ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2021
- Abstract:
A rope swing can be safely attached to two trees using 1/4" wire cable and 3/8" I.D. vinyl tubing. Six stainless steel cable clamps were used to secure wire rope in place. Tubing protects both trees and wire. Rope attaches to a 1.5" I.D. PVC pivot that has been cut to a length two inches longer than the swing's seat. Seat is made from a lightweight, untreated pine board which measures 1.5 x 9.25 x 34.25" with taper-rounded corners. Seat was finished with multiple coats of polyurethane. Fine (filtered) sand was sprinkled on second-to-last coat of poly for traction. Two pairs of stainless U-bolts are recommended for connecting rope to itself, and another pair will be necessary for routing the rope around/under the seat. It is advised to use nylon lock-nuts under the seat.
Install tips:
Trees will flex in the breeze, so don't over-tighten the tension wire. As long as there is still some tension on it, it will remain suspended and it will work just fine. For both your safety and the sake of the trees, it is recommended that you dismantle your swing at the end of the season. Doing so will allow the trees to adapt to the stress with a reduced risk of infection, and for your sake, you will be taking the opportunity to examine both your equipment and the connections annually. Ropes are expensive; no need to leave it out all winter just to soak up moisture and degrade.
Rope:
The rope used here was a 1.5" diameter synthetic. The swing was mounted at around 17' high, with the seat floating 2' from the ground. The seat is 3' wide. To determine total rope length, consider that the three wraps made around the PVC (+ some adjustment slack for attaching U-bolts) will require around 4~5 feet of extra length on each side. In this case, a reasonable rope estimate would have been 2(17 -2) +3 +5 +5 = 43'.
Rope-making:
Again, 1.5” rope is expensive. Consider that people have been twisting ropes together for far longer than they've been able to read, so if you can understand what I'm telling you right now, you should probably be able to figure out how to twist three lengths of (far less expensive) 3/8” rope into a sweet-ass swing bull. Really. I mean it. When I do have to replace mine, I'll spin my own way before I'd pay the unreasonable prices that sellers are charging right now. It's just a twist! I'd tell you how to do it in this description, but seriously, just go watch a video if you don't already understand why ropes stay together.
The design:
As I've mentioned, this video is a snapshot of where I now stand in my swing project, following almost a decade and one-half of thinkering. It's a pretty solid design at this point. Why? Well, it comfortably seats two. It's strong and silent. It doesn't sag. It causes nearly zero damage to the trees it's mounted to. It adjusts for height, levelness, and any seasonal changes in ground, tree, rope, and/or wire. It's weather-resistant. It has a climbable rope. The seat is big, yet lightweight enough to not be terribly dangerous. Even if the seat were to break in half, there's still a rope under your butt. The materials needed to construct it are inexpensive, common, and easy to replace. Mechanical wear on its parts is nearly negligible, but inspecting it for damage is still straightforward and clear. Any occurrence of failure to this design is more likely to be slow than dramatic, so it's something that can be trusted in use for kids. And it has a big rope handle underneath it for launching somebody!
The Swing (unlisted video):
► • The Swing (unlisted) - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
Going to build this? *Read the description first!*
Here's a link to the unlisted video:
►th-cam.com/video/FilSu_gb1KY/w-d-xo.html
Man, I hope whatever your career is makes use of your ingenuity. I've lost count of how many tips I've learned over the years from your videos. They're the best kind of tips, too. The ones that make me smack my forehead and wonder how they've never occurred to me before.
Very nice of you, thanks. Just glad if any of it helps you.
Just listening to you explain things is interesting! 😂
Beautiful solution! Simple yet elegant, and easy to obtain materials. I can tell a lot of thought has gone into it.
Excellent method, thanks for sharing!
Good build ! Smart!
Thank you for your very useful video. I have been wanting a swing since I moved in 10 years a go and now I can have one 😊
really, really cool. when we have our own property, I'll certainly take inspiration from this, when I build sth like this for us.
Thats a really ingenious idea pocket
I wish I had a swing like that 😊
Very useful ty.
Tempted about doing this with simple rope, clamps and the PVC, removing the cable and the plastic tube.
Could you use this same set up for a porch swing?
Nice.
Very helpful
I love your design. I am wondering if my two trees were further apart if this same design would be practical. I am looking for a similar swing where the span between the two trees is 30 or 40 feet! And advice would be welcome.
It's tough to be certain. There are lots of variables. For the most part, I don't see a problem.
[Long, complicated though process removed]
Conclusion: I'd try it. If you end up with a swing that's difficult to pump, try tinkering with the cable height.
That swing holds up well with those fasteners. Have you ever thought of using aluminum?
I would like to see your take on those surf swings?
When I was a kid, my Dad built a more traditional-looking swing for us. It hung from a modest diameter rope that was stretched between two trees. The seat was an old flap of tire rubber. On it I'd stand, with a foot pressing against the rope on each side, holding tightly the ropes at chest-height, and I'd surf.
