On May 10, 8:12*am, Bruce L. Bergman
wrote:
On Fri, 9 May 2008 06:45:55 -0700 (PDT), stryped
wrote:

My kids need a new swingset. I am wanting to build one. Any
suggestions? I mean should I just find one and copy it, buy a book?
Anyone have any plans or pictures?

* They aren't that tough an engineering challenge - but go look at
commercial versions for design cues. *Especially the public park
models, they are made to take rough use.

* Don't try making your own seats, it's like reinventing the wheel,
too many design variables. *The public park style vulcanized rubber
seats can't be that expensive to buy AFAICT.

* You have to make them strong - because when chains fail and
attachments detach, your kid could get seriously hurt. *Beefy
hardware, and chains rated for more than you would guess - centripetal
forces plus two kids on one seat, and you have a ton of force...

* Gusset and over-engineer the A connections to the main cross pole,
for the proper rigidity - because kids do climb up on top and use it
as monkey bars it has to be way strong. *And anchor down the legs,
because the whole thing can fall over.

* You have to studiously avoid pinch points and finger trap points - a
"degloving" injury is as horrible as it sounds. *Everything needs to
be streamlined and enclosed. *

* Pad all the poles - standard foam pipe padding and pipe-wrap tape.

* -- Bruce --

Good advice.

Most sets you can buy are poorly designed.

Go commerial quality.

Another hint...if you are HSMer build the A frame heavy enough so you
can use it with a hoist to lift heavy items.

I know more than one HSMer who has "built" a swingset to camoflage a
gantry crane in the neighborhood.

TMT