Hi there, I've ordered your brackets and I'm excited to build one of these. But I have a question. How tall could the legs be while still being safe? The lumber yard offered up to 16 foot. That height sounds real cool to swing on! If safe. Thank you!
That would be unsafe. I would not recommend using over 12 foot legs, for safety, but also because as you go taller than this it is surprising but true that the swinging experience doesn't get any better--the rider starts to feel like they're going slower and requiring too much effort.
Hi, the weight limit is mostly determined by the strength of your top swing beam. I think 500 pounds is a good general weight limit of an average beam of average length. You can use a 6x6 beam, or a composite beam made of three or four 2x6 boards screwed together, for extra weight limit--the bracket fits any beam that is 5 1/2" tall.
Really glad I saw this video because ended up canceling the order for the cheaper Amazon version that would’ve fallen apart with my 14 foot long 4 x 4 beams.
I was able to find the page on your website, but the link in the description is incorrect for the tall swing. Thanks for this guide! My kids are going to love it.
why not cut 45 or 60 on top of post? seems like it would get more contact and support from the bracket. I'd also suggest Gluing the crossmembers then bolt them. but really like the brackets
You are correct that cutting the top of the leg members at an angle would add some contact and support from the bracket. I just have never bothered doing that because I have not seen any need to. And yes, if you are referring to a beam you make yourself from three 2x6 boards screwed together, adding glue between the boards would add some strength too. I'm so glad you are happy with the brackets. Thanks for your ideas!
Are you referring mostly to the hole through the beam that the carriage bolt goes thru to hold the two sides of the bracket together? You just want to drill halfway from both sides for the holes to meet up easier. A longer drill bit also can help to eyeball if you're holding the drill bit straight.
Because if you drill all the way through from one side it almost for sure will not line up with the bracket hole on one side. It is unlikely that you will drill the hole perfect enough for it to line up with the bracket hole on the other side. Instead, you probably will end up with the hole a little too high or too low for the bracket to line up, and therefore the bracket will not fit over the 4x6 beam and at the same time have the hole lined up with the bracket's hole.
I'm using pressure treated lumber because that is what I could get. I'm worried about it being too wet to seal. It was definitely damp when I got it. How long should I let it sit before sealing and building the set. it is currently in my garage, but I can move it outside on sunny days to help accelerate things.
Yes, pressure treated lumber is about the only lumber you can get in much of the country. When you say "to seal", are you talking about staining it? Many people do not stain pressure treated lumber, but you can for looks. The stain protects untreated lumber, but treated lumber does not need the protection. But yes, you still can stain it for looks. I think you have some good ideas for drying it out a bit, and I just do not know how long to tell you to wait because the pressure treated lumber varies so much, with some being really wet. One more thing to add here is that really wet pt lumber is quite a bit heavier, with makes the set a bit harder to stand up, with all that extra weight in the beam, so that's maybe another reason to let it dry a bit.
Can you describe the wooden swing seats? Can you give directions on making these vintage looking swing seats and how to tie the safest knot to swing brackets and to the seat?
I ordered your bracket and can't wait to get this going later this week. I am going with a 6x6x12 for the top beam, do you know how far I should space the swing on this layout? You provided excellent information of the 10ft layout, just wondering whats the best way to split this by going 12ft. Is it recommended to stick with 3 swings and cushion out spacing or fit in a 4th swing. I think riders would appreciate the extra room. Thanks again for the tutorials and information on getting this built.
Good job, you'll be happy with the 6x6 beam! I vote for spacing out the 3 swings a bit more so the kids can go crazy on the set. You can fit 4 positions on the 12 foot beam but it is a little tight for a tall swing.
Me again. I am so close and just so you know this was the 1st (and likely last) large thing I have ever built. Lol I will post a pic in the comments but when we purchased a 6x6x12 board (Douglas fir) they gave us a 16ft one. I did not realize until later . We'll I placed the bracket at 11 foot. So the last 5 foot hangs over and I added a swing to this (total 4). Now I am worried. Will weight on this tip the swing? Pls see pic.
It won't let me post a pic but hopefully you understand what i described and can advise. I am so happy. I finally finished this. I have never built anything myself like this. Of course hubby helped some. Wish I could post a final pic
Yes, a 16 foot 6x6 beam makes for a very top heavy A-frame structure to stand up after you've got it built. Good job! Yes, a 5 foot overhang with a 6x6 should be just fine, so you should not need to worry.
I bought your brackets and they worked great. I had to use 3 2x6s for the beam. I am currently attaching the legs and this thing is heavy. Would it be possible to attach the legs on one end (creating a tee pee), then walk the 2 legs on the other end up into position? it seems like that would prevent you from having to lift as much weight.
I do not recommend that because you will end up on a ladder holding substantial weight or something equally as risky. You usually want to just get some adult help to walk it up and over.
If you build a 4x6 with two 2x6, how would you fasten the swing hangers? Drilling it the middle will set your holes in the crack between both pieces of wood!?
You would not want to make a beam from two 2x6's, for the main reason that it would not be strong enough. You want to usually use three 2x6's to make your beam. Having said that, in the video for the Scallywag Swing Set I do make a beam of four 2x6's, and drill the swing hanger holes right "in the crack" between the boards. But the large washers will keep the hangers very secure. I do not recommend the beam made of four 2x6's for most builds, as it is usually overkill, and very heavy to stand up.
Great, I ordered your brackets and am looking forward to building this. What is the distance between the legs on the ground after they are assembled and spread open (the bottom of the triangle shape on the sides)?
The measurement between the leg bottoms, front to back, is 13 feet. Thanks for your question! All the details like this can also be found at room2zoom.com.
It's a bit tight for 4 swings on a 12 foot beam, but you can go 20" between centers of swing hangers for each pair of swing hangers that correspond to one swing, and go 11" between centers of swing hangers for the space between swings, and 16" from end of beam to center of first swing hanger.
I would do (3) 2x6x16. Four 2x6 is a little overkill, and quite heavy to stand up. If you are suggesting two 4x6's, that would be way more than you need and very heavy to stand up. Three 2x6 work great for a span up to 13 1/2 feet, including the brackets, with the 30" overhang past the brackets on one end. If I were you I would do a 12 1/2 span with a 3 1/2 overhang. It would work better for the Scallywag than what I did in the video which was the 13 1/2 span and 2 1/2 overhang. And do it with three 2x6x16.
My God this is a Great swing but you could swing a truck from that thing why such heavy duty bolts wouldn't lage bolts do just as good and they would hold up an elephant and they would be a lot easier to put in.
