In February of 2021, I replaced the bolt locks on the outside of the gates on both sides of the house, and also installed a second one on the inside of one gate, but not the other. At the time I wrote a post (linked above) describing the project and why I did it, and I added this:
So, this project is now, finally, nearly done. I say “nearly” because I have one more padlock latch to install on the other gate, but I dropped in in the garage somewhere and haven’t found it yet. Oops. However, the ordinary latch on the outside was always fine (though much better now that it has a longer bolt), so it’s padlocked on the outside (I never use that gate, anyway).The following year, in October 2022, I moved the Vegepod onto the patio, and I put it right in front of the gate. I don’t think I used that gate again until the broken air conditioner on the patio was removed this past December. Because of that, I never got around to adding the lock inside on the inside of the gate.
The new patio roof meant I’d need to move the Vegepod (a project not yet done, oddly enough…), and that meant there would no longer be anything in blocking the gate. But first I had to find the missing lock parts.
I somehow remembered that I’d dropped it in the garage, but the main part was on the garage shelves where they both should have been, but the loop part the padlock closes on wasn’t there. I assumed it was on the floor.
I tried searching on the floor, but it wasn’t easy with the garage such a disaster area. I decided to see if I had some sort of replacement. I kind of did, but it wasn’t ideal I then went to one of the home centres that sells more parts and odd things (unlike the other shop), and bought a new loop thing for a couple bucks. Once I got home, I tried it out, and it would work—but it wasn’t the original thing, so it wasn’t effect.
So, at the end of last week I got my telescoping magnet thing and stuck it under the shelves in the garage: The loop thing wasn’t there. Then I saw a bolt latch on the shelves, and noticed some other metal things, so I moved a couple things around and there it was: The missing loop.
Yesterday was the day to finish the project, technically some five years after I started it. It was also really hot out there, but that just added another layer to the experience.
The installation (before and after photos up top) went fine, really, though I forgot that the hinge-like thing moves and that made it hard to get it level; it ended up level enough. The only difficulty was the final screw: I didn’t drill the pilot hole deep enough, and the head of the screw started to strip. So I removed, drilled the pilot hole a bit deeper, but still not deep enough, because the head of the second screw started to strip, too. Third time was the charm—for the last screw.
Now, because it’s been five years, the hinge thing on the five year old one is rusty, as are the screws. NOW I realise I could have painted them to help keep the rust away longer. Maybe someday a new owner can worry about that.
Something I didn’t talk about five years ago is why I added the second lock inside the gate: It’s because the gate latches should never have been put on the outside of the gate because the only thing needed to open the gate is a screwdriver. Adding the second latch inside the gate means it would take an intruder longer to get through the gate, and they’d probably make much more noise—the goal is to slow down and deter miscreants.
However, my major reason isn’t about intruders per se, it’s about stopping someone opening the gate and Leo getting out. Even so, the gates are now both far more secure than the way teh builder left them. I’d like to get one gate widened a bit, and the builder could install the proper latches, and on the inside of the gate. Whether I do it—sorry, I meant have that done for me—or not will depend on what I do with the rest of the back yard, and I’m not there yet.
Still, a project I began five years ago is now done, and that’s a good thing. The only casualties were two screws and my left forearm: Because of where the lock had to go, I had to use the screwdriver in my left hand (my right hand is dominant, but, oddly, I can use a screwdriver with my left hand), and the muscles were sore today. But the jobs is done, so it’s kind of worth that.
