Just built this swing for my wife and I in our back yard! Only changes I made was a slightly larger roof for more shade, a curtain on the back for more shade, and I drilled out holes in the bottoms of the legs so I could drive stakes into the ground. It’s gets windy in Utah! I’m loving your content April!
Hi April, I know you said there is nothing special about the lumber and that it could be purchased at the big box store--but what makes it special is that you share your videos with all of us--really appreciate what you do
April you really sold me this time on the Super Jaws.. Great job here.... However I can't watch this project and not mention a life changing moment about a porch swing. My wife almost lost her foot when the lag screw worked its way loose and the swing dropped on her foot which unfortunately was under the swing at that moment. My suggestion here is to use a threaded i bolt with a nut and washer on top whenever possible with these connections.
And then use a Lock nut. PS is the chain connection really noisy when you swing back-and-forth? Didn't sound too pleasant right at the end there. Must be someway to make it silent.
Yep. That's the untold danger of swings. If it fails, it can grab your leg and that's nothing nice about it. As a kid, we used to have a metal one, very sturdy, it could take 5 of us tikes in and swing really high in the air (as all mad kids would do). One day, the main bearing holder snapped and deposited 4 of us squarely on our asses. My sister, lost her shoe, which was found folded in half under the thing. A reminder that had she had her leg further under the swing, say had it broken on a front swung motion..yeah. They can be dangerous, especially when they are large.
pjdambra my wife's grandfather has done carpentry work his entire life. He hung a swing in a sun porch he had built. For some reason he screwed hooks into the particle board ceiling. They pulled out while two people were sitting on it but fortunately no one was hurt. He then put the hooks into the studs. Another family member and I were on the swing several years later. I noticed the hooks were starting to straighten out. I told him to purchase heavier hardware. He re-bent the hooks and put them back up...I don't sit in his swing anymore.
April, this is a wonderful project. You have a knack for building things along with your creative problem solving. And as I have said on a previous video, watching you and Cody interact when you call for his "man-strength" is priceless!
AW, you're certainly an inspiration. I'm 57 yrs young and not an experience woodworker ( newbie, very excited), but I've learned so much from you. Thank you.
Thanks April. I followed your design and we’ve enjoyed our porch swing all summer long. One minor modification I made was using a threaded eye bolt with a washer and nut through the top header to hang our swing on.
To add to your tip on the eye screws. Dad taught me to use the biggest, longest screw driver that would both fit through the eye and still obviously be able to turn the screw. The more leverage the better!
I want to thank you April for listening to the requests of your subscribers, i know i was one of thoes who requested this video, and i very much appreciate your take on this project. (written even before I have watched the video)
April - another great build! I use that 'multi-saw cuts and chisel clean' technique to create lap joints all the time! My only suggestions for you is to try using your speed square held tight to the edge of the post and the other edge to guide your skill saw thereby creating perfectly square cuts! I also use that technique whenever I am cutting boards to length to get nice square cuts.
Thanks! Yep, I use that trick when needed but the only cuts that need to be square is the outside most cut. All the inside cuts don't have to be since they get knocked out.
April, you are really good at what you do...the woodworking, the video, the voiceover...a true pleasure to watch and listen to. When is someone going to give you your own national TV show? I sure would like to know that I could tune in every weekend and watch a half hour of "The New Texas Workshop" for the next 20+ years.
This was the exact design I was hunting for after looking at much more complex plans. The solid non-pergola roof will keep out the sun, allow it to be used in the rain and not rip off and fly away in a storm like canvas would.
Wow, very nice...you are a natural. You have really good instincts and ingenuity about improvising. .I have already gotten so many ideas just from watching you. Thanks a bunch and keep DIY-ing it for US!!
April your wood working is great.I'm going to build this for my wife. The only problem I have I don't own a computer or printer to print your plans. You do very good work.
Purchased plans back in December. I finally got most of the materials for build except the 8 foot fence pickets. I cant find them anywhere in my area Any suggestions for an alternate material or any lead or where to find 8 foot pickets?
Awesome job April! .... between the flipping and sticking the landing, the twisting in the eye bolts and an excellent finish, I almost feel like I've just watched a gymnastics event! 😁
I love love love a smart productive female! I worked in power plants and oil pipelines for 35 yrs and wish I would have done this instead! Great Job Molly
Great project, it's definitely on my "to build" list. Thanks for sharing. One thing, even though you're spraying outdoors you should still use some type of breathing protection, even a cheap paper mask would help. Respiratory problems are mostly cumulative and you may not notice the effects for years, please be safe.
