This is a relatively easy project that should only take a couple of hours to do once you have assembled the materials.
Materials:
Old Skateboard – You can find these at garage sales, flea markets, used sporting goods stores or maybe in your own garage. Garage sales are the cheapest maybe $5 or less. Used sporting goods store prices start at $20.
Good outdoor rope – This is available at your local hardware store or the big box stores. We found 100 feet of rope packaged for $9.95. Be sure to get enough rope. Even if you plan on adding this swing to an existing swingset you will need 50 feet or more.
Dowel rods – You need two pieces about a foot long each. These should be a minimum of an inch and a half in diameter. You need this size to drill holes for the rope and if you are building a swing for bigger kids this will make it strong enough.
Tools:
Drill – make sure you have a drill bit slightly larger than the diameter of the rope.
Wrench
Screwdriver
Saw – For cutting your dowel rod
Directions:
If you found or bought an old skateboard you will need to take the wheels and undercarriage off. This is where you will use the wrench and screwdriver.
Using the holes where the wheels were attached to the board as a guide, mark where you will drill the holes for the rope to pass through the board. I used a straightedge to help mark the rope holes. You want the ropes about an inch and a half from the edge of the board for stability.
Tip: once you mark where the holes will be drilled use a punch or even a screwdriver to dent the board so your drill bit will start cleanly. You will be using a fairly large drill bit and the boards are pretty hard, so this prevents the bit from wandering.
Cut your dowel rods to the desired length. These are your hand grips and need to be slightly longer than the width of your board.
Drill a hole in each end of your two dowel rods about an inch and a half from the end.
Cut your rope in half.
You will assemble each side of the swing separately. Take one piece of rope and slide one end of it through each of the holes on one end of the board from the bottom of the swing.
Even out the two ends of the rope after you have pulled it through the board.
Put the board on the ground and have your kids stand on the board. You will need to measure for the bottom knot of the handles. The handles should be somewhere between the child’s waist and shoulder for them to be able to use them to swing. Remember they grow fast so too high is better than too low.
Tie a knot in both sides of the rope at the height you measured.
Slide the dowel (handle) down the rope so it rests on your knots.
Tie a knot on the top of the dowel for security.
Repeat these rope assembly steps for the other side of the swing.
Your swing is done. You are on your own to hang in a tree or on a swingset.
