Making farm fence gates more secure.

In Australia, farm gates are usually kept shut with a loose chain attached to the gate frame and a ring at the other end, looped over a hook.
Stock cannot push it open, but humans can open it easily and enter without anybody knowing.

I am thinking of upgrading security because I dont want snoopers looking around, so I am trying to come up with a better system.
Discounting the fact people could just cut the fence with cutters and walk in, its something that happens rarely.
Most chains can be cut with bolt cutters or now a battery angle grinder.
Exposed padlocks are useless, since many can also be cut.
Wire rope can be cut.
A block lock as used on a shipping container would be good if it can be adapted to a gate and a post.
I have used poachers alarms that consist of a blank 12g cartridge and a tripwire which gets fired if the gate opens or a wire is tripped.
Cameras usually have poor quality images and dont act as a deterrent like the cartridges do!

Any ideas please?

John, what style of gate are you talking about here?

I'm going to assume a galvanised 5-bar farm gate, as those are the most common over here (although there are also lots of wooden ones too).


I found this image on Google to illustrate. It's not mine.

Firstly, I would make sure that the gate cannot simply be lifted off its hinges - thereby eliminating any lock you have put in place. You can buy (or make) a simple clamp that you place over the hinges and secure with a padlock or a pin, welded in place.


eBay Link

Of course, if your hinges are oriented bottom-up and top-down, the gate is already secure from being lifted. That's not unheard of here but definitely not the norm.

Secondly, it's worth considering how much time/cost/effort you want to put into your security and whether it is necessary and worthwhile. You mention several ways to secure the gate to the post - all of which seem well considered - but is your gate itself secure? I know that mine could probably be cut, with an angle grinder, more easily than the chain holding it! Depending on the distance of the gate from your home, perhaps a solution which is more of a deterrent - or which requires noise and time to overcome - is better than an absolute solution? Even something as low-tech as bells fixed firmly to the gate.

My own gate is secured with a motorbike chain and a pretty heavy-duty combination padlock. The combination is great because, although less secure than a keyed lock, it allows me to share the code to trusted friends/family/humans without having to physically pass the key. I know that the lock could be cut with an angle grinder - although this would be loud and possibly attract attention - but I doubt most people would do so. More likely, they would simply climb over the gate. This security does prevent people pulling their vehicles onto my land though (and possible driving off with my fencing posts/firewood/tools) which is my main concern.

Difficult to know if any of the above is relevant to you but I hope it is helpful.

Luke, you certainly made me think more clearly with your comments.
- preventing lift off
- welding nuts to prevent removal or use snap off twist nuts.
- good point about cutting the gate itself!!
- use of motorcycle chain, I have tonnes of that.
- keeping vehicles out is the best to aim for.
Thanks

John C Daley wrote:Luke, you certainly made me think more clearly with your comments.
- preventing lift off
- welding nuts to prevent removal or use snap off twist nuts.
- good point about cutting the gate itself!!
- use of motorcycle chain, I have tonnes of that.
- keeping vehicles out is the best to aim for.
Thanks

John,
Have you thought about putting a padlock over the pin holding the gate chain?
The padlock between the chain clip and the knob will prevent the chain being lifted off.

How secure and why, if it is OK to ask, do you need security.  We never lock the gates and have, touch wood, never had a problem.

It's very hard to secure a fence.  The reason I say that is because you could build the Fort Knox of all gates, and I can simply go thru the fence instead unless you have a moat as well.  Barbed wire is very easily cut, as is chain link.  Wooden fences like the one shown are even easier.  A small battery saw and I would be through it in about 15 seconds.  Or, I could simply kick the boards off.  Or push through them with the vehicle.  At some point, you just do what you can do.  People put the best deadbolt in the world on their front door with a window right next to it.

You mentioned stopping vehicles, but if it is just people snooping around, like as not they will simply hop over the fence and just walk around if they are just snooping.  Or have a friend drop them, drive a couple miles down the road and then come back and pick them up.

Camera technology has come a long way and our game cams have very good pictures now.  You have some of the same issues securing the camera, but at least you can put it high up in a tree somewhere, or on a post that makes it hard for someone to get to.  A couple good dogs is probably the best bet if it can work for you.  Australia has some really great bandog breeders.

My gate has something like 15 locks on it.

There are lots of ways to making a farm fence gate more secure.  There are not many ways to keep people out.

If someone wants to go in the property they can just climb the fence as that is what I did when someone took both of my locks off.

And that is why there are something like 15 locks.  Everyone kept getting locked out. Everyone carries bolt cutters in their vehicles.

Also, I don't think a fence can be built tall enough that it can't be climbed.

There is some great information here about how to keep animals in.

