Homemade Sliding Gate

Dig two post holes with your shovel. Place the holes 7 feet apart. Make each post hole 2 feet deep and 12 inches wide.

Add 4 inches of gravel to the bottom of each hole. Stand a post in each hole. Mix concrete and water in your wheelbarrow, following the manufacturer's instructions. Shovel concrete into each hole. Hold a level against the side of each post. Move each post so that it is perfectly vertical in the center of its hole. Let the concrete cure for 72 hours before continuing.

Drill three holes into your piece of plywood. Place all three holes 8 inches from one end of the sheet of plywood. Drill one hole 12 inches from each side of the plywood and the other in the center. Drill an additional three holes 8 inches from the opposite end. Cut a 1/2-inch slot in the wood to connect the holes on each end. Drill a hole 2 inches from one corner of the plywood. Slide your jigsaw blade into this hole and cut out a 2-by-4-inch slot to be used as a hand hole. Sand the edges of the three slots and the hand hole with medium-grit sandpaper.

Hold the mounting bracket on your lawnmower wheel against the plywood. Move the bracket to the opposite side of the same end as the hand hole. Allow the wheel to extend below the plywood. Drill a hole through the wood where each of the retaining holes on the bracket rest. Attach the wheel mount to the plywood with 1 1/2-inch bolts, washers and nuts. Secure both bolts with your adjustable wrench.

Stand the plywood up on the wheel. Place the hand hole end of the plywood against the side of one post. Let the slotted face of the plywood rest against the other post. Hold your level on top of the plywood. Adjust the plywood so that it is perfectly level. Drill three holes through the post, using the slots in the plywood as a guide. Hold the plywood strip against the post. Drill matching holes through the plywood strip.

Slide a washer onto a 6-inch bolt. Push the bolt through one of the holes in your post. Slip a PVC collar onto the bolt. Slide your plywood gate onto the PVC collar. Slide the plywood strip onto the assembly followed by a washer and nut. Repeat the process in all three holes. Tighten each of the bolts with your adjustable wrench.

Hold the piece of "J" channel against your receiver post. Center the "J" channel vertically in the center of the post. Drive a deck screw through the "J" channel every 8 inches with the Phillips bit on your drill to attach it to the post. Open and close your gate a few times to check its functionality.