Fantastic April! Got both sets of plans. Now on to the build it to surprise my beautiful wife! Thanks so much for your hard work and supplying the materials lists. Gotta go to register and win that sprayer! 😂
You truly are an amazing woman. Very talented and great attention to detail. Loving all your builds. All are full of information and I've learned a lot of good tips. Some things I would do a little bit differently but everyone has their own ways... and your beautiful as well. Anyone would be lucky to have you in their lives...keep up the good work. Looking forward to seeing more
Awesome design! Great work as always! Been following you for a while. Been a homesteader for a while, past raising chickens... woodworking is a huge need. I love your attitude and never give up.. it can always be better!
April I watch all your videos and they are fantastic! You are amazing at what you do and you have great attention to detail! looking forward to your next post
Nice build April! You're one of four makers and woodworkers who get the thumbs up before I even watch the video. Always good content and interesting to watch. ;)
You have so much room in your backyard that you should think about building a wooden roller coaster or something similar. :) Great work with the porch.
ive made comment on your videos about your sponsorship involvement in videos before and got shut down pretty quickly, but just want to say that i think you have hit the perfect point with your videos. Great work April. loving your videos :)
Yes I know I'm in La. I was just thinking about the little roof and I remember some expert going on about that carport you built for your parents. Which by the way,, I see many built about the same way you did around here.
I love your swing! Growing up my grandparents had a gliding, two seater, wooden swing. I loved that swing. I may attempt your swing this summer if time allows!
This is an AWESOME swing frame design April! It's so nice to have a different style of swing frame than just an "A" frame design. It looks good and it's stable. What more could we ask for? Keep Up the Great Work April!!!
I have watched this four times in two days. I ordered the plans and will be building this in a few days. Super excited to hang the swing I designed and built two years ago. I wanted it moved to my front porch but it's so heavy I'm afraid the roof won't support it.
This was an awesome tutorial. I'm trying to come up with a plan for a frame for the swing I built a couple years ago. Not sure if my porch roof would hold the swing. So I'm opting for a frame.
Might suggest you drive some stakes into the ground and either bolt it tether it to the ground. Its probably plenty stable enough for swinging but I'm thinking heavy winds might blow it over.
How has this held up for the past 4 yrs? I did not see any glue used, and am curious as to how the screws only approach is working with the exposure to moisture. If you were to build one now, would you change anything about it?
Yup, those Super Jaws, or whatever, look pretty sweet. Going to have to check them out. Now to sell our cabin in Broken Bow and buy some property in the hill country.
Very nice looking swing support! I suggest a second eye-bolt on each side with the each chain hooked to the first eye-bolt, then to the second. You'll appreciate that second eye-bolt if the first one pulls through the wood. Something similar happened to a swing my parents had - quite a bad jolt, so they added the back-ups.
Aloha! April, awesome video! You have such a huge backyard, a lot of space to build your new expanded work shop. I look forward each time you post a video, you make each job look so so easy! Aloha from Hawaii! Ron
Thanks I was going to enter the giveaway but I can't because I live in the UK . apart from a doorstop any advice on the first project to do with the jigsaw.
A tip spy the roof and supports before lifting the structure and let dry. Must of been tuff spying overhead, plus your breathing a lot of the spy as it drifts back down.
I am wondering if you added an additional 6x6 at a bit longer length would those extra beams add support for high winds as well as loopy swinging stabilization?
It's looks great and the way you have put it, it seems to have been built with ease. However it must have been a lot of work. Good job. Just one question, I am not sure how strong the screws to hold the swing would be, given that they are screwed into wood.
Just built this swing for my wife and I in our back yard! Only changes I made was a slightly larger roof for more shade, a curtain on the back for more shade, and I drilled out holes in the bottoms of the legs so I could drive stakes into the ground. It’s gets windy in Utah! I’m loving your content April!
Hi April,
I know you said there is nothing special about the lumber and that it could be purchased at the big box store--but what makes it special is that you share your videos with all of us--really appreciate what you do
April you really sold me this time on the Super Jaws.. Great job here.... However I can't watch this project and not mention a life changing moment about a porch swing. My wife almost lost her foot when the lag screw worked its way loose and the swing dropped on her foot which unfortunately was under the swing at that moment. My suggestion here is to use a threaded i bolt with a nut and washer on top whenever possible with these connections.
pjdambra good idea
And then use a Lock nut.
PS is the chain connection really noisy when you swing back-and-forth? Didn't sound too pleasant right at the end there. Must be someway to make it silent.
