Seeking tips about a backyard swing

You don't need a hard connection on both ends, or even one of them, really. Lag some blocks to the tree, and rest a floating box frame beam that encircles the trunk on the blocks. Unless trees really sway, it doesn't even have to go all the way around- a frame like a section of ladder would work. As a kid, we did floating supports for multi-limb treehouses like that. Tree could still flex with no problem, and the treehouse never got overstressed. For ease of construction, a couple long 2x6s or 2x8s in parallel, with cross-pieces to make them nice and stiff, maybe slanted in alternating directions so they make box sections but still drain well. Viewed from side, minus top and bottom edges, since I suck at ASCII art: I / \ / \ / \ / \ I . Put the beam together with deck screws, and hang swing from threaded rod run through both sides of beam, or from short 2x6s run flat across the top. As long as trees never sway so much that they spread enough to make the beam fall off the blocks, it should hold up longer than you do.

Legal disclaimer- use at your own risk. If you kill somebody with this design, remember what you paid for it. I am not an engineer or architect, blah blah blah.

Reply to
aemeijers
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Those ain't 59"-61" in diameter. Circumference, maybe.

The floating beam idea in my last post will work fine with those. As close together as the trees are, I'd put the chains for the seat a little further apart at top, than at seat level, to reduce chances of somebody getting their arc cockeyed and hitting the trunk.

Reply to
aemeijers

This is very interesting. I am new at groups. Can you tell me a little bit about this group?

Reply to
slklcc

Yes I realized that I had misspoke, I should have said circumference. I put my tape measure around the trees and the one on the left is 69" and the one on the right is 59".

Yes I was thinking the same thing, if the chains are a little wider apart at the top that would guide the swing through the trees better.

Thanks to everyone, especially you and Sonny, for their input. I have a pretty good idea how to proceed now.

Reply to
Dennis M

They're still called newsgroups, so the term was appropriate. More appropriate than quoting in your sig, as you did.

Reply to
Eggs Zachtly

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