On Sat, 10 May 2008 07:12:36 -0700, 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 --


and make sure all the hooks are CLOSED. I witnessed the results of a
castration and worse yet a de-clitorization as a result of children
climbing those chains and slipping onto a slightly open hook.

Weld em closed if possible, if there is ANY doubt about their
smoothness. The results can be not only horrible, but ****ing
ghastly.

Gunner