You are referring to the hex bolts that attach the swing hangers to the beam. I feel more secure with hex bolts that go all the way through the beam, with washers and nuts, versus using lag bolts which might work loose one day and allow the rider to fall. Lots of people use a swing until it is old and about to fall over.
If you are somewhat flexible on timing, I usually can get a last minute Fedex rate to be able to ship it to you to England for $153 extra. Thanks for the compliment--it is a fun set!
The ground does not need to be perfectly level. If it is on a grade (sloped) you want the swings to swing in the same direction as the grade. And you usually do not want the grade to be more than about 1 foot drop for every 10 foot run. --Or you can always cut the legs shorter or use longer legs where your grade needs them in order to have your set sit level.
The horizontal cross pieces, that go across each pair of legs, forming the "A" in the A-frame, can be 2x4's. I have just used 4x4's because for whatever reason I like the look of the set with them instead of 2x4's. But no structural reason at all.
Yes, no problem at all. Everything stays exactly the same except you make it with 10 foot long lumber for the legs which will give you a set just a hair over 8 feet tall, which is a very nice height swing set. At 8 feet it is still considered to be somewhat of a tall swing set compared to most others.
Thanks for the vid, I've purchased the brackets (It would be nice if you also offered a hardware set, but since you don't I recommend "Bolt depot" for the hardware, I found it easier to find what I needed there, while at the hardware store or HD I couldn't find the right sizes). My question: I bought two 2x6x10s for the top bar. I'm concerned that if I mount the swing hanger at the midpoint the holes will go right up between the two 2x6s. Would you recommend offseting it so that I'm drilling up through just one 2x6? Or with a hex bolt and washers and maybe some extra screws/glue holding the 2x6s together will it not matter? Thanks!
Thanks for the recommendation! As for the beam you are making out of two 2x6 boards, you really need to add one more 2x6 board to make it out of three 2x6 boards. Two is not enough, it will be much too weak. Making a beam out of 2x6 boards is a great option that you can do with these brackets, but the goal is to end up with something at least as strong as a 4x6 beam or stronger. Two 2x6 boards will give you something too weak.
It depends on a few factors. If you watch this video on Building the Best TALL Wood Swing Set it shows a drawing of the exact positioning of the swing hangers on a 10' beam.
Hello, I am going to purchase your brackets. Thanks for the video. I do have a question: What are the footprint dimensions of the set, with a 10 foot crossmember? Thank you.
Thanks! With the 10 foot long beam the set is 12 feet wide by 13 feet deep (front to back). You might like to see room2zoom.com, which is full of details for this set.
No issues at all! Just throw a spider swing onto it! You might want to make it with a 12 foot beam instead of the 10 footer, so that you have room for the spider swing and the two regular swings. Be aware that when the kids are using the spider swing they will usually drape the two regular swings over the legs of the A-frame and out of the way.
i am curious, i cannot really tell from the finished product but it looks like there may be an inward tilt on the legs as well to help prevent side to side movement. is that the case?
I have a 10' wide side yard that's over 60 feet long. Can I make the top beem 8' and still keep the height? I'm only putting 1 40" saucer swing on it. I just want room for them to fly in circles.
I prefer to not cut the bottoms flush to the ground, and to let that "point" of the bottoms settle into the ground a little bit, as it will. And, no, when you use the brackets shown in the video the set does not need to be set in concrete. The brackets that this swing set is made with have a 60 degree angle between the legs (most other brackets have about 45 degrees between the legs), and are strong enough (almost 1/8" thick steel) to work with this angle between the legs. With this wider stance the legs do not want to lift up when the kids are swinging high. So you can avoid that whole hassle of securing to the ground--digging holes, mixing and placing cement, or trying to work in metal ground anchors that never work. And this means you also are free to move the set around from time to time to give your lawn a rest--by the way, nothing comes close to lawn for the comfort of the kids. Check out room2zoom.com for great tips and how-to's.
Quick question. Wanted to use your brackets using a 6x6 piece of Douglas fir. My question is, and id like your professional opinion if you think it's a terrible idea... What if i got a 16ft piece of 6x6 wood for the top. I used your tutorial and attached the legs at the same spot as the 10ft tutorial, this would effectively leave 3 feet of " overhang" of the top bar on both sides. Id like to then use that overhang to mount one more swing mount on each overhang side. Effectively this would give me 5 swing points. Id probably make sure to put child sized swings (baby bucket swing, etc) on both of the ends just so that 200lb adults arent putting their weight on those ends, but wanted your opinion if that seems like a good idea or would throw off the integrity of the set? Thanks! Hoping to order soon!
A 6x6 beam is plenty strong to overhang by 3 feet, or even 4 feet. In fact you may have missed my video for building the Scallywag Swing Set which does something very similar to your idea. It uses a 16 foot beam made fabricated from four 2x6 boards, which provides very similar strength to your 16 foot 6x6 beam. On the set I do a 13 1/2 foot span, end of one bracket to end of the other bracket, with a 30" overhang on one end. You might like to take a look at the video for ideas. One issue with your idea is a 3 foot overhang should not be enough for a regular swing as it may hit the legs---the bottom of the legs will come out into the space, as they "splay out" to the sides somewhat, using about 1 foot of your 3 feet overhang. But if you were to put toddler bucket swings in that space, with the buckets positioned a little higher up than regular swings, which is typical, that can work. Trapeze bars, or spinning disk swings with climbing rope, can also fit in that space. The Scallywag Swing Set uses such a disk swing on the overhang. You will be working with a very heavy and tall beam so be very careful. You can search for the Scallywag Swing among the videos of my channel, or you can just go to my website room2zoom.com where you'll find links to it.
@@room2zoom236 Thank you! Just ordered the brackets through your website! So, to overcome the "splay out", could i do an 18 foot piece of 6x6 douglas fir do you think? Keep the brackets set at the "10 foot point" that would give 4 feet of over hang on each side. Or do you think that much over hang would throw off the integrity of the set?
I like non-pressure treated for the look, and it is widely available in the West. But in many parts of the country pressure treated is about your only option. Obviously it's great for a bit of extra longevity, and you don't even need to stain it. You'll want to check your bolts every so many years to see that they are good -- treated lumber can be corrosive to metal. You can use galvanized/hot-dipped bolts if you like, that are more resistant to this effect.
