I’m a big fan of using whatever materials are available to fix a problem. In some circles, this is referred to as “jury-rigging.” In certain instances, the tackiest solution to a problem works well enough that you adopt it permanently. Such is the case for the locking stick I use on the gate at the entrance to my cabin property.
When
I first installed the gate, I simply chained and locked it to a post to keep it
closed. Unfortunately, this allowed the wind to rattle the gate, creating a
racket that could be heard up and down the narrow valley. To solve that
problem, I figured out a way to slip a ¾-inch conduit into the gate to hold it
in place. This worked up to a certain point, but persistent wind would
eventually work the conduit free.
About
15 years ago, I found a pistol-shaped stick, whose “barrel” I can holster
alongside the conduit to lock it in place. It’s a good stick, and it has not
failed me once. I’m sharing a photograph of my locking stick.
—Mitchell
Hegman
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