Swing on chains: what are they and how to do?

Street swings with suspensions on chains are equally widespread in playgrounds in courtyards of high-rise buildings and in private backyards. They can have different options for supporting frames, in the form of the letter "L", "P", or "A", their seats can look like a board, bench, or like a regular wheel. But all of them are united by the choice of chains as suspensions, which are easily adjustable in height.

A chain with a link thickness of 15 or 20 mm can withstand five large people, even with a margin. It never stretches, it serves for tens of years at the same level. From time to time, the swing may fall apart, but the chains will remain. They have a long working life, even without lubricating the suspensions. But chains also have their drawbacks. Rocking can cause lateral vibrations and twisting of the seat. In addition, it is not very pleasant to hold on to cold chains with your hands. This problem is solved by using pads that are put on the chains, in the places where the hands touch.

Chains are very reliable, which is why they are used as suspensions for many structures. Swings with such suspensions can be classified by location, age, design, material.

Swings are often placed in garden plots. And if these are not purchased swinging benches under a canopy, then in most cases the owners themselves make traditional wooden seats on hanging chains. In the courtyards of high-rise buildings, factory outdoor swings are often installed on metal struts with a single or double seat, with a back and armrests. All the same chains are used as suspensions.

By age, the swing is divided into children, teenagers and adults (family). Children's models are protected from all sides: backrest, handrails, seat belt. For a teenager, the very process of rocking is important, the higher, the better, simple seats are suitable for them, up to a regular board on chains. Adult designs are intended not so much for riding as for recreation, family gatherings.

There are several types of swings, differing in the design and material of seats, supports and mobility.

• The mobile swing is not too heavy, which allows you to move it at any distance. These are either children's options with a single seat, or family-type swing benches.
• Stationary models are dug deep into the ground, and heavy structures are also concreted.
• Single views can be in the form of a hanging chair, or a board on chains.
• A double swing is also equipped with a board, only larger and wider. They can have two independent chairs on one bar.
• Multi-seat (family) models include benches, hanging sofas and beds. These heavy-duty structures require massive chain suspensions.
• An old tire can serve as a swing seat. It is hung on ropes or ropes, but chains are fine too. Due to the simplicity of the model, it does not need maintenance and additional components.

It's comfortable and fun to have a swing in your yard. But it would be wrong to put them where it is necessary. The location for the attraction should be chosen carefully. In most cases, they are installed for many years, as they are one of the favorite vacation spots.

When choosing a place for a swing, you need to take into account many important points.

• The structure must be installed on a flat surface or leveled.
• The ground under the swing should not be quick or constantly wet.
• The attraction is not installed in a lowland, where precipitation from the entire site falls.
• It is better to equip the structure under a large tree or other source of shade. As a last resort, you can use an awning.
• A draft-free area is considered a good place.

• If the swing is a family type - large, with an awning, mosquito net and other additions - they should be on the recreation area. This could be a barbecue area with a canopy and oven. Nearby there may be a gazebo, a terrace, a table with benches, or garden benches, flower beds, a fountain and other delights of landscape design. It should be a place to spend leisure time for the whole family.
• Attractions for children are located on playgrounds, covered with bushes, fences, awnings from the scorching sun and wind.
• Toxic plants, allergens and honey plants should not grow near the swing.

The swing on the chains can be made by yourself. Those who do not want to mess around for a long time use a piece of board as a seat. You can spend a little more time and make a comfortable swing for children and adults, which will not only entertain, but also become a place for relaxation, decoration of the garden. You should start by choosing a place for the future construction. Then a drawing is drawn up indicating the dimensions. Materials are selected in advance and construction tools are prepared.

To make a durable bench seat, you need to start with the frame. Consider surface area and angle between seat and back. Then prepare eight bars: four for the seat and four for the back. The bars are connected in pairs, at an angle, fixed with bolts. One will be the basis for the sitting, the other for the back. Thus, you get four paired elements, two of them will make up the sides of the future shop, the remaining two products will be distributed inside the seat. Four blanks are held together by horizontal bars: two on the back and two on the seat. The frame of the swing bench is ready.

At the next stage, the frame is sheathed with lamellas. Each plank is drilled from the sides so that you can attach it to the frame. Before sheathing the frame, it is worthwhile to check the design parameters, the bending angle of the backrest again. When the seat is sheathed with lamellas, it must be turned over and reinforced from below with metal corners. The armrests of a simple geometric shape are installed on bolts so that they can be removed if necessary.

The finished bench is treated with antifungal agents, special impregnations, and varnished. This should be done with great care, raw parts will deteriorate in the open air from snow and rain. You will need two pipes to hang the swing. One will be held stationary on the supports, and the second, with the help of bearings, will move with the chain. Bearings are needed of a closed type, they are well lubricated and covered with plugs.

The bench is suspended with four chains. The height is adjusted so that an adult sitting on it can reach the ground with the toe of the shoe. On the chains, for a comfortable grip with your hands, you can put on pads. The structure is installed on prepared supports. They should look like the letter "A", the crossbar between the posts makes them more reliable, able to withstand a multi-seat bench.Large family swings are unlikely to swing strongly, it is enough for them if the supports are dug into the ground by 70–80 cm, but for reliability, each post can be concreted.

They are the most lifting ones, and they can be assembled from the material accumulated in the garage, which is a pity to throw away, and takes place. Metal pipes will serve as supports. In order to fix them, triangles are cut out of the remnants of the steel sheet, pipe cuttings with a diameter slightly larger than the racks are welded to them, then support pillars are inserted into them.

To mount the crossbeam, you will need to weld brackets bent at an angle of 90 degrees to the pipe. You can make them yourself by cutting them from old pipes. The hangers are made using chains, rings and bearings. The seat frame can be made of shaped square pipes, based on the sidewalls from old metal boxes or trimmings from other iron structures. All bends should be secured with corners.

The flights remaining after repair work are often used to equip swings. They are well processed to full smoothness in order to avoid splinters during the operation of the product. Then covered with antifungal impregnations and varnish. The pallet can be cut and made in the form of a bench, connecting the back and seat with metal corners. Or you can simply hang a whole plane on a chain, put a mattress and pillows for comfort on a hanging bed.

Chains are threaded through the double pallet structure and secured in several places to prevent slipping. All this is suspended from a beam on supports, that is, everything is done like any other model. Chained swings are beautiful and reliable, they can support an entire family, and when hung with a canopy or shelter, they are the best place to socialize or relax.

For information on how to make a swing on chains with your own hands, see the next video.