PhilMays Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I think your OK either way. I've never had a set last long enough due to moves. Our last set was close to 3K, and we moved.... Chances are, you'll move...taking those guys can be quite a pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 My garage looks and smells like a lumberyard. (sound of deep breath, hands on hips, hairy chest and all) I love the smell of freshly treated lumber in the morning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstrickland1 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Have you ever seen those systems made by Rainbow? Totally too expensive but they look very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Our set was Wood Play...very nice until you move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted May 16, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 16, 2007 Yes, I did look at the Rainbow ones. They were nice! I finally decided on this one.... Hopefully it will last a little while. I'm thinking 7 years ought to do it....no plans to move now, knock on wood (pressure treated, of course) [] I'll be sure to post a pic of the little guy happily playing, if the thing ever gets built! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mungkiman Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 With the decision made, I won't offer too many opinions. PressureTreated wood is manufactured in a way that the chemicals are introducedthrough the exterior faces of the lumber. Usually the treatmentpenetrates no more than 1/4" or so into the board. Be SURE to use an"End Cut Solution" on every cut to maximize the life of the product. Inthese parts, PT lumber is usually Hemlock, and will rot quickly if thecuts aren't treated. End grain will soak up a lot of the solution, so2-3 coats will truly help. Please encourage your helpers to weardust masks when cutting or sanding, as the fine dust can be easilyinhaled, and the chemicals transferred to you. Also, treat anysplinters immediately, as they can fester quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjones4841 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Amy: If you are speaking of the Wood Play brand of play sets, I bought my son one years ago (about 1993). I was disappointed in the quality for what I spent. I bought all cedar, but bees quickly started boring into the wood. It started looking bad quickly, even tho I put 2-3 coats of oil stain on it. Plus, the accessories are not well made (at least at that time) - the slide had so much friction that he could never enjoy it. Some of the parts that were not cedar rotted within 2-3 years. I ended up cutting it up with my chainsaw about 3-4 years ago. Maybe quality is up now, but from my experience I would not pay that kind of money for it again. My neighbor built his own play set out of pressure treated lumber - it stood the test of time far better than the Wood Play set. ...just my two pennies worth... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khorn51 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 I'm surprised no one has taked about childlife brand play sets. The one that last for decades out sets are over 20 years old and still looking good, they are kinda like the Klipschorn of playsets. They are made out of yellow cedar that is very strong and last for years and years. They are well sanded and painted . I think even the white house has a set. I would buy a used Childlife set over the other brands anyday. I found there web site http://www.childlife.com/ Hey mabey I can find a 1947 palyset to go along with my 47 khorn and 47 vw bug. I buy vintage not because it old but well made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Robin Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Just take him over to Colter's and let him play on the mountain. If you plan the build during the Pilgrimage I would bet you could plenty of free labor!!!!!!!!!! Later Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 I almost suggested to just invite the gang over during the Pilgrimage but didn't for the following reasons: I'm thinking building things is too much fun to pass up, but this Pilgrimage stuff also sounds too much funhmmm, a bit selfish maybe as I'm only planning on being there Saturday (yes, I'm planning on coming but probably when the Saturday schedule starts at 9:00 AM, then leave around noon and return after my daughter's 1:00 PM? soccer game - sorry but the kids take precedence over my fun - for now) probably a lot of excellent and willing help - but kind of takes time away from the Pilgramage activities - but could make the build party part of the Pilgrimage - maybe could convince Colter to relocate his Mountain of Klipsch (maybe I should trademark Mountina of Klipsch or offer it to Colter as I have no Mountain of Klipsch) - It seems a Mountain of Klipsch might be able to drown out power tools (maybe not a good idea ... hearing damage, might be a little too dangerous to operate power tools without being able to hear them - and your neighbors might not be as enthusiastic about high decibel music reproduction as the Klipsch faithful - but there's a lot of manual assembly type tasks to do also) potential liability issues - somebody gets hurt on your property you could be liable - insurance companies are probably very good at finding loopholes to avoid paying for such accidents - maybe some short term liabiltiy insurance would be in order - a homeowner, in theory the homeowners insurance company, can be sued if a worker for a contractor hired to work on one's house gets hurt - make sure any contractors have workmen's comp insurance - many don't as it's expensive - I doubt that any of the Pilgrimage attendees would want to sue you and doubt that they'd be careless (hide the brew until the jobs done, just in case) , but if they would get hurt they may have to if their insurance company won't pay or their insurance company may sue the homeowner to avoid paying I would say come up to Kokomo and see our play set (not as nice as the one you've bought) but the lumber is still piled up in the corner of our garage (hauled from Columbus IN to Bolingbrook IL approximately 14 years ago - didn't put it up then as already planning to move - didn't get it put up when moved to Kokomo IN back in 1994. The house we bought had a