The Unintended Consequences of Buying Cheap Hardware

Fence contractors use products from all over the world to bring beauty and security to homes and businesses. Among those products can be found inferior quality parts, often from untraceable foreign manufacturers, who don't follow truth in advertising laws, or even safety laws.

When those products end up used on a fence with your company logo on it and fail, your company takes the hit. When you use genuine, stainless steel American made gate hardware from Modern Fence Technologies, you are getting top quality stainless steel throughout. Where others use mild steel, aluminum, or even plastic as support members in their hinges, our support is made of 100% stainless steel.

Rusty Hinges is the stage name of a drag queen in Ireland, (it really is!*). It shouldn't describe the products you put your name on.

In addition to our adjustable stainless hinges, Modern Fence now makes traditional T-hinges, “butterfly” style hinges, and strap hinges in 100% stainless steel.

**(OK, go ahead and look for yourself, https://www.facebook.com/missrustyhinges...)

Why We Do What We Do Vol 1, Issue 3

Bolt On Hinges Vs. Weld On Hinges

Reason C. Whether damaged by the lack of a gate stop, allowing the gate to swing backwards through the opening, or by a vehicle, vandal, or just plain wear and tear, hinges need to be replaced from time to time. Cutting and welding on new hinges in the field means dealing with reasons A and B again. Using Modern Fence Technologies bolt on hinges means not only getting the replacement hinge for free under our warranty, it also means quick, hassle free replacement.

Modern Fence Technologies includes with every hinge the right fasteners for your gate system. These screws or bolts are matched for strength and material performance to the demands of the hinge you are using. We offer stainless steel screws as well as galvanized tek screws and carriage bolts, depending on the type of hinge and your preference, all coated to match the hinges and protect them from corrosion.

If your crew member can operate a cordless drill or impact driver, installing MFT hinges properly is a straightforward operation. Once installed, the hinges are complete, with no need for touch up grinding or painting, and the factory powder coat finish is intact to protect the strength and appearance of the hinge and gate for years to come.

When the time comes to repair a gate with MFT hinges, the removable hinge pin design also makes mounting and dismounting the gate simple, and if the hinge needs to be replaced, the installer can quickly install the replacement hinges with the new screws provided.

Why We Do What We Do Vol 1, Issue 2

Bolt On Hinges Vs. Weld On Hinges

  Convenience is important. So is appearance. Once a hinge is welded on it may need a touch up with a grinder to make it look good, then it should ideally be primed, then painted to prevent rust. The fact is that no matter how many times a business owner tells his crew to follow all the steps, we all know that the easiest one to skip is also probably the most important. Crews consistently cut corners by skipping the primer. A quick coat of finish paint and you can almost hear what's going through their mind,

“Looks good from my house!” We also know that the paint will fail quickly, leaving your company name on a rusty gate.

Even if the primer and paint are done right, the resulting finish is rarely better than an obvious patch job on the factory powder coat or e-coated paint. MFT's color matched bolts and screws eliminate the need for touch up paint, giving you a better looking, long lasting protective finish.

Watch for our next installment of Why We Do What We Do for a long term, business building reason to use Modern Fence Technologies bolt on hinges.

Why We Do What We Do Vol 1, Issue 1

 Bolt On Hinges Vs. Weld On Hinges

Reason A. Many contractors like the security and strength a welded hinge can give to a gate system. Modern Fence Technologies offers hinges that are designed to be bolted onto the post and gate. There are several reasons for this.

The process of welding a hinge in place in the field requires extra equipment and skills not always available to the contractor. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and if your welder has an “off” day, the resulting look could haunt rather than enhance your gate.

We will explore other reasons for Why We Do What We Do in coming posts.

Even the Best Hinges Can Break...But Then What?

If you don't work or do business in Florida, you may not be aware of how much disruption was caused by Hurricane Matthew last October.  Along with the loss of life in its wake, Matthew left billions of dollars in property damage, which will take years to repair, and longer to pay for.

Isolated as I am in our Wisconsin offices from the physical effects of the storm, I nevertheless have had the opportunity to see some of the disruption caused in the fence industry by this natural disaster.  Contractors accustomed to being busy through the year have found themselves slammed, trying to meet the needs of prior and current customers.  Some are up to a year out on non-critical repairs, after doing significant triage to determine who needed what work, and how soon.

I talked with a homeowner a few days after the storm, and he said he couldn't get anyone to come out and fix his gate.  His dog couldn't be alone in the yard without it.  So he went online and searched out the hinge that broke, and discovered it was one of ours.  So he called directly to buy a replacement.  As a wholesaler, I cannot sell to a homeowner.  Because I have several contractors that I serve in his region, I knew that there was little likelihood of finding someone to run over and install a new hinge for him.

The solution was simple.  He didn't need to buy a new hinge, which was good, because I couldn't sell him one.  But because every product we make has a lifetime warranty, I was able to send him a replacement hinge at no charge.

It's not often that we hear of one of our products breaking, but when they do, you can be sure of a couple of things.

1. It was probably a natural disaster that broke it.
2. We stand 100% behind what we make.
3. When you buy MFT, you buy it for LIFE.