Thanks for this and for staying up to date on all the comments. Bought this from you at the beginning of the summer and the kids have been having a blast. Did a 6x6x16 for the top beam and left 3 foot overhand on both sides. One slight concern I want to check if it should even be a concern, the set has some lateral movement when some of the heavier swingers start going. Should I be concerned and/or anything to adjust to get rid of that lateral movement?
Thanks! Some side to side sway is typical of all brackets, and in fact, even of swing sets not made with brackets. I have made A-frame structures with monstrous diagonal bracing which seemed to be the most solid union ever, but there was still some side to side sway. As you say, when the kids are swinging normal, as high as they want but in a front to back direction, it is rock solid and there is no side to side sway. But when they swing in any lateral direction there can be side to side sway. And, the bigger and taller the top beam the more sway you can get. One issue is that lumber is a very imperfect material, coming in varying widths, and that continues to vary as it dries and shrinks significantly. So the fit of your particular lumber into the bracket can be a factor. If your lumber is on the narrower side, fitting a bit too loose inside the bracket, this can give rise to some side to side sway. One thing you can do that usually helps significantly, especially if you assembled the A-frame with the strong Headlok fasteners that I suggest in my videos, is you get on a ladder and you remove the four fasteners holding one leg to the bracket. You then reinsert just the two screws of one side to pull the leg all the way tight and flush against one side of the bracket's leg holder part, and then insert the other two screws on the other side which will not be able to pull the leg lumber from still being tight and flush to the first side. If you like you can even insert some sort of shim between the leg and bracket opening before inserting these last two screws--for instance the plastic of a gallon milk container, folded up. You then repeat this for each of the other legs. But be really careful working at this height! Hope this helps you!
Yes, it is very strong, and is made for adults too. 200 pounds would be no problem. The vinyl swing seat I mention in the video is one of the nicer ones, and is rated to over 600 pounds. The rope or chain is rated at least that high. The swing hangers are rated to 2400 pounds. And the A-frame structure and A-frame brackets are very strong.
That is more of a guideline than a hard engineered rule. In the swing set industry we generally accept that you should not span more than 12 feet with a 4x6 beam, because of the strength of the beam. But on this tall set I only spanned 10 feet with my 4x6 because a taller swing in action puts more force on the beam. So with the added strength of 6x6 lumber, a 6x6 beam can usually handle a 12 foot span. More than that would be for you to decide if in your application the longer 6x6 beam would hold up.
I'm curious: what is the reason for having the two separate washers of different sizes (3/8 and 1/2 inch)? Why not just one? Why not two of the same size?
Thanks for the question! It is true you can get by with just one 3/8" washer for the bolt holding the two bracket sides together, and against the swing hangers. But where the bolt heads for holding the swing hangers are against the top of the beam I like to use a 1/2" washer also to distribute the load better over the somewhat soft lumber. And with a 1/2" washer I use a 3/8" also because the hole of the 1/2" washer is close to the same size as the lock nut.
Hi. We are planning on building the swing set. However, instead of just the swing set, we would like to build very simple fort (for lack of a better term) that would be attached to the swing set. Do you have any plans on creating a video outlining how to do that? Thanks.
This bracket will work with a 6x6 beam, because a bigger beam than the typical 4x6 can add a lot of strength and possibilities to a swing set. But this bracket does not work with 6x6 legs because 4x4 is plenty strong for legs.
@@room2zoom236 not sure if strong enough for my 200lbs Autistic son? the Top part even with 4 x 2x 6 , it will bend front to back big swing and 4x4 legs I would prob have to anchor rather have option for 6x6 but willing to try 4x4
There are many ways to put on a canopy, but I still haven't come up with something really awesome to suggest. Would be interested in what you end up doing if you think it works out good and would like to share with us.
So I double checked that I drilled 3/8 inch pilot holes and then am using a 3/8 inch lag screw to attach the cross beams. And it’s not tightening. I also checked that I’m measuring 70 inches from the bottom on the first side of the cross beam.
The crossbeam you can just cut off with a saw. For the lag screws you drill 3/8" all the way through the horizontal cross piece (crossbeam), and where it will go into the leg you drill with a 5/16" bit, but not all the way through (about 3" into the leg).
Love this! I just bought your brackets. Can you run the top beam past the legs a few feet on either side and add swings to the ends? In other words, could I put up a 16' beam, have 10' in the middle with 3 swings, and 3 feet hanging off of each side for another 2 swings?
I just finished my build over the weekend and went somewhat similar to what you are thinking. I opted for a 6x6x14 beam for the top. I spaced the brackets out 11ft to give a little extra cushion between swings in the middle section. Leaving 3ft to hang over on one side. I found this granted a great deal of flexibility to the setup. I installed two brackets on the overhang beam, spacing them 20" apart. Then I hung a rope swing on the outermost bracket, but if we every want to swap it out to an additional swing, it is ready. As for the spacing on the inside swings, I went with the recommended starting spacing of 16" from the first bracket to the first swing. Then I spaced the actual swing spacing at 20", again as recommended. Then I went 20" instead of the recommended 16" to space the second swing. Installed the second swing and again used 20' to space the second and third swing. After installing the third swing, it left 16" from third swing bracket to the ending swing bracket. I really liked this method because it I ever want to install a two person porch type swing and have and additional swing next to it, it has the ability. And if I want to just install a two person swing right in the middle without swings on the side, the spacing is there. . I can't thank Room2Zoom enough for the exceptional videos and the top notch brackets. It really did make all the different. The only issue I had was having to use 8" Hex Bolts, this is indeed all the local hardware store had. The threads on the 8" Hex Bolts were a tad too long to secure a lock nut on, so I had to add 5 additional washers to each bolt to eat up the space. With opting for a 6x6x14' beam, it was quite hefty to standup, I had my brother in-law and wife's friends help walk it over and it took 6 of us. So keep that in mind if you are going with a larger beam. After giving it a solid max swing of two adults at 250lbs each, that swing didn't budge an inch. The whole family is enjoying it and this type of swing is really the only way to do it. Go big or go home! imgur.com/gallery/x1r6gYn
Wow, thanks so much for the tribute and for sharing the details behind your great setup. Just to clarify for readers of your comment, in the second to last sentence of the first paragraph you mention installing two "brackets" on the overhang beam, which confused me at first, but I then realized you are referring to two "swing hangers". Thanks again for sharing your well-designed setup with us. I am sure others will follow and greatly benefit from your suggestions.
Yes!, that works great. The brackets and legs will hold a lot of weight, but the beam deflection in the middle when you have too long a span is always the limiting factor, but doing what you propose doing is a way to get around this and get more positions out of your beam.