Yep. That's the untold danger of swings. If it fails, it can grab your leg and that's nothing nice about it.
As a kid, we used to have a metal one, very sturdy, it could take 5 of us tikes in and swing really high in the air (as all mad kids would do). One day, the main bearing holder snapped and deposited 4 of us squarely on our asses. My sister, lost her shoe, which was found folded in half under the thing. A reminder that had she had her leg further under the swing, say had it broken on a front swung motion..yeah. They can be dangerous, especially when they are large.
Thanks for the quality comment/advice. Planning to build one of these and I like your idea. The safer the better!
pjdambra my wife's grandfather has done carpentry work his entire life. He hung a swing in a sun porch he had built. For some reason he screwed hooks into the particle board ceiling. They pulled out while two people were sitting on it but fortunately no one was hurt. He then put the hooks into the studs. Another family member and I were on the swing several years later. I noticed the hooks were starting to straighten out. I told him to purchase heavier hardware. He re-bent the hooks and put them back up...I don't sit in his swing anymore.
April, this is a wonderful project. You have a knack for building things along with your creative problem solving. And as I have said on a previous video, watching you and Cody interact when you call for his "man-strength" is priceless!
AW, you're certainly an inspiration. I'm 57 yrs young and not an experience woodworker ( newbie, very excited), but I've learned so much from you. Thank you.
You always tell yourself:
What’s the worst can happen?
And it’s done.
Thanks April. I followed your design and we’ve enjoyed our porch swing all summer long. One minor modification I made was using a threaded eye bolt with a washer and nut through the top header to hang our swing on.
To add to your tip on the eye screws. Dad taught me to use the biggest, longest screw driver that would both fit through the eye and still obviously be able to turn the screw. The more leverage the better!
You should get a lot of enjoyment in the mornings and evenings with that view. Very well done.
I want to thank you April for listening to the requests of your subscribers, i know i was one of thoes who requested this video, and i very much appreciate your take on this project. (written even before I have watched the video)
I absolutely love this & can't wait to build it. I don't have a porch but would love a swing.
Very nice April, love the roof :). You truly are a gifted carpenter.
: ) Thanks
April, I didn't catch how you did the center ridge on the roof. Please describe. Thanks
that's what I need for my backyard thanks April for sharing your video and have a wonderful day God bless you and all your family
April - another great build! I use that 'multi-saw cuts and chisel clean' technique to create lap joints all the time! My only suggestions for you is to try using your speed square held tight to the edge of the post and the other edge to guide your skill saw thereby creating perfectly square cuts! I also use that technique whenever I am cutting boards to length to get nice square cuts.
Thanks! Yep, I use that trick when needed but the only cuts that need to be square is the outside most cut. All the inside cuts don't have to be since they get knocked out.
So wish I had a view to put something like this! Great project for some chilled out beer drinking :)
April, you are really good at what you do...the woodworking, the video, the voiceover...a true pleasure to watch and listen to. When is someone going to give you your own national TV show? I sure would like to know that I could tune in every weekend and watch a half hour of "The New Texas Workshop" for the next 20+ years.
:) Ha, I don't know if I could rattle on for a half hour but I do like the sound of The New Texas Workshop. haha.
Respect April. Well done as always. I've wrangled heavy awkward builds solo and see myself pulling the same tricks.
This was the exact design I was hunting for after looking at much more complex plans. The solid non-pergola roof will keep out the sun, allow it to be used in the rain and not rip off and fly away in a storm like canvas would.
Wow, very nice...you are a natural. You have really good instincts and ingenuity about improvising. .I have already gotten so many ideas just from watching you. Thanks a bunch and keep DIY-ing it for US!!
April your wood working is great.I'm going to build this for my wife. The only problem I have I don't own a computer or printer to print your plans. You do very good work.
I really like how that looks. The roof was a nice touch.
Thanks!
I think that place is a great place to hang the swing. It is a very nice view.
The roof is a nice touch! You can swing in the rain!!
Purchased plans back in December. I finally got most of the materials for build except the 8 foot fence pickets. I cant find them anywhere in my area Any suggestions for an alternate material or any lead or where to find 8 foot pickets?
Awesome job April! .... between the flipping and sticking the landing, the twisting in the eye bolts and an excellent finish, I almost feel like I've just watched a gymnastics event! 😁
Thank you for the laughter! That was funny!
Just taking in all the beautiful scenery, oh yeah, Texas is nice too.
I love love love a smart productive female! I worked in power plants and oil pipelines for 35 yrs and wish I would have done this instead!
