# Field gates



## johnfarris (16 May 2018)

I am going to make some field gates for my driveway out of hardwood. So i am researching how they are constructed. The are obviously m&t but are they through or stub? I am guessing they are pegged.

John


----------



## St.J (16 May 2018)

Some are stub. Some are through. Some are wedged. Some are pegged.
This is entertaining: http://www.pbs.org/video/the-woodwright ... ield-gate/


----------



## johnfarris (16 May 2018)

St.J":32gnqu37 said:


> Some are stub. Some are through. Some are wedged. Some are pegged.
> This is entertaining: http://www.pbs.org/video/the-woodwright ... ield-gate/



Then which is considered to be the best method?


----------



## Beau (16 May 2018)

Would't want to say what is best but made an oak gate for a client 20+ years ago with stub tenons and oak pegs and it's still fine. 

Our farms field gates are all stub tenons but most of them have bolts for pegs.


----------



## johnfarris (16 May 2018)

Beau":2s017osa said:


> Would't want to say what is best but made an oak gate for a client 20+ years ago with stub tenons and oak pegs and it's still fine.
> 
> Our farms field gates are all stub tenons but most of them have bolts for pegs.



Thanks for replying
Did you use air dried or kiln? also are the braces M&T?


----------



## Beau (17 May 2018)

It's a long time ago but I suspect it was air dried. Doubt I could have got kiln dried stock for the 3" thick uprights. I can probably get a picture some time as it's on the road near by. Doesn't look so good now as they have had 20+ years with no attention! Used Sikens Novatech on them and it looked great fro around 6-7 years and even made the bolts used on the diagonals look like they were brass


----------



## Lons (17 May 2018)

I'd be interested in the pics also if you can post any as I'm seriously thinking of making field gates for mine. I'd want a small service gate around 1 metre wide though along with the larger one and probably use softwood due to cost.

So, watching your thread with interest John.

cheers
Bob


----------



## Phil Pascoe (17 May 2018)

From the limited amount of outdoor stuff I've made, the one thing I would say is if you can avoid exposed end grain do it and cap any end grain left anything like horizontal.


----------



## Racers (17 May 2018)

As per usual St Roy has the answer

http://www.pbs.org/video/the-woodwright ... ield-gate/

Pete


----------



## ScaredyCat (17 May 2018)

Well, I'm more and more convinced of "the fundamental interconnectedness of all things" as I was looking at this today....


www.snugcottagehardware.com/Plans%20and%20Projects%20Pages/Gate%20Plans%20Intro/Gate%20Plans%20Homepage.html



.


----------



## St.J (17 May 2018)

johnfarris":1kqpa812 said:


> St.J":1kqpa812 said:
> 
> 
> > Some are stub. Some are through. Some are wedged. Some are pegged.
> ...



In my opinion anything you can do to reduce the exposure of end grain in exterior joinery is a good idea. End grain soaks up moisture more easily and therefore allows rot more quickly. So stub tenons would be my preference. Many are built with through tenons, perhaps because some setups make that an easier way to build. There was a chap at the Bodgers’ Ball last weekend with a gate that used through tenons and plate 98 of Woodland Crafts in Britain seems to show a field gate with a through tenon (though it’s a fuzzy photo.
What timber are you planning to use?


----------



## Beau (18 May 2018)

Popped down the road to take a picture of the gate I previously made and tried to download pictures but the forum wont except them even though I have shrunk them down to 240KB.

Anyway I didn't use pegs on the tenons as I had thought but used the coach bolts which I now remember were draw bored to help pull the tenons in agains their shoulders. If you want the pictures PM your Email and I can send them over.


----------



## johnfarris (8 Jun 2018)

St.J":9v5aeo83 said:


> johnfarris":9v5aeo83 said:
> 
> 
> > St.J":9v5aeo83 said:
> ...



Was planning on using Iroko but my local wood yard is offering Albizia as a cheaper alternative. Cannot find much info on Albiza so I am a little reluctant to use it


----------

