Spring Air Ride
The kids grow up so fast, and the decking of our old porch has been laying around the yard, so.....Spring Air Ride. This is a great story of recycled wood. Looking at the kids swing in the back yard, I got to thinking about when I was a kid, and the porch swings. Seems like everyone had a porch swing. One thing is for sure their swings were not made out of a porch.
As you can see in the background, that is the other half of the porch. I have finished taking it apart to make my next project. Thinking of making a breakfast table out of it. As you can see, this was a real job. We are going to keep to the subject here if I can, the making of "Swing Air Ride". To start with, I have never made a swing, and looked up "porch swings" on the web.
I decided that I would need 3 pair of these, and using the 2X6's from the porch, I got to work. Now, This wood we are using has a porch since 1995. This wood has done all the drying, twisting, cracking, and warping it is going to, and may I add, getting hard. Being an artist, in drawing the curves I add a little for the legs and a little less for the back. Back to being hard, I went threw a couple blades and broke a jig-saw ( it was kind-a old ).
As you can see with the chisel and hammer, I'm making a custom fit post for an arm rest. In the back instead of bolts and nuts, I drove re bar in. They wanted $30.oo for them and I have not even got started. OK, where was I? I clamped the 3 bottoms together, and I clamped the 3 tops together, and sanded them. For this part I did use the end grinder. That way all the bottoms, and tops are the same. If you follow my post here at Charles Kenneth's Corner you know I don't like to use power tools that much.
As you can see here, we are moving along nicely. The two ends need to have the back support to the outside, and the bottom to the inside to mount the armrest supports. Here we will buy the hardware. When I first looked on the web the prices were around $150.oo. Right; I have that just in hardware.
The springs are not in the photo. I bought them first thing, they were $10.oo. With that said, we cut the slats. I measured from ring to ring on the swing to the two outside swings hooks. So with the slats cut I nail one to the top, one to the middle, and one to the bottom. Not driving them in all the way. This is just to hold it in place.
None of these boards (slats) are screwed in yet. I'm figuring out where I want my front armrest post. Also, I'm figuring out how many more slats need cutting, and where to to put the back post. Alright let's get this thing put together.
Looking Good! If I do say myself. As you can see I have taken each slat, and sanded all four sides down to clean wood. All four corners have been rounded, as well as the ends. Doesn't look like 18 year old wood that has been out side the whole time, does it? The screws I bought are made for outside use, and glued Dow's cover them. I did not want to make the armrest until I hung it. This swing will be heavy. Glad I bought the springs. I will tell you I could have saved on the chain I bought. I forgot to include the spring when I measured and bought to long of chain. Better that to short I guess.
Trying to figure out how to make this sit. Slightly tilted back but not to much and how high to have it set. I took a string to measure just how much chain to go buy, and forgot about the spring. O well. All finished, it looks great! I sit in it about every day.
As you can see this beautiful swing was made from our old porch. The springs give it such smooth ride, and for us older people. It gives a little push when you go to get up. I love it! It is one of the best projects I've done so far. By the way I have a new Facebook page "Folk Art by Chuck". Hope you will come by and like the page. Other great news is you can buy my Folk Art at Bookquest used books, on main street in Fountain Inn SC.
Once again thank-you for coming to Charles Kenneth's Corner. Share it with your friends, and until next time your friend.