Great Job
Molly
The out takes almost got very interesting at the end!
Your construction skills are incredible
Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying my channel.
Great project, it's definitely on my "to build" list. Thanks for sharing. One thing, even though you're spraying outdoors you should still use some type of breathing protection, even a cheap paper mask would help. Respiratory problems are mostly cumulative and you may not notice the effects for years, please be safe.
Very nice! Well done, I think I will have to build one of these. My wife would love it!
Happy wife, happy life. ;)
Fantastic April! Got both sets of plans. Now on to the build it to surprise my beautiful wife! Thanks so much for your hard work and supplying the materials lists. Gotta go to register and win that sprayer! 😂
You might think about drilling a 1/2" hole, 4 of them through the bottom legs and driving rebar into the ground for better support.
You truly are an amazing woman. Very talented and great attention to detail. Loving all your builds. All are full of information and I've learned a lot of good tips. Some things I would do a little bit differently but everyone has their own ways... and your beautiful as well. Anyone would be lucky to have you in their lives...keep up the good work. Looking forward to seeing more
Very nice work. Can you just help me with size of the bottom foot horizontal supports. How long are they?
Awesome design! Great work as always! Been following you for a while. Been a homesteader for a while, past raising chickens... woodworking is a huge need. I love your attitude and never give up.. it can always be better!
I m blown away... very well made
I love the add ons at the end bloopers etc
; )
I love porch swings. This one is lovely😃
Girl is there anything you can't do , love it Thank You
Not when I want to. ; )
April I watch all your videos and they are fantastic! You are amazing at what you do and you have great attention to detail! looking forward to your next post
Beautiful workmanship. Good luck.
What a fun project. I love how you cut the decorative edges.
: ) Thank you
You are very welcome! Thank you for responding! Made my day!
I was looking at buying one of these today but having seen your video I think I could do it myself using your plans. Great job and thanks
Nice build April! You're one of four makers and woodworkers who get the thumbs up before I even watch the video. Always good content and interesting to watch. ;)
"Oh, goodness me". You just gotta love a southern gal. Nice build April.
You have so much room in your backyard that you should think about building a wooden roller coaster or something similar. :) Great work with the porch.
A zip line is currently being designed. ;) Stay tuned.
Great. Have fun.
ive made comment on your videos about your sponsorship involvement in videos before and got shut down pretty quickly, but just want to say that i think you have hit the perfect point with your videos. Great work April. loving your videos :)
I'm glad to hear the feedback. I work with companies I truly support.
This looks like it can handle the "snow load" a little better April. Nice looking place there in the woods.
We don't get snow around here. : )
Yes I know I'm in La. I was just thinking about the little roof and I remember some expert going on about that carport you built for your parents. Which by the way,, I see many built about the same way you did around here.
it looks great. and a lot of work. is that stain you put on your pouch is water proof type of stain
Beautiful! This may end up looking very nice next to my fire pit...
I love your swing! Growing up my grandparents had a gliding, two seater, wooden swing. I loved that swing. I may attempt your swing this summer if time allows!
beautiful swing to go with that beautiful view
Thank you.
This is an AWESOME swing frame design April! It's so nice to have a different style of swing frame than just an "A" frame design. It looks good and it's stable. What more could we ask for? Keep Up the Great Work April!!!
I have watched this four times in two days. I ordered the plans and will be building this in a few days. Super excited to hang the swing I designed and built two years ago. I wanted it moved to my front porch but it's so heavy I'm afraid the roof won't support it.
A great build and a great place to put it, over looking the hill side. Now you need to hookup a cooling water spray system up underneath the roof?
This was an awesome tutorial. I'm trying to come up with a plan for a frame for the swing I built a couple years ago. Not sure if my porch roof would hold the swing. So I'm opting for a frame.
Might suggest you drive some stakes into the ground and either bolt it tether it to the ground. Its probably plenty stable enough for swinging but I'm thinking heavy winds might blow it over.
Great Build..Totally impressed at the strength of your small frame.
Yes me too, I was very happy with it once I hung the swing for the first time and tested it out. : ) I love it when things work out good.
I was talking about your physical strength :) .. I am sure that the swing frame is strong also.
Love this frame, just what our garden needs. thank you for sharing.
As always a nice straight forward build with good design. Well done!
How has this held up for the past 4 yrs? I did not see any glue used, and am curious as to how the screws only approach is working with the exposure to moisture. If you were to build one now, would you change anything about it?
Really great idea but you might want to think about stake it down if you get high wind.
