I was wondering if the extensions from the quick link to the seat have to be so long (48″)
I would like to make them 30″ or so. Would this make a difference in the operation of the swing or a safety issue??

thanks so much
Gerry

My rope tree swing hasn’t worn the bark in 4.5 years. The rope pivots at the bottom of the running bowline knot without rubbing or rotating the knot. A cambium saver sounds like a good idea, however that leather model is designed for tree climbing and I don’t see how you’d fit it around the bulky bowline knot. I doubt leather would hold up to rain & sun for very long.

> Getting the guide line and rope over this (40ft high) branch will be a major challenge
Tie a 1/2 or 1 oz. lead sinker to some fishing line. Cast it over the branch with the fishing pole. Tie the rope to the fishing line and draw it up & over the branch.

Take care,
Bob

First my kids painted some pine boards for the seat. I chose to glue and screw two 1×6 boards together and cut them to length. This gave two equal sides to the swing so I can turn it around later if needed.

I chose 5/8 braided nylon black rope and used the bowline at the top.
I works great. Thanks for the great posting.

I’m guessing your children are much younger since the seat is only 1-1/2 feet off the ground. What’s probably preventing the “pumping” action from working is a combination of limited body weight and the A frame rope seat attachments working against the pumping motion. Pumping means leaning way back and then forward to shift the center of gravity away from the seat to cause motion. Doing this in rhythm makes this swinging action. The A frame rope seat attachments are very stable and tend to limit the shift in center of gravity compared to single rope on each side of the seat. In combination with a small child that has limited height and body weight, I can see pumping would a challenge.

Try this:
Drill a hole in the center of the seat between the two existing rope holes for a single rope attachment point at each end. This will make the seat less stable (and prone to spilling the little ones), but it will make pumping much easier because smaller shifts in the center of gravity will have more effect. If this works, plug up the outer rope attachment holes so someones finger doesn’t get broken.

The knots on the tree limb shouldn’t move by design, this protects the bark so it doesn’t rub off and kill the limb.

I have a swing that doesn’t swing! Go figure.

I really appreciate the clear direction you’ve provided here and have built a swing exactly to your specifications. My kids love it–if I push them. The trouble is, there’s seems to be no way to “pump” on the swing and get it to reach any kind of height. My kids can’t do it and neither can I.

I have a huge oak tree that I’ve attached my swing to. The branch is almost exactly horizontal and probably 12″ in diameter. The rope spacing on the branch is about 3′ apart. The distance from the bottom of the branch to the seat is about 20′. The seat is about 1’6″ off the ground. The rope is 5/8″ braided poly. The rope is attached to the branch with a running bowline knot.

No amount of “pumping” will cause the swing to reach any kind of height. I’ve never experienced this before on a swing. The knots on the tree limb don’t seem to be moving and the limb is also not moving under the weight.

I’m perplexed. I also admit that physics was not one of my best subjects in school.

Please help me and my kids with this wonderful swing.

I’m happy to provide pictures, video, or anything else which will be helpful in diagnosing our problem.

Many thanks.
Gary

Most kids will weigh well under 100lbs, so the 200lbs actual working load is adequate. After mowing the yard for 2 hours last weekend, I relaxed sideways in the tree swing with my feet propped up on the inverted V seat ropes – it’s actually comfortable this way. The 3-1/2 year old ropes supported my 220lb frame just fine and looked as good as the day I built the swing.

You can use a thicker / heavier rope with a greater working load or purchase the really high quality & expensive mountain climbing rope to suit your preferences.

Warning: Avoid using a knot; splicing is preferable. Knots reduce the strength of the rope up to 50%. Do not use this product for overhead lifting, support of human weight or athletic equipment, or other situations where personal safety or valuable property can be endangered. The working loads shown should never be exceeded. Additional care must be exercised when using this product under shock (stress, jerk) conditions. These conditions can reduce working loads by as much as 33%. Never stand in line with rope under tension; such a rope, particularly nylon rope, may recoil (snap back).