Help with Swingset

[bmac]

For those who have suggested utility poles for the swingset, I've done a little checking. My local EMC contact was not in so I had to leave a message for a return call. The person I spoke with there said that they do, on occassion, have used poles for sale. Just don't know yet what they have now (if any) or what they cost.

I got a price for 2 new CCA-treated poles. 9" diameter at the top, 16' long delivered is just under $400. OUCH!! But, even if I have to do that, I'll still be about half the cost of the original quote I got from my local swingset place. I will have to add in the rental fee for an PHD and 12" auger. Of course, if my local EMC comes through, I'm sure it will A LOT less.

Now, for another question. I've never used a PHD on my tractor (NH TC29D). What is the maximum depth I could expect to attain with this equipment. 4 feet? Think I could get 5 feet? I'm clueless here.

Right now, I'm just weighing my options between the utility pole vs A-frame construction. I can easily handle A-frame. The utility pole will take a little more engineering effort on my part, namely getting the holes sufficiently deep and securely attaching the 6x6 swingbeam to the tops of the poles.

Thanks for all of the feedback thus far.

 

[EddieWalker]

bmac,

With just the auger, you will be able to get 3 feet. There are extensions that you can buy, maybe rent, that will add on to that depth. The problem is the auger stays in the hole and the extensions go between the auger and gear box. Really good (expensive) extensions are short sections of the auger that will carry the dirt up and out of the hole. I doubt you can find them for a 3pt hitch type auger as they are usually used on hydraulic models with allot of HP.

What you'll have to use is a pipe, or sqaure tubing exension that comes in one foot lengths. There is probably longer ones, I've just never seen them.

The deeper you get the hole, the stronger it will be. Of couse, depending on how tall you want the pole might mean you don't need more than four feet. That's allot of hole!!!!

If you have 12 feet of pole above the ground, and I'd think that would be more than enough, a four foot hole is more than enough. What I'm wondering is how are you going to attach the cross beam 12 feet up?

Don't forget to post pictures!!!

Eddie

 

[bmac]

If you have 12 feet of pole above the ground, and I'd think that would be more than enough, a four foot hole is more than enough. What I'm wondering is how are you going to attach the cross beam 12 feet up?

Don't forget to post pictures!!!

Eddie

When I called this pole company Americal Pole and Timber I spoke with a guy about this project. He seemed very knowlegable about his product and explained the physics involved using terms I kind of know but can't really quantitate (moment of a swing arc with a 50 lb child, etc.). In any event, he didn't think 4 ft was deep enough. He had his national sales manager call me today for price quotes. In speaking with the sales manager, I found out that I was actually speaking with the president of the company yesterday. In any event, the sales manager says he would recommend 5 feet. Now, I don't know the soil conditions in Houston, TX (Company location) but here in GA, the clay is pretty darn hard and I can't imagine my skinny little kid could loosening a pole from our soil, even if only in 4 ft holes. I could be wrong.

Still, a 4' hole leaves me with a good ft of digging beyond the 3' limits of a 3PH PHD. Call me lazy (or old), but I'm not about to dig the remaining ft by hand, even if my manual phd could do that. I'll check with my local rental yard to see what they have re: extensions.

Thanks, Eddie.

 

[firemanpat2910]

where in Ga are you? There is a post plant in Valdosta. I cant remember the name but I drive by it about once a month.

 

[dooleysm]

This is starting to turn into an awesome thread. I can't wait to see pictures of these kids swinging off this contraption!

I'm just wondering if you could get your local electric company to come out and put the poles in for you. We had the option of running overhead lines to our house when we built. We opted for underground service, but if we'd have gone with overhead lines, the electric company would have come out and put the poles in. I would think if you talk to the electric company and find someone sympathetic to your cause, you could get 2 poles placed for whatever they charge to do an electric install.

 

[bmac]

where in Ga are you? There is a post plant in Valdosta. I cant remember the name but I drive by it about once a month.

I'm up close to Atlanta. Valdosta is a good drive from here (~ 4 hrs, I'd guess). Plus, I don't really have the means to transport 16' long poles. But, thanks for the suggestion.

 

[bmac]

This is starting to turn into an awesome thread. I can't wait to see pictures of these kids swinging off this contraption!

You are too kind. With the projects Wroughtn Harv has shared and things like Eddie's lake / RV park projects and all of the other fine projects posted on TBN, I was actually a little embarassed to ask for advice on a kid's swingset. I'll do my best and post pictures along the way. Just don't overexpect.

I'm just wondering if you could get your local electric company to come out and put the poles in for you. We had the option of running overhead lines to our house when we built. We opted for underground service, but if we'd have gone with overhead lines, the electric company would have come out and put the poles in. I would think if you talk to the electric company and find someone sympathetic to your cause, you could get 2 poles placed for whatever they charge to do an electric install.

Good suggestion. However, my power is provided my the local municipal government (for a fee, of course) and I'm not sure they can do little favors like a private entity can. Most of the county is served by an EMC. They are the ones I hope to buy the poles from, should I go that route. However, I am not an electric customer of theirs, so I don't know if they'd be too excited about sending out a crew to set a couple of poles. Wouldn't hurt to ask, though.

