you need one, no harm if not used but having to drill them when you do is a pain.