Here's the actuating arm. It is in the down or gate closed position.
![Image](http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee106/Bkndsdl/Smoker/a3a88278-6c2d-4228-87e4-1303fec469a4_zpsavmnx8xp.jpg)
Here it is in the gate open position, which is default. You get a good view of the operation here; basically an actuation arm with a rod through a pipe that moves the arm up and down on the other end of the rod.
![Image](http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee106/Bkndsdl/Smoker/a012eae0-aabb-46da-bb63-bce629313126_zps5diubq3j.jpg)
It took a while to get it to this point........lots of tacking, working, moving, untacking and retacking, adjusting.......but it works friggin awesome now, just like I'd hoped it would.
Once that was done, I braced the side, insulated, and installed the outer plate, just like all the others.
![Image](http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee106/Bkndsdl/Smoker/b528a41f-c0ef-4482-ab34-85d26de36059_zpsajvn0ztu.jpg)
Insulated.......
![Image](http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee106/Bkndsdl/Smoker/e25acecd-cf70-421c-abe8-63b9604da729_zpszkrvvcx9.jpg)
and outer plate in place. Notched it for the actuator angles and the actuator arm hole.
![Image](http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee106/Bkndsdl/Smoker/61e75eb2-640d-4758-8980-b224f3178fab_zpsmrmsarss.jpg)
Once I got that done, I did this..........
![Image](http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee106/Bkndsdl/Smoker/0097dcf6-18c8-48be-a08b-879ccbb8767b_zpsn2djf1ye.jpg)
One of my other hobbies is flying model aircraft. My youngest is just now getting into them. This plane was given to him, and we've been working on it for a while now trying to get it flight-worthy. Friday I surprised him by picking him up from school with the plane loaded up and ready to go. We got one flight in but it was very windy so I decided to pack it up for the day, but at least we saw it fly.