Balls.

[Flyfisher]

The only way I can think of would be to drill both the finial and post, and use a stainless steel bar and epoxy resin to bond them together. Might be stronger than just mortaring the finials on, but it's only a theory - I've never done it.

The trouble with mortar is that it has no strength (or very little) in tension so it's an easy job to push apart something 'fixed' to the top of a wall. The steel bar and glue approach would give a real fixing. Better still, perhaps, would be to use helifix rods, which are specifically designed to hold walls together.

 

[Penners]

A reminder Penners:

I hereby decline to participate in this thread, on the grounds that I may tend to incriminate myself.

Thank you.

Damn! Sorry.

 

[Ian Bond]

The only way I can think of would be to drill both the finial and post, and use a stainless steel bar and epoxy resin to bond them together. Might be stronger than just mortaring the finials on, but it's only a theory - I've never done it.

The trouble with mortar is that it has no strength (or very little) in tension so it's an easy job to push apart something 'fixed' to the top of a wall. The steel bar and glue approach would give a real fixing. Better still, perhaps, would be to use helifix rods, which are specifically designed to hold walls together.

Even better. That looks like the perfect fixing, Flyfisher.

I'm not desperately keen on putting metal fixings in stone if I can avoid it, due to the damage that corroding iron hinges and so on have done to masonry. Although perhaps that won't happen with the corrosion resistant helifix rods?

I suppose you also have to consider whether an attempted theft would result in excessive damage to the gate posts and finials because they've been bonded together so well.

Personally I'd want to do something to secure the finials, and a resin bonded helifix tie looks like the best solution.

I'm sure Manks will let us know what he decides to do, and provide pictures too. Of his gates.