# It Don't Mean a Thing....



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

if it Ain't Got That Swing!!!

Do wah, do wah

I'm waiting for the next guitar body to arrive from Amanda's lab / studio so I decided to tackle a little project I've been thinking about.

About 25 years ago I built two swings to place on my front porch, facing each other. One of them was vandalized about ten years or so ago and wasn't savable.

So now, I'm going to replace that one and likely continue and replace the one that's still in service.

I designed it on a napkin and it has held up well in spite of being continuously exposed to the elements.

I and my family have spent countless hours sitting on them. In fact, in the winter, the swing is a part of my nightly bath ritual. I soak in a very hot tub and then steam away outside on that swing. Snow falling melts before it reaches my head, LOL.

But, I have to reverse engineer the thing. I did make a note with a bill of materials so that helped, but I had to study the thing and take measurements with a bevel gauge and tape measure to know where to start.

I've made my three support braces / joists and next I'll cut the contours for under the leg (knee) and the top of the back rest.

It's kind of a nice distraction and break from the guitars.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)




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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

When I clicked on this I thought for sure it was going to say "if it aint got that bling".


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> When I clicked on this I thought for sure it was going to say "if it aint got that bling".



Sorry, no bling here, just pine.

Apparently I loaned the jig saw to Amanda so I moved on to another task and my dang mitre saw had been sitting so long unused that I had to take it apart. It was ceased at 45 deg.

I'll need a new saw, but I made it work for this simple task.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Rounded off the top corners with a router table.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I use lap joints to make the braces (half lap according to Wiki). I have a router table, but I need a new set of bits. The one I would have used to make the lap joints is bent and today my car is at the mechanic getting a check up on the brake job I had done in April, and the missus is working, so I'm stranded in my office.

Funny thing is, if memory serves, when I built the original swing, I didn't have a router then either.

Both times I did it crudely with a skill saw, keyhole saw and hammer and chisel.

It's not a guitar, LOL. The joints will be glued and carriage bolted and there's three of them. I think I likely over built the last one but that's fine. My kids and grandchild sit on that swing.


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## Acoustic Tom (Apr 6, 2020)

I bet you a cold beer sure would taste nice on that swing when you have it complete! Good looking job.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Acoustic Tom said:


> I bet you a cold beer sure would taste nice on that swing when you have it complete! Good looking job.


A beer and a toke sounds pretty darned good (when I'm done).

Today:
I got all my braces cut and contoured including the lap joints.

I also rounded over all the slats on the router table.

I finished the day by clamping the three brace lowers (seat portions) together and belt sanding them as one so the slats will sit nice and flat and then did the same for the back braces.

Tomorrow I'll be on the drill press a fair bit drilling and assembling the braces with carriage bolts and gorilla (wood) glue and also drilling and countersinking the 32 slats.

Arm rests and bottom support beam will be Thursday I figure.

I'm sore and tired, but I'm having fun.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I made some progress. The arm rests are made. I just need to do a little more drilling and assembly and I'll be to the sanding stage. It should be hanging by the weekend.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)




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## Acoustic Tom (Apr 6, 2020)

Milkman said:


> View attachment 378344
> 
> 
> View attachment 378345
> ...


Looks good on that porch. Now it's time for that beer and toke! Quality build.


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## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

@Milkman How am I gonna find your house? The in-need-of-a-coat-of-varnish swing has been my go to landmark. 😋

Looks good. I sometimes wish I had the wherewithal to take on home projects.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Paul M said:


> @Milkman How am I gonna find your house? The in-need-of-a-coat-of-varnish swing has been my go to landmark. 😋
> 
> Looks good. I sometimes wish I had the wherewithal to take on home projects.



I'll be sure to always leave a portion in need of varnish..

Thanks, you're welcome to sit on them any time.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Pretty much done. Three coats of good outdoor oil based Varithane.
















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I just want to put plugs in the counterbored holes in the top of the arm rests.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)




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## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

If you get Amanda to paint the other swing with the same process as she paints guitar bodies.....that'd be a cool advertising piece.


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## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Milkman said:


>


Nice work Mike.
I don't know if I would trust the double loop chain, especially with your gas main directly below.
I'd go with something stronger, if I were to do that.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

laristotle said:


> Nice work Mike.
> I don't know if I would trust the double loop chain, especially with your gas main directly below.
> I'd go with something stronger, if I were to do that.


Thanks Man,

The chain is actually over spec. I had an engineer look it over. It would hold more than 1500 pounds (using four separate lengths and heavy clevis).










Other than some work to spruce up the original swing, this is pretty much done.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Paul M said:


> If you get Amanda to paint the other swing with the same process as she paints guitar bodies.....that'd be a cool advertising piece.



I thought of that, but I just don't think I want to draw that much attention to the front of the house.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I felt that the old swing and the new one were just too different in appearance so I whipped up another new one. I'll retire the old one, maybe modify it a bit and make a bench for the garden. We already have way more seating there than we'll ever use, but after more than twenty years of service, somehow I've become attached to the old thing.

In fact I wrote a song inspired by sitting on it and wishing the street was a river (late night Kush haze maybe?).

Anyway, hopefully these will last as long. I just need to get some poly on it.


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## terminalvertigo (Jun 12, 2010)

looks great man!


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