On referring to the quantities you will find there are two yellow battens 15 ft. long; these form the uprights (A A); 3 feet has to go into the ground, leaving 12 feet for the height of the swing. The top (B), 7 feet in length, is cut off the 14-ft. length, the remaining 7 ft. is again cut in the centre to form the two sole-pieces (D D), 3 ft. 6 in. each; these are then halved into the bottom of the uprights in centre, and the struts (E E E E) nailed on as shown. The top can be either morticed on to the uprights or secured by strong iron brackets. The inch facia board (C) is nailed on the top for ornament, as are also the cornice pole-ends.
The 2-inch square runners are secured on the uprights with the 3-inch screws (four to each runner), 3 feet from the ground and 2 inches apart, leaving a groove or space between them for the ends of the bar to slide up and down. For vaulting purposes these runners have to be bored through with a 3⁄8-in. nose or spoon-bit (a gimlet would split the wood); the holes must be about three inches apart from the top to bottom, and are intended to take the 3⁄8-in. pin which is to support the bar.
The whole of the wood-work above ground must be planed, and the edges neatly rounded off. It is the custom to burn or char the surface of that part of the timber which has to be let into the ground, to prevent it from rotting, but a good coat of gas tar answers the purpose very well.
Portable Frame for Trapeze, Rings, or Swing.
Fig. 4
| Materials. | s. | d. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Norway spars trimmed, 14 feet long, at 5s. | 10 | 0 | |
| 6 ft. 2 in. iron tube, at 71⁄2d. per foot | 3 | 9 | |
| 2 Elbows for iron tube, at 1s. 41⁄2d. | 2 | 9 | |
| 100 ft. 3⁄8 in. iron wire rope | 10 | 0 | |
| 1 Coupling Screw | 5 | 0 | |
| 4 Stakes 3 ft. 3 in. square | 1 | 4 | |
| £1 | 12 | 10 |
[Fig. 4] represents a very simple way of forming the uprights for a swing. It consists of two scaffold poles, or more correctly speaking, Norway spars (the same as used for ladder-making when they have been sawn down the centre). They may be procured at any ladder-makers, with the bark taken off and properly trimmed. The top should be 2 in. in diameter, and the bottom 31⁄2 to 4 inches. The cross-piece (B) to which the ropes are fastened is formed of 2-in. gas barrel, i.e. iron tubing, and is measured by the calibre or inside diameter, therefore 2-inch gas tubes will measure about 21⁄2 inches outside diameter. The elbows, which are bought already screwed, would have to be fitted with iron staples riveted to them, to fasten the wire rope to, and two hooks also riveted through the tube, made of 1⁄2-in. diameter iron, 18 inches apart, for attaching the swing.