Many people live in private houses or have suburban areas. One of the most functional decorations on the site can be a swing. To assemble them with your own hands is exactly what you need to ennoble your site and create a place to relax. You can design both large models, which can fit 2-3 people, and children's swings, where children can ride. Regardless of the destination - this device will bring a lot of positive emotions. The main thing is to correctly approach the issue of assembly of the structure, since the safety of people sitting on a swing will also depend on this.
Material for construction
Profile pipes became the material for assembling a do-it-yourself swing made of metal. This raw material has a certain list of advantages and disadvantages. The positive aspects include the following:
- The shape of the pipes is considered optimized for fast production. This, in turn, proves that working with it will be quite easy and convenient.
- This raw material is the most economical when compared with other types.
- Pipes have stiffeners, due to which the upper limit of permissible loads greatly increases. This is very important if the swing is designed for more than 1 person.
- High resistance to mechanical damage. Damaging pipes with shock loads is quite difficult.
However, like any other material, pipes have their drawbacks.
- To assemble a children's swing or any other species, you will have to perform many different operations with the material. Almost all of them are carried out without difficulty, except for bending. It is very difficult to bend a profile pipe, this usually requires a special machine.
- Such carbon steel pipes are made. This means that they are very susceptible to moisture and rust quite quickly. To get rid of this, it is best to buy galvanized specimens, but this will increase the cost of raw materials.
Settlement
In order to successfully assemble a swing from metal with your own hands, you will have to carry out some calculations. First, you need to calculate the required dimensions of the structure, and secondly, the mass of the product. This is a rather important parameter, since it will depend on its value whether it is necessary to equip the foundation for a swing and what loads the object itself can withstand.
For example, if you use a profile pipe with a square section of 20x20 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, then 1 meter of material will weigh about 600 grams. Weight may vary slightly depending on the grade of steel. Similar pipes, but with a cross section of 30x30 mm, will weigh about 900 grams. A pipe with a cross section of 40x40 mm and a thickness of 2 mm will already weigh about 2.3 kg. Knowing these data and having previously decided on the dimensions of the swing made of metal, one can easily calculate the total weight of the structure.
Types of pipes for structures
It is important to say here that it is not always worth using square tubes only. Everything will depend on the style in which the swing itself should be performed. For example, round (oval) products will best show themselves when assembling curved structures. It can be seats, arches, etc. Square and rectangular views are characterized by increased stiffness and stability. In addition, due to their shape, it is most convenient to use them in those places where the swing touches the surface (vertical stand, strut). The last type of pipe is flat products. They will prove to be excellent if you use them to assemble auxiliary structural elements, such as horizontal struts, for example.
Varieties of mounting a swing
Experts recommend deciding on the type of attachment of the seat to the frame before moving on to the assembly of the swing with your own hands made of metal. Today, there are two different methods by which you can successfully fix the suspension structure to the frame. It can be eye nuts or nodes.
If the first case is selected, the sequence of operations will be as follows. The first thing to do is to drill holes in a horizontal beam with a diameter of approximately 5 mm. A long bolt with a washer is inserted into the hole and tightened with an eye-nut. Then carabiners are attached, and to them are ropes or chains.
If the second option is chosen, then everything is somewhat simpler, but the connection itself looks somewhat weaker than in the first case. The rope is thrown over the same horizontal bar. Next, you need to make a marine knot, and attach the other end to the seat.
Design options. Hanging model
The simplest version of a metal swing for the street is just a suspension. The thing is that they are often small, designed for one person or child. Due to its light weight, there is no need to design a complex base, metal frame, and more. You can even hang them on a tree whose branches will be quite thick. If this option is chosen, then either a rope or a chain is used as a fastener. In addition, there is an option in which you can fix the chain or rope in such a way as not to damage the tree itself. To do this, throw the material through a branch and secure it with a sliding node.
Stationary product
The second model for making a pipe swing with your own hands is stationary. This option, of course, is more complicated in terms of its implementation, but it is still quite popular. Such designs are most often designed for two or even three people. In the manufacture of this option, you will have to work not only on the seat, but also on the frame itself of metal elements. It is very important here that the frame be powerful enough, since it is on it that all the loads will lie. In addition, you must correctly select the option of mounting the seat to the frame.
The first view is the spring. The advantage is that the part will work not only as a mount, but also as a shock absorber. However, you need to choose it very carefully, and in order to attach the spring to the frame, you need to make an eye. Most often, it is welded to the metal frame of the swing, and more precisely to its transverse beam. Thus, the necessary reliability is provided.
The second option is a ring. Most often, the role of this element is an anchor with a ring or an installation site. In this case, you will have to drill the central beam, insert the ring into it, and then bolt it well.
What you need to assemble the product
How to make a metal swing? To do this, you need to buy a certain amount of the right material and have all the necessary tools. From raw materials you will need:
- The frame will be made of a round profile pipe with a diameter of 20 mm. The length of the pipes is selected individually, based on the size, which everyone chooses for himself. It is recommended only to take a meter or two more than necessary.
