If you had to cut thru a road gate - what would you use?

[TTSX]

I'll just sit there and die. Get one more good rub and tug out before I do, though

 

[oremike]

 

[The Heretic]

No, especially if the lock is hardened.

Angle grinder will get right through it.

Maybe both?

IME - it can be very difficult to get to the lock because they often have a box shield around the locks. So you have to cut thru the beam.

 

[Nosferatu]

Maybe both?

IME - it can be very difficult to get to the lock because they often have a box shield around the locks. So you have to cut thru the beam.

Have you ever used a portaband? They are great for thinner tubing and such, but I wouldn't take one to a 1/2" steel.

Outside of an oxy-acetylene or oxy-propane torch, a sawzall with a carbide blade would be your best bet for getting through that and in that case, I wouldn't bother with the lock, I'd just go through the round tubing.

 

[The Heretic]

Have you ever used a portaband? They are great for thinner tubing and such, but I wouldn't take one to a 1/2" steel.

Outside of an oxy-acetylene or oxy-propane torch, a sawzall with a carbide blade would be your best bet for getting through that and in that case, I wouldn't bother with the lock, I'd just go through the round tubing.

No I haven't used one - I just now saw someone cut thru a healthy square tubing with one - I didn't even really know a battery operated device like that existed.

 

[Tlock]

There isn't a timber gate around me that I don't have a key for.....so I vote my keys

 

[Knobgoblin]

Bums have been stealing jaws-of-life machines like crazy the last few years.
First from remote fire stations, and more recently from the trucks while they are actively responding to a scene.

I reckon the black market is rotten with them by now. Snag one of those.

 

[RedneckRampage]

Have you ever used a portaband? They are great for thinner tubing and such, but I wouldn't take one to a 1/2" steel.

Outside of an oxy-acetylene or oxy-propane torch, a sawzall with a carbide blade would be your best bet for getting through that and in that case, I wouldn't bother with the lock, I'd just go through the round tubing.

I use the Milwaukee 2729 deep cut bandsaw on 1.25" x 3" solid mild steel all the time and it takes about a minute for cut it. It will cut 5x5x0.5" tube very easy also.

 

[Flopsweat]

I'll just sit there and die. Get one more good rub and tug out before I do, though

"Can you see him?"
"Yeah."
"What's he doing, reloading?"
"No..."

 

[arakboss]

No I haven't used one - I just now saw someone cut thru a healthy square tubing with one - I didn't even really know a battery operated device like that existed.

The cordless band saws look very capable. Railroad rail cutting starts at 8:50ish min mark.

 

[Nosferatu]

I use the Milwaukee 2729 deep cut bandsaw on 1.25" x 3" solid mild steel all the time and it takes about a minute for cut it. It will cut 5x5x0.5" tube very easy also.

They must be getting better. The one I had several years ago was like cutting with chewing gum.

 

[RedneckRampage]

Lol they have come a long way, good blade with correct number of teeth and it does great.

 

[Longwalkhome]

SHTF Scenario: It is the zombie apocalypse. WROL. You are running away (in a vehicle) for your life. Time is an issue. You encounter a forest road gate:

View attachment 1771372

Your vehicle cannot get around it. You absolutely need to get past that gate with your vehicle, its contents and passengers. You do not care about law enforcement/etc.

What relatively portable cutting device do you use?

Portable band saw?

I am disinclined to carry a cutting torch.

The timber owners gated the roads to stop timber thieves. After the spotted owl shut down logging there was big money in stealing trees.

Gates are built to resist the best of thieves. Ends anchored in concrete and the gate itself may be full of concrete too.

If it were me I would talk to the gate owner ahead of the need and get a key for the lock..

If you get a key then lock the gate after you go through and slow down anyone following you.

 

[Tlock]

The timber owners gated the roads to stop timber thieves. After the spotted owl shut down logging there was big money in stealing trees.

Gates are built to resist the best of thieves. Ends anchored in concrete and the gate itself may be full of concrete too.

If it were me I would talk to the gate owner ahead of the need and get a key for the lock..

The land owners around me would just laugh at someone asking for a key

 

[The Heretic]

They must be getting better. The one I had several years ago was like cutting with chewing gum.

I would expect that a good part of the performance of any saw is due to the quality of the blade.

 

[Longwalkhome]

The land owners around me would just laugh at someone asking for a key

In days gone by the owners would give a key to people who actually had a use like bear hunters or people who harvested ferns for the florist shops.

The gates are a progression of blocking thieves so they are built really good.

 

[The Heretic]

Ends anchored in concrete and the gate itself may be full of concrete too.

Useful info - I did not think about the crossbeam tubing being filled with concrete.

 

[Tlock]

In days gone by the owners would give a key to people who actually had a use like bear hunters or people who harvested ferns for the florist shops.

The gates are a progression of blocking thieves so they are built really good.

I'm afraid those days are long gone. Thieves arnt so much a issue as the dumping of garbage and destroying land with off road vehicles. Then there are sue happy people out there that will cause companies all sorts of headaches if they were to get hurt on their ground

 

[Longwalkhome]

Useful info - I did not think about the crossbeam tubing being filled with concrete.

People have had to go through a lot to protect their property. Those gates are built from decades of experience dealing with thieves. May even have cameras recording whomever comes up to the gate.

In a apocalypse I suppose property rights don't matter but..

 

[Nosferatu]

I would expect that a good part of the performance of any saw is due to the quality of the blade.

I only use quality consumables.

Useful info - I did not think about the crossbeam tubing being filled with concrete.

That's nothing a sledge hammer won't fix once you're through the steel.