[TheForge] Input wanted

[Jerry Frost]

Morning John:

I have a couple thoughts.

First, a torsion bar isn't at all difficult if you make it long enough. It 
can be made to look pretty cool as well depending on how it's mounted. From 
my meager experience medium C. strip/flat stock makes better torsion bars, 
(easier anyway) than rounds or squares.

A decorative "in the open" torsion bar would look attractive if it were run 
through hollow hinge "pins". A slot in the lower "pintle" would recieve the 
bottom end of the torsion bar and a mating slot in the top gate hinge 
recieves the other end. The gate simply lowers onto the hollow pintles with 
the torsion bar running through the pintles and into the slot in the top 
hinge.

If you twist the torsion bar in the direction the gate is to open it'll have 
a "mechanically" attractive "barber pole" effect when working. It'll take a 
fairly tight twist (45* +/-) to show the effect as the gate only twists it a 
max of 1/2 turn.

A long spring could be mounted like a torsion bar in the same manner and be 
"mechanically" attractive as well.

Secondly, if you can't "hide" the return spring make it decorative and put 
it in plain sight. Making the "works" of a device visible can be a real 
attraction.

To determine whether visible "works" is appropriate to the house you'll have 
to note the architectural "style." If it's Arts and Crafts hiding the 
"works" would be out of place entirely. "Modern" would almost demand hidden 
"works".

The larger point I'm making is, hiding the mechanics isn't always necessary 
or even desirable.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.


From: "Bruce Freeman" <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com>


I was thinking the same thing, but wondered whether it might be unsightly.

But how about this same idea using a "torsion rod" instead of a coil spring? 
That way it would be more easily encorporated into the design, or at least 
concealed in it.

Bruce
NJ


From: "Jonathan Nedbor" <jonned at hvc.rr.com>

> Hi Guys,
>
> I have a walk-in gate job for a swimming pool. Two of the requirements,
> according to the code officer, are: the hinges have to be spring
> closing
> (not just self closing) and they can only open one way.
>
> Any suggestions as to how to make these in a way that is not too
> complicated
> and look nice? Any sources for this type of hinge would also be
> appreciated.
>
> This is a nice job, high profile house so I want it to look good.
>
> The Northeast Blacksmiths Association is hosting their Fall Hammer-In
> this
> weekend at the Ashokan Field Campus near Kingston NY. We have Andy
> Dohner as
> our demonstrator, and lots of other hot stuff. For info go to our
> website
> hosted by ABANA.
>
>
> Jonathan Nedbor
> Canal Forge
> 845-687-7130
>