Since there was a good span between the two trees, there was enough room for that thing to tilt all the way to near horizontal. If you leaned _really_ hard, you could just barely skim one of the trees' bark with the bottom of the 'board.' Countless hours; spent back and forth, in a great sweeping, smooth swooshing, saddle-shaped motion. The memory of the sound of warm air rushing by my ears still stays with me. It was quite a ride, and it's the one way in which the swing I've constructed here in the video just won't ever compare.
So, what's my opinion of the new store-bought version of a surfing swing? Avoid. Don't be foolish. At best it's an unnecessary re-brand of an old idea, and at worst it's a dangerous marketing gimmick; the extra ropes make it far more likely to get caught or to tangle you, and the handles are a forehead bruise just waiting to happen. If you want to surf, make a rubber saddle from an old tire, and construct a simple rope swing just like my Dad's version.
Nice
Really nice can u add the list of items required
Everything you'll need is pointed out in the video. Add your own list.
Lots of great advice. What keeps the cable from slipping down the tree? Do you level it or eye it up?
Why doesn't it slip? Because the cable is under mild tension, and so it cinches, even more so under a load. Bark gives it considerable friction.
How to level it? By feel and eye. A swing that's out of level will favor one side as it rides, and you'll know it. Feels like it's trying to swing around a corner. Don't underestimate your bottom's ability to perceive a leaning seat! And don't underestimate the eye's ability to see level at a distance, either; go take a look: unless there are leaning trees behind it, or if the swing is on a sideways grade, you should be able to tell within an inch what's level.
Professional-grade installation note: if you _do_ have two ladders and two installers, it would be no problem at all to use a length of vinyl tubing as a water-level (line-levels lack accuracy) during the initial cable setup. If you start from perfectly level in the first place, you can avoid the bother of trying to adjust other parts of the swing later.
Thanks ;)
Probably the best video on the internet but I’m also a dad so what do I know
I briefly got obsessed with how to splice ropes and cables how a proper shipwright might do it for really sleek looking rope joinery. So now I'm tempted to tell you to make a proper eye splice in the boat rope, but the way you did it is secure, and who cares? If you were ever interested in splicing the ropes the old-school way, it might be the kind of handiwork you enjoy doing. Of course there are some great tutorials on TH-cam about it.
Quite an art form. It's like where puzzle meets utility. I could get lost in that one. But for a general-purpose swing, that's a tough one to 1) visually inspect, 2) adjust, and 3) install/dismantle seasonally.
Maybe you're a good person to ask this question, though; I've long been looking for a simple way to tie a string around a (spherical) rock: any suggestions on how to do this?
@@pocket83squared Try a monkeys fist knot
Can I put 4 swings up this way i the trees are 15-20 ft apart? how thick wire cable? Could I just run 1/4" wire cable 3 times? WHAT kind Tensile Strength Working Load Limit needed?
Hi, I'm looking to build a swing, loving this design. Wanted to see how it's held up since then? Any problems or is it still good? Thanks so much!
Thanks. Sure, it's still in great shape. Everything works well. Nothing about it has been changed in the few years since this video. The design I presented here was sort of its 'final' version, following years of trial & error.
Please note that I _do_ take the swing down every autumn to maximize its life. Doing so gives the trees a rest from cable wear, and keeps them from becoming embedded. It also keeps the rope and seat out of the weather while they're not being used.
Best of luck!
The only issue with this type of installation is that as weight is applied you girdle part of the tree where the cable works to cut through the bark and into the living portion of the tree. Left long enough, it can cause substantial damage to the trees.
There is no damage because the swing gets taken down every season. Without doing so, all swings will end up damaging their host trees, on a long enough timescale. Not that it matters; if you live in a place where trees are scarce enough that damage is even a concern, you are advised _not_ to install a swing. Where I live, I have to cull them just to keep a yard.
6:57 what happened for the live end of the rope swing being to the outside?
Re-upload due to changes. Recycled footage.
Outstanding video. What is the best height to swing high, but swing easily?
That question is complicated. It will really depend on how you build your swing (and who's swinging in it). What I can tell you is that somewhere around 16~17' from ground to wire strikes a nice balance for _this_ design; when the wire is set higher, it starts to become hard for me to pump, but the swing will also 'swing' farther for the work.
@@pocket83squared I have land in the woods with nice big trees. Been telling my girls I’m gonna build them a swing. Using your exact method, I’m doing it next weekend. Thanks a million.
On the condition that the construct is in fact taken down from its mounted position on the trees, to then be reinstalled some time later, the method described herein is granted full approval.
Signed: Rando Internet Arborist Dude
😉👍
Yes, I actually _do_ take this down every winter. I understand that's probably impractical for most people, but c'est la vie. Keeps the equipment in tippy-top.
