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BuzzyBee 
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 Topic: Securing a swing frame into the ground...
Posted: 18 March 2008 at 6:52pm |
Ok so we've bought a single swing frame (made out of metal) ...I've screwed in all the nuts & bolts and assembled it fine, and then I come to the last set of instructions and it tells me I need to dig holes in the ground & concrete the ends of the legs in? 
There's no way in hell Dad will let me do this, as then its a permanent fixture ...
Now my question is, at the bottom of the legs there is a hole where a bolt can go straight through from one side of the leg to the other, is there some kind of way I can stabilize this frame into the ground using those holes as opposed to concreting it into the ground? ...like is there something I should be looking for at Mitre 10 as an alternative?
Has anyone else had any experience in this area or possibly have a hubby thats a handyman and might be able to suggest something?
TIA
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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kebakat
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 6:58pm |
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Our old childhood one we had 4 buckets with concrete in them for the legs and then just dug holes for the buckets. My parents must have done it that way so it wouldn't be permanent, just a pain in the bum to move.
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Maya
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 7:03pm |
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Our one came with pegs like tent pegs that went thru the holes in the bottom and you just pegged it down to the grass.
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 7:07pm |
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Those holes would be for raw bolting into existing concrete, which I'm assuming you don't have, that would be a less permanent way as it could be unbolted. The other option would be tent pegs and perhaps to then weight down with sand bags just to make sure that it can't topple over.
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BuzzyBee
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 8:44pm |
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Where abouts would I put the sandbags? ...and these tent pegs, would I find these or something similar in mitre ten? ....which section would they be in?
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 8:54pm |
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If there are bars that sit on the ground that run from leg to leg then I would place them over those, if not then I would attach one to each leg in some way, perhaps just lash it to the bottom of the legs with some rope.
You just need something to replace the security that the concreting gives, you don't want him to swing forward and the whole thing come with him, so you need to make sure that the bottom of it is fixed or weighted.
As for tent pegs no idea whether mitre 10 sell them, but smith city normally have a sports section, or maybe rebel sports or another sport type shop would have them, basically anywhere that sells a tent.
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BuzzyBee
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:03pm |
There are no bars that sit on the ground, gosh sounds like an intricate job having to attach bars to the legs
I will def go on a hunt for the tent pegs though ...I'm sure there are various ways I can go around securing it without having to resort to digging up the ground and concreting it in .... but my mummy brain isn't helping in the 'thinking' department tonight.
Too much thinking gives me a headache LOL
If anyone else would like to add their 2 cents in it would be greatly appreciated!!!
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:13pm |
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Sorry I meant if no bars existing on it then tie the sandbags to the bottom of the legs, so after you have put the tent pegs in, pretty much lay the sand bag around the leg over the top of the tent peg and then just use some rope to keep it in place.
Failing that go to mitre 10 and ask one of the people there for some ideas, they might have something a lot simpler that will do the job. Like the equivalent of a massive tent peg or something that will forego the need for sand bags. Just be sure not to ask one of the employers that only looks twelve, cos you will probably just get a vacant stare out of them.
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:17pm |
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Actually I just had a thought, I have this big corkscrew that is used for tying my dogs to. Ok that sounds really bad. Right trying to think of a way to explain this. It screws into the ground and has a triangle thing on the top that I can then tie the dogs leads to, I won it at a dog show, people use them at dogs shows, when camping etc cos you can then tie you dog up where ever. Not sure how much they cos but wouldn't have thought it was very much and they hold my two dogs how are 30kg combined, so one of those in each leg would definitely do the trick.
I will post a pic, cos I have just read that and it makes no sense.
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:25pm |
Here is what I'm talking about, cadbury cream egg was to demonstrate size only and has since been eaten. 
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BuzzyBee
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:40pm |
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LOL mmmm chocolate!
Yeah I like the look of that Cuppatea ....I shall draw a picture of that and take it with me (they will prob think i'm strange and that I've made this 'product' up LOL).
Has it got a specific name? And is there anywhere other than Mitre ten that might stock them ...a pet shop?
Hmm how would I attach that to the holes in the legs of frame ...
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:52pm |
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Yeah I would think a pet shop would be your best bet. I don't think they would cost much as I was in 5th place and that was the prize, 4th prize was an umbrella....lol. High stakes these dog shows.
Hopefully the end that has the black cap on it would fit through the hole and then just keep screwing it into the ground until the triangle is holding it down. It should just wind itself through the hole. Does that make sense?
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BuzzyBee
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 9:58pm |
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Kinda ....lol
I think I know what you mean, wheres the black cap? Maybe I'm blind...
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 10:00pm |
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Right on the end of the screw. Is just there so that you don't accidently poke anyone with it cos it is slightly pointed.
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BuzzyBee
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 10:11pm |
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Ok I'm officially blind ...I so should have seen that black cap haha!
The holes in the swings frame are so a screw could go in horizontally ...not vertically which I'm assuming you think I meant???
If theres a will theres a way though, I'm sure I could figure something out hmmm
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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cuppatea
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 10:15pm |
Just screw them in at a 45 degree angle, that'll do the trick.
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BuzzyBee
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Posted: 18 March 2008 at 10:19pm |
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Oh yes now im following LOL ...about time!!!!
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Single Mum to a darling wee boy of 3 years :)
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Securing a swing frame into the ground...