 

[bmac]

Well, as Eddie suggested, I'm finding that getting holes dug deeper than 3 ft is looking like it might be the biggest obstacle for me. Keep in mind that I am old and lazy so using a manual PHD is out of the question. None of my local rental yards has 3PH PHDs for rent. They all recommended a 2-man gas-powered auger that they say will get me close to 4 ft. They also recommended a Dingo; however, their auger choices for the Dingo are not great - 9" and 30" with nothing in between. Furthermore, they don't have half day rates for the Dingo, so I'm lookin' at over $100 per hole even if they can get a 12" auger.

So, as things look now, I may be faced w/ A-frame construction. I will call my local utility company to see if they can set the poles, though I think this will be a long shot. I could hire a couple of undocumented immigrants to go with a 2-man auger and get it done that way.

Anyway, that's where things stand as of right now. I'll keep you posted as things unfold.

 

[bmac]

I ended up going with the A-frame style swingset. Getting the poles used was not working out and new poles were going to cost about $400. Then, I couldn't determine how I was going to get the holes dug to the proper depth. I spent about $100 for the PT wood I needed for this project and there are no holes to dig.

The paln I got with the hardware kit called for 8' 4x4 legs for the A-frame. I modified the plan and went with 12' legs. I haven't measured yet to see what the height of the swing beam will be. Also, the plan called for a 12' 4x6 main beam. I changed it to 16'. I'll still have the legs 12ft. apart (per the plan) but I've cantilevered 4 ft of the main beam and I'll attach a disc swing on thsi.

Today, I built the 2 A-frames, laid out and drilled the holes in the main beam and installed the swing harware to the beam. This would be about an hour or 2 job for most of you folks. Took me most of the day. Tomorrow, I hope to attach the main beam to the A-frame supports and finish the project. I'll take a photo of the swingset when I'm done.

 

[gotrocks]

Here in one I built for a friend. Sorry don't remember the cost of material, but that has changed since then so does not matter. The swings are not in place yet. The kid really enjoy the "fort", deck, ????? Designed so I could use 21 foot galvanized pipe for the climbing rungs and monkey bars across.

 

[AndyM]

bmac,

Some of the best swings are the cheapest and easiest.

Eddie

That third swing you posted there Eddie is pretty nice.
I guess I'm still a big fan of sturdy double-walled plastic, in colors that won't fade, peel, or chip.

 

[bmac]

Andy,

Most folks put up a little plastic or metal swingsets for their kids. Some will build something like I did, or maybe more elaborate with towers, slides, ladders, etc. Not Eddie. He built a swing with a WHOLE HOUSE attached.

 

[AndyM]

Not Eddie. He built a swing with a WHOLE HOUSE attached.

I guess they do everything bigger in Texas, don't they?

 

[EddieWalker]

Not Eddie. He built a swing with a WHOLE HOUSE attached.

bmac,

Thanks for the laugh!!!

Eddie

 

[bmac]

OK, as promised, here are the pictures of the final swingset project. Well, not totally finished as I need to put a a border around it and fill it with mulch.

The first is from behind the swing set, looking toward the back of the house (which I'm sure you folks would have figured out on your own).

 

[bmac]

The next 2 are from each end. The specs (again) are : the main swing beam is PT 4x6, 16 feet long. The A-frames are PT 4x5, 12 ft. long. The A-frames are 12 ft apart, leaving a 4 ft cantilever off one end to support the little disc swing thingy. I didn't measure the final heigth of the swing beam, but its dang high.

 

[bmac]

The final picture is taken facing the swingset as if looking from the house. What I like about this view is that is shows how unobtrusive the swingset is. Blends right in with the trees.

I do have plans to modify this design a little. While it is rock-solid in a front-to-back direction (my wife and I swinging at the same time did not cause the legs to lift up at all, even before I set the ground anchors), there is some play side-to-side if you push / pull on the A-frames. Those metal angle brackets just can't handle the 12' legs of the A-frame. So, I'll do some additional bracing someday to help stabilize it. As it is now, it's perfectly functional and safe. I just want less side-to-side sway.

Thanks to all who offered their ideas / assistance with this project.

 

[EddieWalker]

Hi bmac,

I'm glad you brought up the side to side sway. I was thinking about it when I saw your first pictures and was trying to figure out how to bring it up myself.

One of the unfortunate truths about wood is that if it moves when you first build it, it will move even more over time.

I copied your picture and highlighted the chain positions. Because of them and there movement, you are limited to one place that I can see to brace it. The cantelevered section looks to have enough space for a very secure brace that will lock it all together.

You could use lumber and put in at an agle. Something like a pair of 2x6's will probably work, but if it was me, I'd get half a sheet of exterior grade, half inch plywood. Not OSB, or anything else. Cut it in half diagnally and bolt it to the posts and beam. Use both pieces and install them in mirror image of each other. You might be ok with six bolts per piece of plywood, but four would be allot better. For fun, I'd probably use a tube of exterior grade liquid nails.

A solid triangle will lock the entire structure into place permanently.

Eddie

 

[bmac]

Eddie,

Thanks for the engineering advice. I've done some very CRUDE drawings of what I had planned to do. Feel free to critique them.

First, on the cantilever end, I was going to take a 4x4 with ends cut at the same angle as the legs of the A-frame and lag bolt between the legs towad the top of the A-frame. From this I would lag bolt another 4x4 that would run to the underside of the beam.

 

[bmac]

On the opposite end, I was thinking of putting another 4x4 between the legs of the A-frame. However, here, I would run another log 4x4 down toward the ground at an angle. I would make this 3rd leg long enough to bury in concrete.

The 2nd pic is a straight-on view of the same idea.