@@WizdumtheSilentGameCat nice mod! where did you find a 6x6x14? I would like to add the extra 3' for a rope and space out the swings more. Would 3 2x6's be strong enough for the beam at 14'?
Okay. I want a longer swing that holds 4-6swings. I have 5 kids who will fight over swings. Little to teen. Can we use a 6x6 very long top beam. 20 or 24 feet with additional legs in the middle?
Yes, if you support the beam in the middle with additional legs you can do a longer span. With a 4x6 you do not want to span more than 10 to 12 feet for each segment. With a 6x6 you can span 13 feet, maybe 14. You can also make a beam out of three 20 foot 2x6's, and span 12 feet or 13 feet each segment. Mind you I have no idea how you'll stand such a beast up! You might want to build a deck into the set like I do with the basic structure of the SCALLYWAG SET (See video). You could do something like that, but with a 20 foot long beam, spanning 13 feet with the brackets and overhanging 42" on each end past the brackets. You'd have two swing positions inside, and one swing accessory position on each end, for a total of four positions, with a deck, slide, etc. Again, standing up a 20 foot beam would be hard and you'd have to be very careful.
For making your own top beam..... The plans im following call for a 4x6x12 I bought two, 2x6x12 instead. But i was worried about drilling the swing anchors. Wont it just drill into the gap between the wood?
"Drilling into the gap"--the crack between the boards--is not a problem as the big washers at the top of the beam will hold the swing hangers solidly in place. But you should use three 2x6 boards instead of two. A beam made with just two 2x6 boards will not be nearly as strong as a 4x6 solid beam.
No, you can do a 14 foot 6x6 beam or a 14 foot beam made of four 2x6 boards screwed together with deck screws. With either of these you can do 4 positions. The beam really only needs to be about 13 feet long for the 4 positions. You can squeeze four positions into a 12 foot beam but it's a little tight. These brackets work with any beam that is 5 1/2" tall--it can be any width at all.
@@room2zoom236 Have you guys ever made brackets that fit 6x6 legs? For my application of 4 swings, I would laminate four 2x6 boards for the cross beam but beefier legs would be good. Especially if I make the swing set even taller. :D
I am looking to build this swing set as well but I am weary of weight and want to use (Southern pine pressure treated) 12" 6 x 6 beam with 12" 4 x 6 legs and 2 x 6 top and mid cross member supports on each side and use concrete or screw anchors to keep it down. Structurally, it sounds solid but I am not a structural engineer and seeking further advice.
Sounds great. You don't have to use 4x6 legs--4x4 legs are plenty strong. You also do not need to anchor the set in any way--it's not going to be going anywhere, or lifting up, given the wide angle of these brackets, combined with the weight. With other brackets you for sure need to anchor it, but not with these--that's the beauty of these brackets.
Excellent video, very well done. I want to make this with only one swing for my 13 year old kiddo and he goes high and hard…will this really not move and tip like my lifetime 10 foot high metal a-frame set? We had to weigh it down with backpacks filled with pavers hanging from cross bars. I love the idea of being able to move yours. How long should top beam be for only one swing? Thanks!
Thank you! If one person swings really hard on it, or if two or three swingers end up swinging in unison you might feel it budge a little bit, but basically it does not move much. I would not go less than 8 feet for the beam just because it would end up looking a little weird as a swing set, and I would actually vote for a 10 foot beam as long as you're making the set, as it would give you options in the future or someone else the options if you end up giving it to someone someday. But, yes, one of the beauties of building a set with these brackets is that you can later move it around--and not have to go to all the work of cementing it into the ground.
Hi there,
I've ordered your brackets and I'm excited to build one of these. But I have a question.
How tall could the legs be while still being safe? The lumber yard offered up to 16 foot. That height sounds real cool to swing on! If safe.
Thank you!
That would be unsafe. I would not recommend using over 12 foot legs, for safety, but also because as you go taller than this it is surprising but true that the swinging experience doesn't get any better--the rider starts to feel like they're going slower and requiring too much effort.
What is the weight limit? I’m an adult and I love to swing. (I have autism).
Hi, the weight limit is mostly determined by the strength of your top swing beam. I think 500 pounds is a good general weight limit of an average beam of average length. You can use a 6x6 beam, or a composite beam made of three or four 2x6 boards screwed together, for extra weight limit--the bracket fits any beam that is 5 1/2" tall.
Really glad I saw this video because ended up canceling the order for the cheaper Amazon version that would’ve fallen apart with my 14 foot long 4 x 4 beams.
I was able to find the page on your website, but the link in the description is incorrect for the tall swing. Thanks for this guide! My kids are going to love it.
I got that fixed! Thanks so much for pointing that out to me. Yes, it's a fun swing!
why not cut 45 or 60 on top of post?
seems like it would get more contact and support from the bracket.
I'd also suggest Gluing the crossmembers then bolt them.
but really like the brackets
You are correct that cutting the top of the leg members at an angle would add some contact and support from the bracket. I just have never bothered doing that because I have not seen any need to. And yes, if you are referring to a beam you make yourself from three 2x6 boards screwed together, adding glue between the boards would add some strength too. I'm so glad you are happy with the brackets. Thanks for your ideas!
I'm just impressed at how straight you're able to drill to be able to line up the two holes. I struggle to drill straight down that straight.
Are you referring mostly to the hole through the beam that the carriage bolt goes thru to hold the two sides of the bracket together? You just want to drill halfway from both sides for the holes to meet up easier. A longer drill bit also can help to eyeball if you're holding the drill bit straight.
Me too!
Thank you!
What is the reason for drilling the bracket bolts only half way thru?
Because if you drill all the way through from one side it almost for sure will not line up with the bracket hole on one side. It is unlikely that you will drill the hole perfect enough for it to line up with the bracket hole on the other side. Instead, you probably will end up with the hole a little too high or too low for the bracket to line up, and therefore the bracket will not fit over the 4x6 beam and at the same time have the hole lined up with the bracket's hole.
I'm using pressure treated lumber because that is what I could get. I'm worried about it being too wet to seal. It was definitely damp when I got it. How long should I let it sit before sealing and building the set. it is currently in my garage, but I can move it outside on sunny days to help accelerate things.
Yes, pressure treated lumber is about the only lumber you can get in much of the country. When you say "to seal", are you talking about staining it? Many people do not stain pressure treated lumber, but you can for looks. The stain protects untreated lumber, but treated lumber does not need the protection. But yes, you still can stain it for looks. I think you have some good ideas for drying it out a bit, and I just do not know how long to tell you to wait because the pressure treated lumber varies so much, with some being really wet. One more thing to add here is that really wet pt lumber is quite a bit heavier, with makes the set a bit harder to stand up, with all that extra weight in the beam, so that's maybe another reason to let it dry a bit.
