Getting Into The Swing of Things

Our locksmith shop welcomes the challenge of supplying electronic access controls on exterior gates as it is a change of pace and another activity to add to our portfolio of indoor services.

Sometimes the requirement is for a total turn-key installation. Sometimes there will be an existing fence and a requirement develops for a controlled opening. The opening can be for a pedestrian gate or a vehicle gate.

As a full-service security provider the locksmith should be poised to participate in projects such as these in whatever capacity is appropriate for the situation.

For example, one client had an existing pedestrian gate which he wanted to be upgraded for entry and egress access control. A site survey revealed that the existing gate was not in good enough condition to install locking hardware on it, so we located a gate fabricator and we managed the entire project. A gate design had to be selected, the site had to be prepped for the new gates, and conduit had to be run out to the new gates for the card readers, gate position sensors and electric locking devices which in that instance were electromagnets; the many appurtenances needed to be selected, and the prep for these had to be specified. We were there on the installation day to coordinate installation.

In another situation, the owner had an existing gate which had already been outfitted with access control, but the locking equipment was worn and did not provide an acceptable level of performance. In other words, the locking hardware was not locking and unlocking reliably, and the gate itself was not reclosing consistently. A new gate was out of the question, so we had to retrofit to the gate.

Most recently we got a call from a client who was getting ready to break ground on a new building which was to house an office and serve as a gatehouse for vehicles coming into and off of their premises.

This was an unusual kind of business. Individuals and municipalities paid them to dump leaves and grass clippings on their site. This company then turned this organic material into mulch (by mixing it with manure, water and sunlight) and then sold it, often back to the same folks who had paid to dump the waste in the first place.

The gates were intended to help them control vehicle traffic and keep an audit trail for billing purposes.

This was a new installation, and the equipment required would be two (Entry and Egress) barrier arm operators, card readers, sensors, controllers and associated products. The client accepted our proposal and we got to work.

DoorKing was our choice of barrier arm operator. DoorKing has a wide selection of swing arm operators as well as sliding and swinging fence gate operators, which we have successfully installed and maintained for other clients. We knew the products were competitively priced, reliable, and that DoorKing provided great tech support.We specified the DoorKing #1601

The installation documentation provided by DoorKing includes templates and a variety of layouts for many typical configurations you might encounter. If your application is not covered in the downloadable Installation/Owners manual, a call to DoorKing tech support will get you whatever you need.

Our deal was for the client’s contractor to provide the concrete pads required for the operators and card reader pedestals; posts and fencing by others, as well as conduit and trenching and wire pulling for power and data by others. We provided the wire.

This arrangement allowed the client to get the best pricing and maintain the most control over these system elements, and allowed us to keep our time on-site to minimum and be more profitable.

Fortunately the contractor and electrician did good work and the installation went smoothly.

We assisted in the planning of the pedestal locations, the conduit and cabling, the power that would be required, and visited the site when our presence was requested during the course of the construction.