Eric Corse I was thinking the same thing! It would be a shame for a strong wind to sent it tumbling down the hill.
Daniel Harney yeah, it dis look like it was moving a bit while she was swinging too.
Yup, those Super Jaws, or whatever, look pretty sweet. Going to have to check them out.
Now to sell our cabin in Broken Bow and buy some property in the hill country.
We love our Super Jaws! You get spoiled REAL quick and wonder how you lived without it!
Not sure if it gets real windy where that is but you may consider anchoring it into the soil so the wind doesn't knock it over.
Very nice looking swing support! I suggest a second eye-bolt on each side with the each chain hooked to the first eye-bolt, then to the second. You'll appreciate that second eye-bolt if the first one pulls through the wood. Something similar happened to a swing my parents had - quite a bad jolt, so they added the back-ups.
The l guy iLol eand lt🎉😂
It looks great and what a nice view you have from it. Nothing but flat here in Houston.
Great job on the swing! I really like the roof as you will definitely need some shade to enjoy that view.
Great job April, Very nice design !!! Thanks a bunch, Cliff
good morning. 🤔
목공 장비가 참 좋습니다.
목공경험이 많아서 그런지 일사천리로 절단하고 못박고 하는 모습을 보니 부럽기도 하구요.
작업하는 모습만 봐도 대단하다는 생각이 들어요.
작업하는 좋은 영상 자주 올려주셔요.😉
즐겁고 행복한 하루 되시길 바랍니다.🎉
Aloha! April, awesome video! You have such a huge backyard, a lot of space to build your new expanded work shop. I look forward each time you post a video, you make each job look so so easy! Aloha from Hawaii! Ron
Looks super stable!
I can't believe you held that frame up with one hand when you were pulling out the superjaws from underneath, you are a very powerful woman.
I have that same miter saw... I LOVE IT!
Great build April, glad to see you put the swing to some new use! Keep the great vids coming!
Very nice, as always. That roof was such a good idea. Great project, April.
As always, great work April! Mighty nice of Fuji to send a unit for a giveaway.
Yep! They are the best.
Grate vid you inspired me to get into woodwork I've recently just bought my first jigsaw
: ) hey very cool, have fun with it. The jigsaw was my first tool too.
Thanks I was going to enter the giveaway but I can't because I live in the UK . apart from a doorstop any advice on the first project to do with the jigsaw.
*great
This is amazing! You are such an inspiration. I love all your work and your videos! Thanks April!
: ) Thank you, that's great to hear!
Thank you so much for posting this. I appreciate all the time you put into these videos and your projects!!!!
Very beautiful made, I like the way you make it look. Thank you for sharing your amazing video. God bless you and your family
I can't wait till you build your shop
A tip spy the roof and supports before lifting the structure and let dry. Must of been tuff spying overhead, plus your breathing a lot of the spy as it drifts back down.
I am wondering if you added an additional 6x6 at a bit longer length would those extra beams add support for high winds as well as loopy swinging stabilization?
Well done as always April. Nice to have a view to look at with your swing. Cool!
Oh yes, I do love just sitting and looking at it. Very relaxing.
very nice. looking at the base, I would have made it a bit wider. how well does it stabilize if two people are sitting, rocking back n forth?
I sure am glad it wasn't a windy day when you tipped it over. lol Thanks for sharing your video I really enjoy them.
Nice....bet the sunset views are great.....
Sunrise for this side of the house, but yes....they are lovely. : )
Thanks! I was really looking forward to this video. Excellent, as usual! Cheers! (also, I really dug the decorative ends you cut on the 4x4s)
awesome project APRIL.👍👍 can't wait to see you building your shop
Very nice build on both projects. Will be great to watch a sunset or sunrise. I don't know which way it is facing. 🙂🙂🙂
East, so sunrise. And yes, it's lovely.
Looks great April
Love it. Well done April.
That swing is so stout! NICE!
: ) Thanks!
That was great! I have 2 porch swings and didn't know what to do! Thank you, you make all of that look so easy!
it's much neater than the A frame! thanks!!!
Thanks! I like it a lot better too.
I built your design and I love it.
April your so talented. I love your video's. I can't wait to see what all you do to the new house. Have a nice evening.
Do you think it's steady enough for a bed frame swing 6x4 to be exact!
I like the design. Great build!
It's looks great and the way you have put it, it seems to have been built with ease. However it must have been a lot of work. Good job.
Just one question, I am not sure how strong the screws to hold the swing would be, given that they are screwed into wood.