Can you describe the wooden swing seats? Can you give directions on making these vintage looking swing seats and how to tie the safest knot to swing brackets and to the seat?
Are 4x4's strong enough for Adults that weigh 300lbs?
Yes, 4x4 legs are. Make sure to use a horizontal cross piece across the legs to form the typical "A" frame.
How long do the chains need to be for the swings on a swing set this tall? Thanks
8 foot is a good length, assuming you are going to use them with a vinyl belt swing seat.
I ordered your bracket and can't wait to get this going later this week. I am going with a 6x6x12 for the top beam, do you know how far I should space the swing on this layout? You provided excellent information of the 10ft layout, just wondering whats the best way to split this by going 12ft. Is it recommended to stick with 3 swings and cushion out spacing or fit in a 4th swing. I think riders would appreciate the extra room. Thanks again for the tutorials and information on getting this built.
Good job, you'll be happy with the 6x6 beam! I vote for spacing out the 3 swings a bit more so the kids can go crazy on the set. You can fit 4 positions on the 12 foot beam but it is a little tight for a tall swing.
Me again. I am so close and just so you know this was the 1st (and likely last) large thing I have ever built. Lol
I will post a pic in the comments but when we purchased a 6x6x12 board (Douglas fir) they gave us a 16ft one. I did not realize until later . We'll I placed the bracket at 11 foot. So the last 5 foot hangs over and I added a swing to this (total 4). Now I am worried. Will weight on this tip the swing? Pls see pic.
Well it won't let me add a pic unfortunately.
It won't let me post a pic but hopefully you understand what i described and can advise. I am so happy. I finally finished this. I have never built anything myself like this. Of course hubby helped some. Wish I could post a final pic
Yes, a 16 foot 6x6 beam makes for a very top heavy A-frame structure to stand up after you've got it built. Good job! Yes, a 5 foot overhang with a 6x6 should be just fine, so you should not need to worry.
I bought your brackets and they worked great. I had to use 3 2x6s for the beam. I am currently attaching the legs and this thing is heavy. Would it be possible to attach the legs on one end (creating a tee pee), then walk the 2 legs on the other end up into position? it seems like that would prevent you from having to lift as much weight.
I do not recommend that because you will end up on a ladder holding substantial weight or something equally as risky. You usually want to just get some adult help to walk it up and over.
If you build a 4x6 with two 2x6, how would you fasten the swing hangers? Drilling it the middle will set your holes in the crack between both pieces of wood!?
You would not want to make a beam from two 2x6's, for the main reason that it would not be strong enough. You want to usually use three 2x6's to make your beam. Having said that, in the video for the Scallywag Swing Set I do make a beam of four 2x6's, and drill the swing hanger holes right "in the crack" between the boards. But the large washers will keep the hangers very secure. I do not recommend the beam made of four 2x6's for most builds, as it is usually overkill, and very heavy to stand up.
Great, I ordered your brackets and am looking forward to building this. What is the distance between the legs on the ground after they are assembled and spread open (the bottom of the triangle shape on the sides)?
The measurement between the leg bottoms, front to back, is 13 feet. Thanks for your question! All the details like this can also be found at room2zoom.com.
If you use a 12ft top beam 6x6 can u place 4 swings?
What are the spacing recommendations for a 12foot long beam
It's a bit tight for 4 swings on a 12 foot beam, but you can go 20" between centers of swing hangers for each pair of swing hangers that correspond to one swing, and go 11" between centers of swing hangers for the space between swings, and 16" from end of beam to center of first swing hanger.
Nice job. Went to your website and could not find anywhere with the brackets could be bought. Maybe you could help me out please.
Just click on the PURCHASE BRACKETS Link. Or the SHOP NOW button.
This is really cool thank you so much
Thank you! It's a fun, long-lasting set.
What would make more sense, (4) 2x6x16 or (2) 4x6x16? I plan to have a setup like the scallywag swing.
I would do (3) 2x6x16. Four 2x6 is a little overkill, and quite heavy to stand up. If you are suggesting two 4x6's, that would be way more than you need and very heavy to stand up. Three 2x6 work great for a span up to 13 1/2 feet, including the brackets, with the 30" overhang past the brackets on one end. If I were you I would do a 12 1/2 span with a 3 1/2 overhang. It would work better for the Scallywag than what I did in the video which was the 13 1/2 span and 2 1/2 overhang. And do it with three 2x6x16.
My God this is a Great swing but you could swing a truck from that thing why such heavy duty bolts wouldn't lage bolts do just as good and they would hold up an elephant and they would be a lot easier to put in.
You are referring to the hex bolts that attach the swing hangers to the beam. I feel more secure with hex bolts that go all the way through the beam, with washers and nuts, versus using lag bolts which might work loose one day and allow the rider to fall. Lots of people use a swing until it is old and about to fall over.
Could I use a 4x6 at 12 ft or do I need to upgrade to a 6x6? I’m going to use 10ft for the legs so it won’t be as tall
Yes, you usually can go 12 feet with a 4x6. Depending on the lumber you might get a little sag over time in the middle.
Shame the brackets can’t be shipped to England. Would love to
Build this for my kids
If you are somewhat flexible on timing, I usually can get a last minute Fedex rate to be able to ship it to you to England for $153 extra. Thanks for the compliment--it is a fun set!
How perfectly level does the ground need to be, and how do you check that before deciding where to put it?
The ground does not need to be perfectly level. If it is on a grade (sloped) you want the swings to swing in the same direction as the grade. And you usually do not want the grade to be more than about 1 foot drop for every 10 foot run. --Or you can always cut the legs shorter or use longer legs where your grade needs them in order to have your set sit level.
Are you sure the two cross beams are supposed to be 4x4 too?
The horizontal cross pieces, that go across each pair of legs, forming the "A" in the A-frame, can be 2x4's. I have just used 4x4's because for whatever reason I like the look of the set with them instead of 2x4's. But no structural reason at all.
Can I go with 10 footer for the legs so it’s not as tall?
Yes, no problem at all. Everything stays exactly the same except you make it with 10 foot long lumber for the legs which will give you a set just a hair over 8 feet tall, which is a very nice height swing set. At 8 feet it is still considered to be somewhat of a tall swing set compared to most others.
