garden swing help

Ridgerunner

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How much does that thing weigh? I know you got it home but are you going to have to get a crane to lift it? You make it sound awfully heavy. Not sure how pretty you want it to be either. I suspect you want it to look decent and not too redneck.

It's going on uneven ground, that argues for posts. I tend to agree with Bob, 4x4's are not strong enough for the 2 post build but would work fine for the 4 post version. I'd think a 4x6 would work but 6x6 would be stronger. If your ground is that soft you can put guy wires or even diagonal wooden braces to help hold it in place. With guy wires a 4x4 should work. That goes back to the A-frame design.

In soft ground, especially clay, you have two potential problems. Especially in clay that thing might just keep sinking. Clay is bad for that, especially when it is wet but sand works really well to stop it from sinking on down. A lot depends on your soils. You may need to put something under those posts in clay to keep them from sinking. A concrete pad would work. Another option would be to put some big nails or lag screws maybe in the bottom of the posts but sticking out enough for the concrete to grab them. That firmly attaches the bottom of the leg to the concrete and stops it form punching through if that makes sense. You are making a footing. That should take care of the axial force.

I don't know how high you want the tops of those posts, but sinking the posts three feet in the ground is probably a good idea. To stop it from wallering loose due to back and forth, you need good support on the sides at the bottom of that post but also at the top of the ground. Concrete at the bottom of that post and at ground level will do you more good than concrete just halfway up the post. To get technical you are creating a resisting moment and the further apart you can put the supports the stronger it will be. Maybe this will explain it better. If you hold a baseball bat at the top and bottom with your hands and someone tries to twist it you can resist pretty easily. But if you put both of your hands together on one end and they try to twist you can't stop them. So horizontal support at the soil level and the bottom as far apart as you can get them. Don't just bring the concrete partway up.

I don't know how far apart you plan to put your posts. Your connections at the top will be pretty close to the posts not out in the middle. I'd think one 2x6 with the flat side vertical would probably be enough, but two will be a lot stronger.
 

baymule

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Oooooooo Cane! You have given the men a project! We have some very talented and knowledgeable guys here and they will fix you right up! Post a picture of the swing, with dimensions. Post pictures of where you want to put it with a complete description of the topography. In return you will get a complete set of blue prints and easy to read assembly directions! Your swing will have the most sturdy frame to hang from and should last forever!
 

canesisters

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rescued.jpg
The only parts that aren't 2" lumber are the decking boards that he used for the seat & back.
It originally hung from ropes that passed through the holes in the arms and tied to the eye-bolts at the bottom. When I picked it up there were chains on the ground around it.. not sure when the ropes were switched out? Or how the chains were arraigned.
I figure the first thing to do is to see what is completely rotted and replace. My main concern is the frame of the seat since it sat on the ground for a while. The arm pieces will both have to go, they're barely hanging on. Bob used nails and many of them are backing out, so I'll need to pull what I can and replace with screws.
I didn't get measurements (yet), but there was room for my butt, Mom's butt and 2 sleeping cats on the seat. :love

I REALLY appreciate yall's advise and enthusiasm about this. The friend who helped me haul it out of Dad's yard just looked at me with that tolerant "she's off on another pointless 'project' " smile... My sister was thrilled when she heard that I had picked it up.. but not because I was going to try and save it - because Dad had been trying to get her and her hubby to take it and they didn't want "junk" in their new backyard. She want's me to toss it and let them give me a new swing for my b'day. :confused:

It's going to be a BEAUTIFUL weekend here. I've already got a couple of things lined up that have to get done, but hopefully I'll be able to get a start on it this weekend. My goal is to be USING my 'new swing' by the middle of October.
 

Collector

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I like the swing it has character I wold go With the 2 post system. I wold dig the holes at least 20 Diameter X 36" deep place old bricks or drain rock in hole to keep posts from sinking in. I wold not go to tall with the posts 7'-8' max above ground will keep from swinging to far and pulling post loose think wrecking ball the longer the chain the longer the swing the more power at end of swing. 6"x6" will be plenty big enough for that swing notch top of post on each side so the cross boards 2x6s will sit on something solid use nuts bolts and fender washers for all connections they will last longer and not work loose. We have clay soil here and this time of year I can barely drive a Tpost in the ground good luck.
 

canesisters

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Put a good primer coat on it and paint it bright colors. @ninnymary can give you a good color scheme! fuschia will be somewhere in that mix of colors.....
I was thinking cobalt blue.. I have a friend who has lots of big, blue pots in her yard and they're a BEAUTIFUL 'pop' of color ;)
 

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