New coop for me.

[GlitterBug]

That is a great-looking coop! Nice Job.

 

[Dogfish]

Quote:
The screw that the flat lock bar pivots on is attached in the top center of the door panel, so I get a straight line pull whenever the motor trips. The pivot screw mechanism requires 3 nylock 1/4"x20 (thread) nuts, three flat washers, and a 3" 1/4"x20 screw.

At the bottom left of the flat bar is a flat "L" bracket, attached with two screws and nuts. When the flat lock bar tips over, that "L" bracket catches on a 3/8" lag bolt on the lower left of the door frame. The L brackets is attached with nylock nuts as well. Use whatever size screw you need for these, but use nylock nuts to keep them from loosening.

The reason it tips over that way EVERY TIME is because attached to the upper portion of the flat lock bar is a 1 lb weight that is purposely off center to the right side. The eye hook is also offcenter, on purpose, so that there is no way that lock bar would fail.

It is a "simple machine" called a lever and fulcrum, and it is powered by gravity. I love simple machines.

I'll take a few pictures and post them up.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Thank you Dogfish. My DH will be able to "get it" by reading it but I require pictures

 

[Dogfish]

Pictures it is. Was pretty sore after an earth moving day, so here are lock parts and yesterday's progress.

Pivot pin.

The pivot screw mechanism requires 3 nylock 1/4"x20 (thread) nuts, three flat washers, and a 3" 1/4"x20 screw. The bottom section of flat bar below the pivot shoul be longer than the top half.

"L" bracket.

Get the lock mechanism swinging as needed and then place the lag bolt where you want it.

Offcenter counterbalance.

I cast my own lead for fishing and shooting, and all of my ingots of lead are 1lb hemishperes from a 2lb lead ball weight. Any 1lb lead weight would work.

Hope that helps.

So I moved in a few yards of crushed black rock yesterday to build a base about 6" deep.

Then I set my posts.

...and finally I dug my trenches to burry the wire fence.

I'll add a few more inches of black rock to bring it to 12" of depth. This material compacts like concrete after a few rains and some compaction.

Adding fence and builing a door today. Well, time to get to work.

 

[Dogfish]

Fence and door done. Need to add some hardware cloth. Just need the time to do it.

 

[nvmycj]

Great pix on the progression of your coop and run!

In the very first pic, why did you choose to put your 4 outer posts on concrete blocks instead of burying them and then filling the holes with concrete?

and,....

how do you square the four posts to each other?

Thanks!

 

[enggass]

Quote:
My questions exactly...

 

[chickflick]

Love your coop. Love your shop. Love your house!!

 

[Dogfish]

Quote:
My questions exactly...

It was the best way to insure no rot on the coop. That coop will last 20+ years, but if I had burried the posts that lifespan would be much shorter. I'm 44, and this is the house I'm going to die in. Build it right, build it once.

 

[enggass]

What about squaring the posts? What's the best way?
Steve