Thanks for the vid, I've purchased the brackets (It would be nice if you also offered a hardware set, but since you don't I recommend "Bolt depot" for the hardware, I found it easier to find what I needed there, while at the hardware store or HD I couldn't find the right sizes). My question: I bought two 2x6x10s for the top bar. I'm concerned that if I mount the swing hanger at the midpoint the holes will go right up between the two 2x6s. Would you recommend offseting it so that I'm drilling up through just one 2x6? Or with a hex bolt and washers and maybe some extra screws/glue holding the 2x6s together will it not matter? Thanks!
Thanks for the recommendation! As for the beam you are making out of two 2x6 boards, you really need to add one more 2x6 board to make it out of three 2x6 boards. Two is not enough, it will be much too weak. Making a beam out of 2x6 boards is a great option that you can do with these brackets, but the goal is to end up with something at least as strong as a 4x6 beam or stronger. Two 2x6 boards will give you something too weak.
Hi, can you please share the safe distance between the swings and the distance between the swing and the side pole. thank you
It depends on a few factors. If you watch this video on Building the Best TALL Wood Swing Set it shows a drawing of the exact positioning of the swing hangers on a 10' beam.
I just did 4x6x12
Is that too long?
For a tall swing I like not going over 10 feet for a 4x6 beam.
Hello, I am going to purchase your brackets. Thanks for the video. I do have a question: What are the footprint dimensions of the set, with a 10 foot crossmember? Thank you.
Thanks! With the 10 foot long beam the set is 12 feet wide by 13 feet deep (front to back). You might like to see room2zoom.com, which is full of details for this set.
How difficult would it be to make a spider swing version of this?
No issues at all! Just throw a spider swing onto it! You might want to make it with a 12 foot beam instead of the 10 footer, so that you have room for the spider swing and the two regular swings. Be aware that when the kids are using the spider swing they will usually drape the two regular swings over the legs of the A-frame and out of the way.
@@room2zoom236 Would a 4x6 still work for a 12' beam?
Yes, a 4x6 is very typically used for a 12 foot beam. Depending on the lumber sometimes over time it may sag a little bit in the middle.
i am curious, i cannot really tell from the finished product but it looks like there may be an inward tilt on the legs as well to help prevent side to side movement. is that the case?
Yes, the legs "splay" out at about 7 degrees, which translates into them kicking out to the sides about one foot horizontally, from top to bottom.
I have a 10' wide side yard that's over 60 feet long. Can I make the top beem 8' and still keep the height?
I'm only putting 1 40" saucer swing on it. I just want room for them to fly in circles.
Yes, no problem at all. Many people do that who just don't have the space. There are no issues at all with doing that.
Do you have brackets that will fit 6x6 legs? I'm sure it's a bit overkill, but I prefer the look of it.
No, I'm sorry I do not. You're right, it is overkill but also good looking.
Is it necessary to but the bottom of the legs at an angle to match the ground? Do they need to be set in concrete?
I prefer to not cut the bottoms flush to the ground, and to let that "point" of the bottoms settle into the ground a little bit, as it will. And, no, when you use the brackets shown in the video the set does not need to be set in concrete. The brackets that this swing set is made with have a 60 degree angle between the legs (most other brackets have about 45 degrees between the legs), and are strong enough (almost 1/8" thick steel) to work with this angle between the legs. With this wider stance the legs do not want to lift up when the kids are swinging high. So you can avoid that whole hassle of securing to the ground--digging holes, mixing and placing cement, or trying to work in metal ground anchors that never work. And this means you also are free to move the set around from time to time to give your lawn a rest--by the way, nothing comes close to lawn for the comfort of the kids. Check out room2zoom.com for great tips and how-to's.
Quick question. Wanted to use your brackets using a 6x6 piece of Douglas fir. My question is, and id like your professional opinion if you think it's a terrible idea...
What if i got a 16ft piece of 6x6 wood for the top. I used your tutorial and attached the legs at the same spot as the 10ft tutorial, this would effectively leave 3 feet of " overhang" of the top bar on both sides.
Id like to then use that overhang to mount one more swing mount on each overhang side. Effectively this would give me 5 swing points. Id probably make sure to put child sized swings (baby bucket swing, etc) on both of the ends just so that 200lb adults arent putting their weight on those ends, but wanted your opinion if that seems like a good idea or would throw off the integrity of the set?
Thanks! Hoping to order soon!
A 6x6 beam is plenty strong to overhang by 3 feet, or even 4 feet. In fact you may have missed my video for building the Scallywag Swing Set which does something very similar to your idea. It uses a 16 foot beam made fabricated from four 2x6 boards, which provides very similar strength to your 16 foot 6x6 beam. On the set I do a 13 1/2 foot span, end of one bracket to end of the other bracket, with a 30" overhang on one end. You might like to take a look at the video for ideas. One issue with your idea is a 3 foot overhang should not be enough for a regular swing as it may hit the legs---the bottom of the legs will come out into the space, as they "splay out" to the sides somewhat, using about 1 foot of your 3 feet overhang. But if you were to put toddler bucket swings in that space, with the buckets positioned a little higher up than regular swings, which is typical, that can work. Trapeze bars, or spinning disk swings with climbing rope, can also fit in that space. The Scallywag Swing Set uses such a disk swing on the overhang. You will be working with a very heavy and tall beam so be very careful. You can search for the Scallywag Swing among the videos of my channel, or you can just go to my website room2zoom.com where you'll find links to it.
@@room2zoom236 Thank you! Just ordered the brackets through your website!
So, to overcome the "splay out", could i do an 18 foot piece of 6x6 douglas fir do you think? Keep the brackets set at the "10 foot point" that would give 4 feet of over hang on each side. Or do you think that much over hang would throw off the integrity of the set?
No, you will not throw off the integrity of the set, but you will have a quite heavy beam to work with.
The lumber prices are insane. I don't want to use pressure treated... but $177 just for the 4x6x12 top beam is stupid
Isn't it crazy!
Do you recommend non-pressure treated wood or pressure-treated and why?
I like non-pressure treated for the look, and it is widely available in the West. But in many parts of the country pressure treated is about your only option. Obviously it's great for a bit of extra longevity, and you don't even need to stain it. You'll want to check your bolts every so many years to see that they are good -- treated lumber can be corrosive to metal. You can use galvanized/hot-dipped bolts if you like, that are more resistant to this effect.
Thanks for this and for staying up to date on all the comments. Bought this from you at the beginning of the summer and the kids have been having a blast. Did a 6x6x16 for the top beam and left 3 foot overhand on both sides.