climber with a single swing - a variation for the hardware kit - I did buy the swinging bridge hardware kit and planned to connect the two and I think even cut all the lumber to size a few years ago. I also bought the hardware for a teeter totter and actually completed it, and then restacked everything into the corner of the garage where it still sits. The existing climber of pressure treated wood would give you an idea of what yours may look like in a few years without water protection - and it is probably from the old arsenic pressure treated word that probably worked better than the newer "safer" treatment. We do have a swing we bought ready made of kiln dried pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine (I think that was the claim and SYP seems to be common for PT in these parts). We treated it with some Thompson's Honey tinted word treatment, probably a little thick achieving a nice looking brown as opposed a more honey tint. We did that after sitting outside a couple of years, a little late as it had already started to shell and split and crack somewhat. Being kiln dried, before pressure treating they claimed, has the advantage that it was dry and ready for the wood treatment when we got it - most if not all pressure treated wood one buys is WET and will need to dry somewhat before it will accept treatment. And do use it soon as it will warp and twist in ways one would not imagine (especially if you leave it out and exposed to the elements like I've done for lumber for our Deckzilla project that's actually in progress - I didn't know lumber could warp and twist in the ways some of that has (DUH, stacked in the yard and only covered about 1/2 the winters much less the rest of the time.... One last suggestion, if you're budget can stomach it, buy some of the composite wood decking. We've been using Ultra Deck from Menard's on Deckzilla and it seems pretty stable after the same exposure. I think when I priced it a few years ago, the Ultra Deck wasn't too much more than Cedar decking and maybe comparable. The hollow goes for about $1.19 a foot for 5-1/4" wide and may still go on sale occasionally for $0.99 a foot which is what I think we paid for it. One not of caution though - I've found that the solid Ultra Deck (naturally a bit more expensive) that I have is thinner than the hollow though I think they started out the same (need to find my receipt as I think it has at least a 10 year warrenty and I stil have 2 to 3 years left). And definitely wear dusk masks and gloves when handling any pressure treated lumber. sorry for the rambling, I get this way when I stay up later than I should Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 aauugghh - my spelling really goes down the tubes as well (is there a spell check option for forum posts?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Amy: If you are speaking of the Wood Play brand of play sets, I bought my son one years ago (about 1993). I was disappointed in the quality for what I spent. I bought all cedar, but bees quickly started boring into the wood. It started looking bad quickly, even tho I put 2-3 coats of oil stain on it. Plus, the accessories are not well made (at least at that time) - the slide had so much friction that he could never enjoy it. Some of the parts that were not cedar rotted within 2-3 years. I ended up cutting it up with my chainsaw about 3-4 years ago. Maybe quality is up now, but from my experience I would not pay that kind of money for it again. My neighbor built his own play set out of pressure treated lumber - it stood the test of time far better than the Wood Play set. ...just my two pennies worth... That's interesting. We bought ours 4 to 5 years ago. The quality must have increased due to complaints then...The accessories never broke and, in fact, we stripped some of them off with the move to put on the new set, which we never built Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted May 21, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2007 If you plan the build during the Pilgrimage I would bet you could plenty of free labor!!!!!!!!!! That's a good idea, but did you see the pictures from last year of them trying to put up the party-tent? Yikes. The summer is only so long. [] We've actually got the "spine" of the thing up--the big tower with the platform and the peak-roof. I'm sore, sunburnt, tired, blistered, and have tinted water-sealant all over my feet. Note to self: wear shoes. Steven can't stop grinning and dancing around the thing, though...he's so excited. It's all worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 If you plan the build during the Pilgrimage I would bet you could plenty of free labor!!!!!!!!!! I'm sore, sunburnt, tired, blistered, and have tinted water-sealant all over my feet. Sounds like any other day in the life of Miss West Virginia ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted May 21, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2007 Sounds like any other day in the life of Miss West Virginia ! LOL! For any of you actually interested in this stuff [] Here's early progress...the excitement is building Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted May 21, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2007 And here's where we are as of today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted May 21, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 21, 2007 And here's a pic of most of the wood I had to waterproof (I couldn't get it all in the pic)...and why my feet are splotchy brown: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrWho Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 working barefoot? you're crazy! lol lookin good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLSamuel Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Yes. Looking very good. And you really might want to consider wearing some shoes when working with wood sealer not to mention that some foot protection is a good thing when working with lumber of any kind. [H] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Amy Posted May 22, 2007 Author Moderators Share Posted May 22, 2007 I hear ya. I just hate wearing shoes. It's bad enough I have to wear them at work all day long [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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