If I remember correctly there is a thread here on the forum where someone's gate was continually being knocked down by vehicles.

Security is very much about persuasion. Anyone, with enough time and resources, will be able to get past a lock or barrier.

So, consider it in layers.

If the target isn't noticed, it won't be bothered. Can the gate be out of sight from the road? Does local trouble only hit shiny new gates, and ignore the rusty ones?
Does it look casually inviting? If the only source of shade or seating is behind your gate, alter that.
If there's a dozen nearby similar targets, you likely will be skipped. Blend in, and if possible look like more trouble than the ones on either side.

Alter the risk/reward ratio on first look. A fake but obvious camera, a heavy chain, a nasty bed of mud or gravel, "beware of dogs" sign, thorn bushes, ohshitisthatgianthogweed?!!  Don't put your shiny new tool shed full of costly toys in plain view of the gate.

Alter the risk/reward ration on first interaction. A siren, something that flashes like a camera, taped dog barking, blast a cartridge. Or, if you get past the first gate, surprise, right around that blind corner is puzzle number two.
Actual alarms that bring in active responses. Real cameras that'll record your face and license plates and bring arrests. Cops, angry landowners with shotguns, live dogs, etc.

Paul, I have a nosey neighbour who wanders on and dobs me into the local shire.
I have just got sick of her behaviour.

John C Daley wrote:Paul, I have a nosey neighbour who wanders on and dobs me into the local shire.
I have just got sick of her behaviour.

1. Do you think she's coming through the gate, climbing over it, or coming onto your property from multiple different directions?
2. "Wanders" - so she's coming in on foot and not bringing a vehicle?
3. "nosey" - bored with her own life?
 3 a) What might happen if you invited her to work on some (completely legitimate) project?
 3 b) What might happen if you set up traps intended to startle or get her muddy or turn her orange - but not actually hurt her?
4. Or does her idea of what the neighborhood should look like or participate in, just completely different from you wanting to live your life? Are her concerns born of fear that you might be attracting wildlife or nefarious humans? Is there a way you can convince her that you're harmless?

Sorry John, but Go---e can't translate "dobs me into the local shire" into Canadian. I don't want to assume it means something it doesn't... Could you elaborate?

She has been a neighbour for 45 years and is ;
- Walking through an open gate
- Very self righteous about things and nosey.
- 2 yeras older than myself.
-  she always walks but never comes on when I am about
- she is now a bit unstable of her feet!!
- We all live on 10 -20 acres.
- her place is not a picture for "Modern Homes' but they built it themselves
- She always talks to me when I stop and I have been to their place-
- we live in a wildlife park and a farm and fire zone

Aussie speak to Canook speak;
TO DOB OR BE A DOBBER.
AN AUSTRALIAN TERM OF SCORN FOR SOMEBODY WHO BREAKS THE CODE OF SILENCE TO ANYBODY IN AUTHORITY,
AN UNDESIRABLE QUALITY TO HAVE.
DOBBERS ARE USUALLY REPELLED OR CAST ASIDE BY THE 'NORMAL ' POPULATION MEMBERS.
DOBBERS USUALLY WORK ANONYMOUSLY BUT HAVE BEEN HEARD TO UTTER DISGUSTING SENTENCES SUCH AS, 'I AM GUNNA DOB ON YOU'!
- This person is one who always feels comfortable about reporting the behaviour of neighbours or advising local authorities that they,
  themselves, are in conflict with the presentation of the property and the vista it pollutes.
  They are generally 'nosey' and dont feel comfortable to speak their mind to neighbours.
  Also known as 'Snitch", prick, busy body,

Maybe I am not understanding the situation, but it seems as if maybe a locked gate is not really the answer but instead a heart to heart talk with the neighbor. I do not know the situation, so only you can word things right, but passive-aggressive solutions rarely work as the intended person means them too.

Just address them directly. I tell people all the time, including my own father, "hey, I got things to do". Explain to them, "I only go so much time in a given day", and if your work off-farm, explain that much of your homesteading time is sucked up by having a job. You don't have to be a jerk about it, and there is risk it will hurt someone's feelings, but being honest is always the best policy.

I have bought the matter up when I have spoken with her, she denies any knowledge of it.
I have even said sometimes 'I had a visit' from ......  and she says nothing.

Hi Alex,

Welcome to Permies.

The OP has a nuisance neighbour, and I suppose any lock would deter casual snooping.

Persons intent on criminal behaviour (theft, poaching) usually want a vehicle to carry off the loot and/or make a quick exit. As noted by others above, securing a gate against determined intruders is difficult -- the best you can do is deter them by making it a difficult, time-consuming process. Even wood posts the size of telephone poles are easily hacked off with a chainsaw -- unless you spike them with 12" nails.