- It will take 4 steel corners.
- Steel arcs with a length of 250 mm and a diameter of 15 mm will be required.
- 2 wooden canvases.
- You will need a cable, chain, rope or any other mount that the master chooses. The only condition is that it must withstand a load in the region of 250-300 kg.
- You may need bearings for the swing.
It will also require a large number of various tools, but most of them have any owner. Of non-standard devices, a welding machine, vice, 5x80mm eyebolts, 4 pieces are required.
Swing assembly. Bearing frame
The first step is to cut the parts to assemble the frame. As side racks, you need to use sections of profile pipes with a length of 2500 mm. Such instances will need 4 pieces. It will take one rung that will connect the two racks. Its length should be 2100 mm.
The second step is to assemble the side posts in a single design. To do this, cut one of their edges with a grinder at an angle of 30 degrees. Further, with the help of a welding machine, they are connected to each other so that an isosceles triangle is obtained.
The next step is to strengthen the frame. To do this, step back from the top of the triangle down 2000 mm. At this level, a horizontal bar is welded to both pipes. The distance between the uprights, and therefore the length of the segment, must be 1035 mm. In order not to be mistaken, it is best to do a preliminary drawing of the swing with your own hands.
The last step in assembling the frame is to weld the horizontal bar to the top of the uprights. It is important to note here that the distance between the supports should be 2000 mm, and the crossbar itself 2100 mm. That is, as a result of the assembly, the pipe will protrude on each side by 50 mm. The seat will be attached to the same bar.
Seat material and assembly
After all the frame assembly work has been completed, you can begin to design the bench itself. The seat for a swing with a back can be made of profile pipes or from bars. If a pipe is used, then several products with dimensions of 30x30x6000 mm will be needed. From them you need to get 24 blanks of 1500 mm in length each. They are cleaned with sandpaper or a machine. You can also use the bars 100x100 and customize them to the desired dimensions. It is important to add that it is not necessary to make them 30x30, it is quite possible to use segments of 20x50 or 30x70, etc. It can also be wooden workpieces.
Frame and bench mount
If wood was used for the bench, then it is covered with paints and varnishes to avoid its damage. Metal will also need to be painted.
While the product will dry, you can proceed to the assembly of the frame for the seat. First you need to determine the shape of the element. When it is selected, you can proceed to the assembly process. For this, profile pipes with a diameter of 15 mm are used. Raw materials are cut into the required number of segments and fastened in the required shape. After that, it is already possible to fasten the bars to them with the help of bolts. The distance between the elements should be 20-25 mm. At the edges of the frame, you need to weld the eye-nuts to which the chain will be attached. Two pieces are welded on each edge.
After that, you can go to the bench fasteners to the frame itself. To do this, holes are made in the horizontal bar, into which the eye-nuts are also inserted and tightened. Further, carbines are threaded through which the chain is thrown. After that, the chain connects to all the nuts on the bench frame.
Installation of a stationary model
Since metal swings are stationary and must withstand heavy loads, they must be installed as follows. In the selected area, 4 holes are excavated with a depth of 450 mm each. It is best to use a manual iron drill for this.
After this, the solution is mixed with cement, sand and water in the proportions of 1: 2: 3. It is best to use cement marking M400. At the bottom of each pit, you need to fill up a sand cushion about 100 mm thick. After that, the frame supports are installed in the recess. To increase the stability of the structure, several large stones are thrown into the pit, after which it is poured to the top with a solution. Over the next 3-4 days, you need to wait until the concrete is completely dry and harden. That's all, the product can be considered fully finished and installed.
Place to install
To date, there are some recommendations for choosing a place to install a makeshift swing.
- The place should be completely empty and open, preferably not far from the house. As practice shows, the ideal distance from residential buildings is 10-20 meters.
- It is advisable that no communications, wires, etc., pass over the installation site of the swing.
- Naturally, installing a swing is best away from the road, even if there is a fence nearby.
Finished construction care
Assembling the structure yourself is fine, but that's not all. In order to achieve the maximum life of the swing, it is necessary to care for them properly. Purchased options already have a protective coating, while homemade ones cannot boast of such. Therefore, it is necessary to purchase a special metal paint and paint the product every six months to a year. In addition, this coating will serve as a great decoration.
In addition to ordinary paint, it is also recommended to use a solvent for rust, a primer for surface treatment, paint with the addition of metal powder. In addition, it will be nice to add a soft seat to the new home-made design. For this, special covers are sewn from a sufficiently dense material, which should not be afraid of contact with moisture. If there is a lot of time and desire, then you can also take care of the presence of a decorative roof, which will protect against sunlight. Thus, we can conclude that assembling a swing with your own hands from metal is a perfectly feasible task for one person.