Cam device to apply tension - save a christmas tree

[jcrenick]

I have a 6' opening and need a baby gate for it. So of course I was going to make one. The Christmas tree will be on one side and the 1 yr old on the other. Easy enough to do but I do have one question and it is about the design.

I want to secure it without putting holes in the walls so I was going to use tension to hold it in place. My design is simple basically two picket fences with bumpers on the end that slide past each other and contact the walls. Then a twist of a wing nut to hold the tension. I am worried that this alone will not provide enough tension to make it secure. Therefore I am considering some sort of cam device to apply an extra bit of tension prior to synching it with the wing nuts.

Ideas? Thoughts?

[crokett]

My thought is, I looked into making one before my oldest was born. Then I just went and spent the money and bought one. If you can find a consignment store in your area you can probably get a baby gate real cheap. There is a ton of quality used baby stuff out there.

For a tension device you might could use a turnbuckle.

[LCHIEN]

i used to have a baby gate with essentially a cam lever to apply tension. If you walls are sheetrock let me advise you that the force of a toddler on the fence requires a tension that is on the threshold of damaging your sheetrock, esp. of its not right at a stud to back it up!

I think the cam consisted of a couple of wood levers that were adjustable by placing a piece in notches about 3/4" apart on one of the levers. THis makes it adjustable.

Good luck.

[mschrank]

Six feet is a pretty wide opening for a baby gate. As Loring mentioned, you almost have to dent the sheetrock to get enough tension to stop the force of a determined toddler....this would especially be true with such a wide gate.

I'm not sure I have a solution. If this is only a temporary need to protect the tree, I think you'll be fine without the gate. With a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old, we've been dealing with babies and trees for the past several years. A stable tree stand and a couple of stern admonishments the first few times they approach the tree seems to do the trick. Also, we put all the more fragile ornaments up high.

One year, we left a sacrificial bell ornament down low that was easily removed. We let him pull that off and toddle around with it...he left everything else alone.

OTOH, if you need to have the gate in place beyond the holidays, I'd re-consider putting a few holes in the wall for a more stable gate. Holes patch easy in drywall.

[gsmittle]

I have a 6' opening and need a baby gate for it. So of course I was going to make one. The Christmas tree will be on one side and the 1 yr old on the other. Easy enough to do but I do have one question and it is about the design.

I want to secure it without putting holes in the walls so I was going to use tension to hold it in place. My design is simple basically two picket fences with bumpers on the end that slide past each other and contact the walls. Then a twist of a wing nut to hold the tension. I am worried that this alone will not provide enough tension to make it secure. Therefore I am considering some sort of cam device to apply an extra bit of tension prior to synching it with the wing nuts.

Ideas? Thoughts?

When my two were young we had a wooden baby gate with a double wooden bar in the middle (top to bottom) of the gate. One of the bars had notches and the other had a captive square steel ring and a loose one. The idea was to open the gate until it was snug in the opening, then put the captive ring in the notched bar about 1-2" above horizontal. Then push both down to horizontal, and slide the other ring on the end of the notched bar. It put tension on the whole gate. With rubber feet on each side, the thing was dang near unmovable when tensioned properly.

Also, be sure NOT to have anything sticking up at the top of the gate, such as pickets. That's a strangulation waiting to happen. Make sure the top of the gate is smooth.

g.

[jcrenick]

This will not be mounted to drywall. This is an opening between two rooms so the backing is solid.
I was picturing an offset mounted circle with a handle so that when the handle was press the larger diameter area would apply more pressure.

-No worries on a picket hazard. Both top and bottom will be smooth.