Swing Project - Engineering Advice Needed

[nota]

hemp rope ROTS

Dacron will last many years

[sand_man]

^^^yeah, I had a feeling. I will post up my latest vision, later. A hybrid of sorts.

[A930Rocket]

This is what I did years ago with chains and trees that were much bigger and it had a lot of sag with me on it.

The kids did pretty good though.

[masraum]

Cut down the trees, buy 2 telephone poles, a 10' section of telephone pole with the ends cut in a semi-circle(unless you want to go for some sort of joint which may be more secure), and get four 1" steel cable guy wires with anchors....

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by dad911

OMG, I'm an engineer, and you guys are way over thinking this. Tie a rope to each tree, a tire in the middle, and let the kids have fun. .

You sir, are a fraud. Any real engineer worth his PE badge would indeed over think the project. Protection against Fire, flood, nuclear blast, nuclear fallout, EMP, and hurricane-force winds should all be designed around,

I would hang a 3" iron water pipe between the trees drop some ropes from it, and be done with it, but I'm a retired, no-longer-practicing engineer.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

..

I would hang a 3" iron water pipe between the trees drop some ropes from it, and be done with it, but I'm a retired, no-longer-practicing engineer.

Seems reasonable...how to attach...resting on the small branch nooks if they are somewhat perpendicular to the pipe and lashed to the trunk? What if the branch nooks aren't doable...how best to secure the pipe?

[dad911]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

You sir, are a fraud. Any real engineer worth his PE badge would indeed over think the project. Protection against Fire, flood, nuclear blast, nuclear fallout, EMP, and hurricane-force winds should all be designed around,

I would hang a 3" iron water pipe between the trees drop some ropes from it, and be done with it, but I'm a retired, no-longer-practicing engineer.

LOL I'll accept fraud, been called worse.

We built tree forts by nailing scrap lumber between 3 trees(triangle floor).... no naysayers to say it wouldn't work.... as I recall lasted longer than we needed it.....

Of course today we'd need permits and insurance.

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by KC911

Seems reasonable...how to attach...resting on the small branch nooks if they are somewhat perpendicular to the pipe and lashed to the trunk? What if the branch nooks aren't doable...how best to secure the pipe?

So, my plan is to drill through holes on each end of the pipe. I will rest it in the crook of the perpendicular branch in each tree. Then using cable, threaded through the holes of the pipe, wrap the cable around the trunk of the tree, and secure/tie the cable using Crosby clamps.

[Otter74]

Find an old piece of railroad track and secure to the two trees. Of course that won't give you the safety factor you need so you should then just cut the trees down and replace them with steel poles and bolt the tie to that.

(PS I'm kidding)

[vash]

i am so glad i dont have kids.. or trees.

[sand_man]

Now that I have a plan, the question becomes, do I put myself in harms way and climb a ladder, resting against a tree? Or do I pay someone?

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by sand_man

Now that I have a plan, the question becomes, do I put myself in harms way and climb a ladder, resting against a tree? Or do I pay someone?

Operating a power tool, or wrenching on something close to the project at the top of a ladder can be sketchy at best. It gives you a sense of teetering on the edge of disaster. A lift of some sort is a stable platform to move around while working, and keeps the safety factor within reason. 18' doesn't sound like very high until you are holding on to a steep ladder too close to your project, and don't feel comfortable leaning back......Been there, done that !

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

Operating a power tool, or wrenching on something close to the project at the top of a ladder can be sketchy at best. It gives you a sense of teetering on the edge of disaster. A lift of some sort is a stable platform to move around while working, and keeps the safety factor within reason. 18' doesn't sound like very high until you are holding on to a steep ladder too close to your project, and don't feel comfortable leaning back......Been there, done that !

I know you're right. As a younger man, I always hated being on an extension ladder hanging Christmas lights on my house. Now as an older dude, yeah, I think I gotta break down and higher a "helper" to go up and follow my instructions. I don't need to end up a statistic...

[MBAtarga]

Solution:

[pavulon]

A near or real disaster here puts in you firmly in family lore for a generation! The kids need to witness it though and it must be filmed and posted for it to live in PPOT infamy.

Originally Posted by sand_man

Now that I have a plan, the question becomes, do I put myself in harms way and climb a ladder, resting against a tree? Or do I pay someone?

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by pavulon

A near or real disaster here puts in you firmly in family lore for a generation! The kids need to witness it though and it must be filmed and posted for it to live in PPOT infamy.

Live streaming...A MUST!!!!

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by sand_man

Live streaming...A MUST!!!!

a pay per view opportunity if ever there was one!

[sand_man]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

a pay per view opportunity if ever there was one!

I'll sell the rights to Dorna...

But will likely end up with chitty ESPN ("new" F1 stylze) coverage

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by sand_man

Live streaming...A MUST!!!!

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by dad911

We built tree forts by nailing scrap lumber between 3 trees(triangle floor).... no naysayers to say it wouldn't work.... as I recall lasted longer than we needed it......

Oh man, sounds like our “tree fort.” My parents weren’t engineers obviously, or they would have forbidden my siblings and cousins to go near my creation. No one died, and I learned a lot about design as well as the anatomy of the opposite sex in that structure.