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I have a tyre, I have a tree with appropriate bough, I have a toddler who would love a swing...

so....

experts amoungst us....

which thickness/ type of rope should I get for bringing it all together?

I was looking at that blue nylon rope you can get, which is both strong and cheap.. but quite ugly...
Natural ropes look much more pricey and with a tyre dangling off the end is it really going to be beautiful anyway?


Any thoughts?

I need about about 7 metres worth I reckon.

I've just been out and measured ours. When we first got a shop-bought swing we got one with a baby seat and that had a nasty looking nylon orange rope which is 4cm in circumference. When we replaced that recently with a 'big girl' swing, we kept the old frame and just bought a new wooden seat. That seat also had nasty orange nylon rope, and that is also 4cm circumference. So these are two different makes of swing, both with the same sort of rope of the same thickness, so I guess that must be pretty standard.

You might like to reinforce the top with some gaffa tape or something so that it doesn't wear out where it rubs on the tree branch, and keep a check on it.

aha, thanks... but it is sold by diameter... I'll need to polish off my brain for working that out ... r = *D right.... I can't find a pi button on my puter...

Nah... my brain is broke... I swear these Anti virals have completely goofed my brain.... I also keep typing words with all the letters i the wrong order... now is not the time for uqadratics (see )

Hi,

We have the same at home and have used chain not rope, its cheaper and will last forever. If you get some of those D shaped things it is easy to lash it over the branch as well.

Rob

Ann - remember the photo of those swings in my garden , the only one which is really suitable to swing on properly i.e. holding onto the rope, is the one made from natural rope which is the right diameter. The other two 'swings' just don't work properly as they've got narrower diameter blue nylon rope, plus it isn't nice on the hands either.

However as you say, natural rope is mega expensive which is why we only have the one proper swing!

I do remember MMM shouldn't have the same problem on a tire swing though... I think... but Those blue/orange ropes are so ugly

I'll have a look on fleabay and see what I can find.

annpan have you thought of a bit of beach combing to find you self a bit of rope or alternatively if you have a chandlers near you see how much thier mooring line cost you should be albe to buy it by the meter and if you ask nicely they may have someone who can splice the ends for you
i personaly would avoid the nasty blue nylon stuff as when it is exposed to sun light it goes sort of britttle and developes needle like frayed bits which will stab in to hands

We are an hour from the coast (which is probably as far as you can get in Scotland) but I did promise Invisible Piper a visit ages ago - Troon being our nearest beach.

But that is a good idea.

8-ply polypropolene from a ship chandler, often offcuts are available cheap in lengths that are too short to rig a racing yacht, lol; wrap and tie a sack around the branch you tie it to to avoid chafing. 8 -ply multi plait has a breaking strain of one and a half tons if i recall correctly. i use it for all my tree lopping; feels nice, stays nice, weatherproof, no prickly bits like nylon for little fingers doesn't 'catch' to anything. drawback is that you can't really splice it like you can with conventional rope; you have to burn the ends and make loops with a single overhand knot. i just bought forty feet for eight quid as a remnant which i thought was very reasonable.