David Michael of B&W Welding, waits to maneuver the historic main gates at the Hayes Presidential Center back into place, then helps as they try to pound the iron bracket that holds the gates back into place.

While lifting the wrought-iron back into place yesterday after nine months of restoration work, crews found the gates didn't quite fit in their old spot.

Nancy Kleinhenz, a spokeswoman for the center, said one of the newly rebuilt pillars that holds the gates in place had a stone that was sticking out about a half-inch, preventing the gate from swinging freely.

In addition, a new iron pipe on the opposite gate was a bit too large to fit inside its hanging element. Workers ground the stone down and milled the pipe's collar to make it fit, finally getting the gates back in place.

First Published July 25, 2002, 10:46 a.m.