Monkey bars!

Discussion in 'Landscaping and Outdoors' started by furious_customer, Oct 12, 2020.

  1. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    Looking to build a set of money bars in the garden for the kids - structure will be all wood - 4x4 posts and pressure treated 2x4's.

    There are commercially available metal bars that can be bolted to the top of the frame, but they are super expensive so I was wondering if anyone had any clever alternative suggestions?
     
  2. b4xtr

    b4xtr Active Member

    Cheap or secondhand ladder ?
     
    chillimonster likes this.
  3. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    I had thought about a ladder, but the rungs tend to be grooved to prevent slipping - I think I need something quite smooth to be gentle on small hands.
     
  4. chillimonster

    chillimonster Screwfix Select

    look up self assembly handrails ( I used KeeKlamp). Get suitable diameter for young
    hands, cut length to suit, buy their clamps to secure pipes to top of the 4 x 2 's
     
  5. Rob_bv

    Rob_bv Active Member

    25mm galvanized conduit, cut to length and sandwiched between the 4x4s in 1" deep holes cut with a spade bit.
     
  6. b4xtr

    b4xtr Active Member

    True, hadn't thought about the grooved rungs
     
  7. SaintBulbasaur

    SaintBulbasaur New Member

    Broom handles!
     
  8. chillimonster

    chillimonster Screwfix Select

    I mean no disrespect but no broom handles or conduit. If the kids are strong enough
    to hang from monkey bars they'll be too forceful for either. I cut and used metal conduit
    to pass 2330 electrics.

    Weightlifter's bars are the ideal strength and diameter although a swine to cut.
    My opinion.

    Local municipal parks have chinning and monkey bars, check out their set-up.
     
  9. Rob_bv

    Rob_bv Active Member

    A 2ft length of metal conduit will take my weight, and I'm a shade over 17st. My 5yo son swings about happily on monkey bars at the park; he's somewhat less than 17st.
     
  10. welshblue

    welshblue Active Member

    Rope ? Easy to cut and fasten. Soak it before cutting
     
  11. chillimonster

    chillimonster Screwfix Select

    fair point Rob_bv. As I said. my opinion.

    Haven't been on playground ironwork for 50 years+. It was all
    made of heavy duty stuff so it could withstand non stop
    playing if need be.
     
  12. furious_customer

    furious_customer Screwfix Select

    Thanks - I agree that broomhandles and conduit are not strong enough - the self assembly handrail tubes sound like a good idea.

    You can buy a welded monkey bar rail just like the ones the have in the parks, but the cheapest I can find so far is £350 and it's not very long.
     
  13. stevie22

    stevie22 Screwfix Select

    Gas pipe?
     
  14. dt99jay

    dt99jay Member

    I had same issue over the summer -- the pre-made ones you can buy are crazy expensive. I used 34mm diameter (3.25mm wall thickness) galvanised tube from an online shop which was about the right size for my kids' hands. Each one is 1.5m, fixed at both ends into a wall flange screwed to timber and supported with a timber in the middle. Was fine to cut with a hacksaw and takes my weight ok.
     

    Attached Files:

  15. General

    General New Member

    20mm conduit put inside 25mm conduit is one of the strongest things known to man

    try bending that bar steward..!
     
  16. Severntrent

    Severntrent Screwfix Select

    If you use hollow conduit fill inside with suitable sized concrete or mortar at 1 to 4 for added strength
     

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