Making a moveable roof for a kid's sandbox

[Dave & Tricia Claghorn]

O.k. I'm making a sandbox for my daughter, and I want a roof that will go up and down. Something that I can raise and lower with a pulley system of sorts... I will be using 1x8 cedar for the sides and just a few cedar furring strips to support a marine canvas top, so the whole contraption will be very light-weight. I want to use an iron bar, like some galvanized pipe, between the uprights, and a hand crank on ONE side to raise and lower the "roof".

Does this sound do-able? Has anyone attempted any piece of engineering like this? Would be glad to post more details (that are swimming around my addle mind) if the task sounds realistic. I have seen a photo of a similar set up:

this require two people to raise the top?

Any help is indeed appreciated.

Thanks, Dave in Dallas

[jim]

and how will you feel when the thing comes tumbling down with the child in the sand box??? leave it alone and be safe...

[Dave & Tricia Claghorn]

There is this nifty little invention that just came out last week. It's called a dowel. I know that they're expensive as hell, and it's impossible to make one, even if you have a router table, or a drill and belt sander. You're probably right...

[xrongor]

probably the same way your parents felt when they dropped you on your head for the 10'th time. in case you havent heard, its possible to build stuff that doesnt fall down.

randy

[Charles Lerner]

I couldn't open the link, but I can picture to some degree what it is. I made a removeable cover for a sandbox differently and it works well.

I made a roof-shaped rigid cover with 1x8 sides cut into shallow triangles (7.5 inches high in center tapered to 0 inches high at the ends and the base of the triangles a little longer than the sandbox). I then screwed 1/4" plywood to the the triangles to form a shallow "roof" (the triangles form the ends of roof- picture the siding on a house where the siding meets the roof of the house). I covered the seam between the plywood sheets at the peak of the roof with a cap of wood shaped like a ridge vent on a house roof. I then added 1x2 support strips under the plywood for strength. Finally, I added wheels to one end and a handle to the other so that it could be rolled off the sandbox. It has worked well, I don't have to worry about it falling down and it's proved to be incredibly strong (many kids have sat stood and even jumped on it).

Hope this is useful in some way.

Charles Lerner

[default]

What is the purpose of the roof, and what's wrong with using a beach umbrella? (or making your own..) If you really want to make your own, I'd model it on the pull-up canopies on boats.

[Jim85CJ]

[Dave & Tricia Claghorn]

You made that yourself?!?!

;-)

[Jim85CJ]

[J. Clarke]

The design he shows would keep the neighbors' cats out when it wasn't in use. This alone would be a significant advantage.

Seems simple enough to make--a couple of cut pieces on the ends, a couple of supports, four pieces of pipe (plastic would probably be fine)--three for spreaders. one for the axle, some brightly colored rope, a little bit of waterproof coated fabric, a couple of disks, one with teeth, a pawl to engage the teeth, a handle to crank it with.