@@pocket83squared I see now I should've worded my post such that it was more readily apparent to whom it was directed. And that would be anyone fixing to replicate a swing like this for themselves. I trust that you'll do what you said you'd do - and you don't really need my approval anyway. For anyone else that wants a swing setup like this though, they should be forewarned that it isn't intended to be permanent, as it _will_ compromise the integrity and health of the tree if left up there for years..
@@SineEyed Is there a way to permanently attach a swing without compromising the health of the tree?
@@sopastar I think that's pretty unlikely. If you think about it, it's a lot to ask for: place a permanent weight bearing fixture on something which doesn't naturally bear that kind of weight; on something that will always (albeit slowly) grow larger year after year. If you're familiar with @Pocket83's content, then you're likely confident in the old adage "where there's a will, there's a way." I could narrow that down a bit and say that with the proper application of engineering principles, nearly any problem we're confronted with can be resolved. So I wouldn't say that coming up with something to accomplish what you asked for is impossible. However, another adage comes to mind: "everything comes at a cost." The price for what you're asking, I think would be _complexity._ In order to acheive the desired outcome, in a variable outdoor environment, while fixed on a anchor of dynamic size itself... would likely take an incredibly complicated device. And I don't think it would be worth anyone's time to put that much thought into creating such a device, as no one would be willing to pay many thousands for a friggin tree swing.
There are ways to do it differently than what's shown here - and not as complicated as our imagined device would be - which are semi-permanent. This requires attaching metal hard points to the tree, however. It's somewhat invasive, but if done well the structural integrity and health of the tree won't be compromised to any perceivable degree. This procedure will be somewhat costly (
What size are the u bolts you are using? Also the size for the wire clamps?
Both of those will depend on the diameter of cable/rope you use. In my case, the cable was 1/4" and the bull-rope was 1.5". Size them to fit.
Thank you for sharing your method for hanging a tree swing. It worked out really well. I found the most difficult part was threading the 1/4" metal wire through the 3/8" vinyl tubing. It was really snug because the end of the wire wanted to unravel and poke thru tubing. I would probably use a slightly larger tubing to save myself the frustration. Do you have a trick for making it easier?
Sure. Before you make a cut in a wire rope, it's a pretty good idea to make two or three wraps around it with electrical tape (on each side of the cut). The tape will keep both pieces from unraveling. If you look closely in the video, you'll see that all the bare ends have been wrapped. There's always some detail I forget to mention!
Hope you get lots of fun out of your swing.
Thank you!
If you use a swaging tool made for cutting cable it will cut it clean
Wait, when you are explaining the dead end is on the inside but then when someone is swinging on the swing it's on the outside
This video was re-uploaded due to a few changes. Much of the footage was re-used. Keeping the loose end to the inside of the swing is probably the better way.
I read somewhere that we should not wrap the tree. Even with vinyl wrapped cable, trees use the outside layers to transport water and nutrients. Most of the tree house builders recommend lag or through bolts. Are you noticing any damage to the tree by wrapping it?
It's a tough one. There's no possible way to permanently attach something to a tree without causing _some_ problem. Trees are constantly growing. If you use lags, the tree will grow around them. Boards pressed against bark will eventually get swallowed by the tree's expansion.
In my case, the swing is taken down every year. In the meantime, the vinyl is inert enough so as to not cause an infection, and the stricture it causes is only being applied to one-half of the tree's bark.
If you're asking my opinion on a permanent tree fixtures, I would suggest using stainless eye-bolts that are sanitized on insertion. From these, cables, ropes, chains, and other things can be hung. If I were to make a tree-house, it would hang from these by short chain lengths. Boards nailed/lagged to trees are for dumb rednecks, and through-bolts are too risky, too damaging.
As an Environmental Educator I always tell people that if you are going to put a rope or chain around a tree be sure to remove when you are done. If the item is left in place too long it will become engulfed in the tree thus damaging that 1st internal layer that carries the water and nutrients. The Bark is like old tough skin, there to protect the internal layers. Hope this helped
I don't understand how the cable doesn't slide down the tree trunk from the weight.
Because it's under mild tension. As soon as any weight is applied to the seat, it causes even more tension, which sort of binds it in place from moving. In a nutshell, there's more force _in_ than _down._
Imagine slinging a short rope around a tree and then holding its ends with your two hands; from this position, one can safely lean backwards without the rope sliding down the tree. Same idea.
How did you get the cable tight before you tightened down the second tree's clamps?
Just pull it hand-tight. The idea is to still allow some flexibility. If the cable is drawn too tight, sway could eventually force the clamps to loosen (depending on the size of the trees). The PVC acts as a bearing that will rotate on the cable-whether it's tight or not.
How thick is the glass wire? Can I use a sailing side stay?
Beech tree and Cherry tree?
Yes.
Interesting... on the one tree it just goes around the trunk, no supporting branches at all. I would have have predicted that that would be sufficient.
(I do regularly sit in a hammock which is supported by a strap around a tree, but then the strap usually goes a minimum of twice around the trunk, which provides a lot of surface area for friction. interesting to see that this also works.)
I didn't know you had long hair.
:)
First