Securing a farm panel gate?

[Bigmike1116]

One day in the winter I found a bit of metal sticking up in the back woods behind a 2 horse stable and found a 10 foot farm panel gate. it was in great shape, and I had the perfect place for it, but I never got around to installing it until this past weekend.

after clearing some leaves away, this is what I found.

And then removed it from the brush pile

Picked up a set of gate hinges and we were off to the races

I finally got it installed

I guess my question now is how is the best way to keep it closed? for the time being I just have a length of chain with a double ended bolt snap. is there something better I can rig?

[dannytoro1]

There are a few cheap ways you can go. Sliding horizontal latch you can fashion yourself. But for $20’ish bucks most decent hardware stores will sell you various latch kits.

So long as it is animal proof anyway.

[Bigmike1116]

Do you have any examples you can share? I couldn’t find anything that’s made for the flat panel gate. Everything seems to be made for the newer gates made from tubes.

[dannytoro1]

Mount a sliding metal bar on 2 wood blocks that slides into a notch cut out in a third wooden board mounted on your post that is the latch point.