One slight concern I want to check if it should even be a concern, the set has some lateral movement when some of the heavier swingers start going. Should I be concerned and/or anything to adjust to get rid of that lateral movement?
Thanks! Some side to side sway is typical of all brackets, and in fact, even of swing sets not made with brackets. I have made A-frame structures with monstrous diagonal bracing which seemed to be the most solid union ever, but there was still some side to side sway. As you say, when the kids are swinging normal, as high as they want but in a front to back direction, it is rock solid and there is no side to side sway. But when they swing in any lateral direction there can be side to side sway. And, the bigger and taller the top beam the more sway you can get. One issue is that lumber is a very imperfect material, coming in varying widths, and that continues to vary as it dries and shrinks significantly. So the fit of your particular lumber into the bracket can be a factor. If your lumber is on the narrower side, fitting a bit too loose inside the bracket, this can give rise to some side to side sway. One thing you can do that usually helps significantly, especially if you assembled the A-frame with the strong Headlok fasteners that I suggest in my videos, is you get on a ladder and you remove the four fasteners holding one leg to the bracket. You then reinsert just the two screws of one side to pull the leg all the way tight and flush against one side of the bracket's leg holder part, and then insert the other two screws on the other side which will not be able to pull the leg lumber from still being tight and flush to the first side. If you like you can even insert some sort of shim between the leg and bracket opening before inserting these last two screws--for instance the plastic of a gallon milk container, folded up. You then repeat this for each of the other legs. But be really careful working at this height! Hope this helps you!
@@room2zoom236 Excellent! Thanks for the insight and recomendation
My daughter is 15 and 120lbs. Is this sturdy enough for adults as well?
Yes, it is very strong, and is made for adults too. 200 pounds would be no problem. The vinyl swing seat I mention in the video is one of the nicer ones, and is rated to over 600 pounds. The rope or chain is rated at least that high. The swing hangers are rated to 2400 pounds. And the A-frame structure and A-frame brackets are very strong.
Why not longer than 12’ for a 6x6? The strength of the 6x6 or the strength of the 4x4s holding the weight of the 6x6?
That is more of a guideline than a hard engineered rule. In the swing set industry we generally accept that you should not span more than 12 feet with a 4x6 beam, because of the strength of the beam. But on this tall set I only spanned 10 feet with my 4x6 because a taller swing in action puts more force on the beam. So with the added strength of 6x6 lumber, a 6x6 beam can usually handle a 12 foot span. More than that would be for you to decide if in your application the longer 6x6 beam would hold up.
I'm curious: what is the reason for having the two separate washers of different sizes (3/8 and 1/2 inch)? Why not just one? Why not two of the same size?
Thanks for the question! It is true you can get by with just one 3/8" washer for the bolt holding the two bracket sides together, and against the swing hangers. But where the bolt heads for holding the swing hangers are against the top of the beam I like to use a 1/2" washer also to distribute the load better over the somewhat soft lumber. And with a 1/2" washer I use a 3/8" also because the hole of the 1/2" washer is close to the same size as the lock nut.
@@room2zoom236 Thank you - I'm always learning!
Hi. We are planning on building the swing set. However, instead of just the swing set, we would like to build very simple fort (for lack of a better term) that would be attached to the swing set. Do you have any plans on creating a video outlining how to do that? Thanks.
I'm finishing up a video now on how to do just that! I will be publishing it in the next 3 to 4 weeks.
@room2zoom236 where is this video. This is what I'd like to do. Add a play deck on one end
what would the dimensions be if I only wanted to hang 2 swings? thanks!
You might go with an 8 foot long beam.
Thank you for the vid! Do u know if they have a bracket for 6x6 legs?
This bracket will work with a 6x6 beam, because a bigger beam than the typical 4x6 can add a lot of strength and possibilities to a swing set. But this bracket does not work with 6x6 legs because 4x4 is plenty strong for legs.
@@room2zoom236 not sure if strong enough for my 200lbs Autistic son? the Top part even with 4 x 2x 6 , it will bend front to back big swing and 4x4 legs I would prob have to anchor rather have option for 6x6 but willing to try 4x4
A beam made of four 2x6 boards, amply screwed together (a whole box of 50), will not bend front to back with a 200 pound adult.
We built ours very similar to yours. Do yo have a suggestion for a canopy? A frame canopy
There are many ways to put on a canopy, but I still haven't come up with something really awesome to suggest. Would be interested in what you end up doing if you think it works out good and would like to share with us.
2 triangles made of 1x3 wood would do it.
One triangle on each end close to top.
Can you list the sizes (especially the lengths) of the bolts you used?
YES! At room2zoom.com it will give you a list of everything you need, with sizes, and where to get everything.
What am I doing wrong?? The crossbeam is too long, and the screws are not tightening…. Help! I measured 70” from bottom of legs.
So I double checked that I drilled 3/8 inch pilot holes and then am using a 3/8 inch lag screw to attach the cross beams. And it’s not tightening. I also checked that I’m measuring 70 inches from the bottom on the first side of the cross beam.
The crossbeam sticks out at least a foot if not 2 feet
The crossbeam you can just cut off with a saw. For the lag screws you drill 3/8" all the way through the horizontal cross piece (crossbeam), and where it will go into the leg you drill with a 5/16" bit, but not all the way through (about 3" into the leg).
Ok I definitely drilled into the legs with the same 3/8” bit😢 how do I fix this?
Also how do I fill in mistake holes, or do I need to?
Very good video. All the details you need.
Thank you so much!
Hi where can I find bracket like those
At room2zoom.com!
What size drill bit did you use for the holes?
3/8" drill bit for the 3/8" bolts for the swing hangers, and for the 3/8" carriage bolt used on the brackets.
Oh, if you meant the holes in the wooden swing seats, those are a 3/4" hole--but that would also depend upon the thickness of rope you go with.
Love this! I just bought your brackets. Can you run the top beam past the legs a few feet on either side and add swings to the ends? In other words, could I put up a 16' beam, have 10' in the middle with 3 swings, and 3 feet hanging off of each side for another 2 swings?
I just finished my build over the weekend and went somewhat similar to what you are thinking. I opted for a 6x6x14 beam for the top. I spaced the brackets out 11ft to give a little extra cushion between swings in the middle section. Leaving 3ft to hang over on one side. I found this granted a great deal of flexibility to the setup. I installed two brackets on the overhang beam, spacing them 20" apart. Then I hung a rope swing on the outermost bracket, but if we every want to swap it out to an additional swing, it is ready.
