I have a Creative Playthings playset with a 9' swingrail. While the
playset is wonderful in many respects, it suffers from the fatal flaw
of just not having enough of the right kind of triangles in the
structure.

Kids get on the swings that are hung from a 9' swingrail and the lever-
arms against the structure are huge. Thing skews back and forth in a
terrifyingly swaying manner no matter HOW much the bolts are
tightened.

I put a big 2x6 overkill diagonal on the thing and it doesn't budge a
millimeter.

Here's the picture. I've kept it at original resolution so that you
can see the bolt placement best.

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/f...4/IMG_7090.jpg

Notes:

* The 2x6 is from Creative. Their engineers had to approve my
design. I just couldn't find 2x6 cedar anywhere near my house.
* The top and bottom bolts are reusing the existing T-nuts (and
bolt holes) that were there.
* I have engineering OCD so everything within 500' of a drop of
water is stainless. That added a hugely unnecessary cost to this
thing. Just use grade-2 steel. All 5/16ths
* The middle bolts weren't perfectly placed but I was starting to
wear out mentally.

Hope this helps someone. Truly though, a 2x3 stretched from the
topmost left to the bottommost right with a single bolt at each end
probably would have been ok. I was just worried about pushing
strength.

When properly trimmed and painted it loses that "Nazi Watchtower"
look. I think it's ok now.

I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis. Less nice would be a sheet of exterior plywood. If it
were bolted in a number a places, it wouldn't have to be full height
allowing a crawl through or look through...

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
"Our Republic and the Press will Rise or Fall Together": Joseph Pulitzer
TSRA: Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Originator & Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member. http://lufkinced.com/

On 9/18/2010 1:47 PM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:

I have a Creative Playthings playset with a 9' swingrail. While the
playset is wonderful in many respects, it suffers from the fatal flaw
of just not having enough of the right kind of triangles in the
structure.

Kids get on the swings that are hung from a 9' swingrail and the lever-
arms against the structure are huge. Thing skews back and forth in a
terrifyingly swaying manner no matter HOW much the bolts are
tightened.

I put a big 2x6 overkill diagonal on the thing and it doesn't budge a
millimeter.

Here's the picture. I've kept it at original resolution so that you
can see the bolt placement best.

http://i539.photobucket.com/albums/f...4/IMG_7090.jpg

Notes:

* The 2x6 is from Creative. Their engineers had to approve my
design. I just couldn't find 2x6 cedar anywhere near my house.
* The top and bottom bolts are reusing the existing T-nuts (and
bolt holes) that were there.
* I have engineering OCD so everything within 500' of a drop of
water is stainless. That added a hugely unnecessary cost to this
thing. Just use grade-2 steel. All 5/16ths
* The middle bolts weren't perfectly placed but I was starting to
wear out mentally.

Hope this helps someone. Truly though, a 2x3 stretched from the
topmost left to the bottommost right with a single bolt at each end
probably would have been ok. I was just worried about pushing
strength.

When properly trimmed and painted it loses that "Nazi Watchtower"
look. I think it's ok now.

On Sep 18, 10:08*pm, "Martin H. Eastburn"
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? "Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?

I may call it "shear panel"
john
"Thomas G. Marshall" wrote in message
...
On Sep 18, 10:08 pm, "Martin H. Eastburn"
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? "Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?

On 9/19/2010 8:32 AM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
On Sep 18, 10:08 pm, "Martin H.
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? "Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?

gusset

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email

On Sep 19, 9:37*am, "jloomis" wrote:
I may call it "shear panel"

Even for the diagonal I put up in the picture? I'm not talking about
the panel suggested by Martin H. Eastburn above.

"Thomas G. Marshall" wrote in message
...


By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing?


Diagonal bracing.

Corner to corner bracing - as in barns....fence gates...

Our home in the mountains of California was a pier and beam A-frame
and all walls on the exterior were heavy thickness of ply. The frame
is bolted to the various piers and concrete bases.

Earthquakes would roll the ground - yes like water waves - and the shear
walls prevented the stick wood of the building from 'racking' and going flat.
e.g. top floor sliding to the side as the walls tilted that way...

Having ply on inside and outside of the walls prevented ripple effect that
might buckle and pop off some sheets in various quakes.

Remember the kids will not stand still but rush to side to side if
it becomes exciting - e.g. swing faster as it whips the body this way and that.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
"Our Republic and the Press will Rise or Fall Together": Joseph Pulitzer
TSRA: Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Originator & Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member. http://lufkinced.com/

On 9/19/2010 8:32 AM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
On Sep 18, 10:08 pm, "Martin H.
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? "Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?

On Sep 19, 10:18*am, Steve Barker wrote:
On 9/19/2010 8:32 AM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:

On Sep 18, 10:08 pm, "Martin H.
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. *Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. *The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? *"Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?

gusset

A gusset is usually a "gusset plate" no? Most of the time I've seen
"gusset", it's something reinforcing the corner members themselves,
not connecting corner to corner.

On 9/19/2010 11:25 PM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
On Sep 19, 10:18 am, Steve wrote:
On 9/19/2010 8:32 AM, Thomas G. Marshall wrote:

On Sep 18, 10:08 pm, "Martin H.
wrote:
I'd consider one diagonal under the slide to act as a shear wall for
that axis.

That's a good idea but I needed to preserve the aesthetics of the
thing at least a little. Plus when I look at how it moves, the swing
rail was only torquing in a circle and swaying as well all in the same
plane. The plane shared by the diagonal.

By the way, what is the term for such a diagonal bracing? "Corner
Bracing" is for the smaller stuff, no?

gusset

A gusset is usually a "gusset plate" no? Most of the time I've seen
"gusset", it's something reinforcing the corner members themselves,
not connecting corner to corner.

you are correct.

the proper term for a corner to corner brace is simply "diagonal brace"

--
Steve Barker
remove the "not" from my address to email