As for the spacing on the inside swings, I went with the recommended starting spacing of 16" from the first bracket to the first swing. Then I spaced the actual swing spacing at 20", again as recommended. Then I went 20" instead of the recommended 16" to space the second swing. Installed the second swing and again used 20' to space the second and third swing. After installing the third swing, it left 16" from third swing bracket to the ending swing bracket.
I really liked this method because it I ever want to install a two person porch type swing and have and additional swing next to it, it has the ability. And if I want to just install a two person swing right in the middle without swings on the side, the spacing is there. .
I can't thank Room2Zoom enough for the exceptional videos and the top notch brackets. It really did make all the different. The only issue I had was having to use 8" Hex Bolts, this is indeed all the local hardware store had. The threads on the 8" Hex Bolts were a tad too long to secure a lock nut on, so I had to add 5 additional washers to each bolt to eat up the space.
With opting for a 6x6x14' beam, it was quite hefty to standup, I had my brother in-law and wife's friends help walk it over and it took 6 of us. So keep that in mind if you are going with a larger beam.
After giving it a solid max swing of two adults at 250lbs each, that swing didn't budge an inch. The whole family is enjoying it and this type of swing is really the only way to do it.
Go big or go home!
imgur.com/gallery/x1r6gYn
Wow, thanks so much for the tribute and for sharing the details behind your great setup. Just to clarify for readers of your comment, in the second to last sentence of the first paragraph you mention installing two "brackets" on the overhang beam, which confused me at first, but I then realized you are referring to two "swing hangers". Thanks again for sharing your well-designed setup with us. I am sure others will follow and greatly benefit from your suggestions.
Yes!, that works great. The brackets and legs will hold a lot of weight, but the beam deflection in the middle when you have too long a span is always the limiting factor, but doing what you propose doing is a way to get around this and get more positions out of your beam.
Douglas fir is not readily available in many areas. You can usually just go with whatever you can find.
@@WizdumtheSilentGameCat nice mod! where did you find a 6x6x14? I would like to add the extra 3' for a rope and space out the swings more. Would 3 2x6's be strong enough for the beam at 14'?
Thanks i got the measurements
Thank you! It's a great set.
Okay. I want a longer swing that holds 4-6swings. I have 5 kids who will fight over swings. Little to teen.
Can we use a 6x6 very long top beam. 20 or 24 feet with additional legs in the middle?
Yes, if you support the beam in the middle with additional legs you can do a longer span. With a 4x6 you do not want to span more than 10 to 12 feet for each segment. With a 6x6 you can span 13 feet, maybe 14. You can also make a beam out of three 20 foot 2x6's, and span 12 feet or 13 feet each segment. Mind you I have no idea how you'll stand such a beast up! You might want to build a deck into the set like I do with the basic structure of the SCALLYWAG SET (See video). You could do something like that, but with a 20 foot long beam, spanning 13 feet with the brackets and overhanging 42" on each end past the brackets. You'd have two swing positions inside, and one swing accessory position on each end, for a total of four positions, with a deck, slide, etc. Again, standing up a 20 foot beam would be hard and you'd have to be very careful.
Just build two!
how long was the rope that you used
It was about 10 feet long--it is about an 8 foot span, and you need about a foot on each end for knots.
@@room2zoom236 Thanks! I needed videos of swing sets in motion with the length of their ropes for a physics project
You're very welcome!
For making your own top beam.....
The plans im following call for a 4x6x12
I bought two, 2x6x12 instead.
But i was worried about drilling the swing anchors. Wont it just drill into the gap between the wood?
"Drilling into the gap"--the crack between the boards--is not a problem as the big washers at the top of the beam will hold the swing hangers solidly in place. But you should use three 2x6 boards instead of two. A beam made with just two 2x6 boards will not be nearly as strong as a 4x6 solid beam.
@@room2zoom236 wow. Thanks so much for replying. Ill go ahead and do that
1 inch thick? Bwahaha! More like 1/8th of an inch.
Hi, what measurement are you referring to?
He said 1/8th of an inch
Yes, yes he did say 1/8"
I just want one of these that is adult worthy.
It is very adult worthy! Up to 300 pounds on the swing, depending on which swing seats you go with.The vinyl seats I link to here are very strong.
@@room2zoom236 we have 4 kids. I would assume 4 swings across would require a center support. 2 sections of 2 swings.
No, you can do a 14 foot 6x6 beam or a 14 foot beam made of four 2x6 boards screwed together with deck screws. With either of these you can do 4 positions. The beam really only needs to be about 13 feet long for the 4 positions. You can squeeze four positions into a 12 foot beam but it's a little tight. These brackets work with any beam that is 5 1/2" tall--it can be any width at all.
@@room2zoom236 Have you guys ever made brackets that fit 6x6 legs? For my application of 4 swings, I would laminate four 2x6 boards for the cross beam but beefier legs would be good. Especially if I make the swing set even taller. :D
You can support the taller 4x4 legs with an extra horizontal cross piece on each set of A-frame legs.
I am looking to build this swing set as well but I am weary of weight and want to use (Southern pine pressure treated) 12" 6 x 6 beam with 12" 4 x 6 legs and 2 x 6 top and mid cross member supports on each side and use concrete or screw anchors to keep it down. Structurally, it sounds solid but I am not a structural engineer and seeking further advice.
Sounds great. You don't have to use 4x6 legs--4x4 legs are plenty strong. You also do not need to anchor the set in any way--it's not going to be going anywhere, or lifting up, given the wide angle of these brackets, combined with the weight. With other brackets you for sure need to anchor it, but not with these--that's the beauty of these brackets.
Excellent video, very well done. I want to make this with only one swing for my 13 year old kiddo and he goes high and hard…will this really not move and tip like my lifetime 10 foot high metal a-frame set? We had to weigh it down with backpacks filled with pavers hanging from cross bars. I love the idea of being able to move yours. How long should top beam be for only one swing? Thanks!
Thank you! If one person swings really hard on it, or if two or three swingers end up swinging in unison you might feel it budge a little bit, but basically it does not move much. I would not go less than 8 feet for the beam just because it would end up looking a little weird as a swing set, and I would actually vote for a 10 foot beam as long as you're making the set, as it would give you options in the future or someone else the options if you end up giving it to someone someday. But, yes, one of the beauties of building a set with these brackets is that you can later move it around--and not have to go to all the work of cementing it into the ground.
good job!
Thank you so much!