Post your woodwork here

[Long Wheel Base]

I am busy with a wooden jungle gym for the lighties. Using the usual split poles for most of it. Getting a few different "opinions" on treatment of the wood. I have obviously looked at some of the jungle gyms at parks/schools etc and they all treated with something. The standard treated poles you buy is apparently not good enough and I tend to agree. Reasons vary but the main points seem to be that, A, ideally it needs a smooth finish avoiding splinters and B, Less harmful for little ones.

A few things I have been told, When planting the poles in the ground, don't put concrete first and then the pole, rather put the pole and the concrete around so the bottom of the pole can still breath. Treat bottom of the pole with creosote and the rest with a varnish of some sort. Any poles that get cut, treat the cut part.

What you guys think of the above?

Any other tips?

What should I treat the poles with? Varnish?

The jungle gym will be in between 2 big trees and will see little to no direct sun.

[Plentipotential]

Firstly, most of the pole will be out of the ground so it will have plenty of "breathing area" that's a non issue. However if you concrete the pole in you will trap moisture between wood and concrete so will speed up the rotting, but CCA treated poles will out last your kids childhood. You can buy round machined poles which have been treated and avoid splinters but you may want to sand them and varnish anyway. Try Noag's Market in Pamona.

[mon-goose]

i saw a diagram somewhere that suggested not putting concrete under the end of the pole in the hole. They suggested putting the pole into the hole and the concrete around it. That way the concrete doesn't form a bowl at the bottom for the pole to sit in...

 

tooo many holes and poles so hope it makes sense

[Warthog]

Firstly, most of the pole will be out of the ground so it will have plenty of "breathing area" that's a non issue. However if you concrete the pole in you will trap moisture between wood and concrete so will speed up the rotting, but CCA treated poles will out last your kids childhood. You can buy round machined poles which have been treated and avoid splinters but you may want to sand them and varnish anyway. Try Noag's Market in Pamona.

True.

 

I built a 6mx6m deck some 16 years ago, used CCA treated poles (and planking). We always joke and say the house will probably fall in before that deck goes anywhere.

[carrera4s]

i saw a diagram somewhere that suggested not putting concrete under the end of the pole in the hole. They suggested putting the pole into the hole and the concrete around it. That way the concrete doesn't form a bowl at the bottom for the pole to sit in...

 

tooo many holes and poles so hope it makes sense

 

Maybe try this:  Loose rocks in the bottom of the hole with the bottom of the pole on / in these rocks.  Then the concrete on top of the rocks.

 

That way any moisture running down the pole can drain away and the pole will not stand on wet soil.  Hopefully this should postpone rotting as long as possible.

[stefmeister]

Got some pipe clamps this week from Toolcraft. I recall there were someone looking for them a while ago.

These are great value and better than similar priced sash clamps. Record sash clamps have just become unaffordable.

 

[porqui]

Maybe try this:  Loose rocks in the bottom of the hole with the bottom of the pole on / in these rocks.  Then the concrete on top of the rocks.

 

That way any moisture running down the pole can drain away and the pole will not stand on wet soil.  Hopefully this should postpone rotting as long as possible.

 

This  ^^^

 

I would however drill a 14mm hole through the pole where the concrete is and put a 12mm piece of rebar through it that sticks out about 80mm on each side.( you could also just bang in 2 or 3   five inch nails)

[Tothehills]

I am busy with a wooden jungle gym for the lighties. Using the usual split poles for most of it. Getting a few different "opinions" on treatment of the wood. I have obviously looked at some of the jungle gyms at parks/schools etc and they all treated with something. The standard treated poles you buy is apparently not good enough and I tend to agree. Reasons vary but the main points seem to be that, A, ideally it needs a smooth finish avoiding splinters and B, Less harmful for little ones.

A few things I have been told, When planting the poles in the ground, don't put concrete first and then the pole, rather put the pole and the concrete around so the bottom of the pole can still breath. Treat bottom of the pole with creosote and the rest with a varnish of some sort. Any poles that get cut, treat the cut part.

What you guys think of the above?

Any other tips?

What should I treat the poles with? Varnish?

The jungle gym will be in between 2 big trees and will see little to no direct sun.

Here are some guidelines or you

 

https://www.sawpa.co.za/diy-projects-monkeying-around

[Plentipotential]

All of this is over thinking the problem.

 

Here's why.

 

Concrete retains moisture, put a block of concrete in a bucket of water with half the piece in the water the other half above, watch the water get sucked up into the dry concrete. The pole is in the concrete and will be wet when the concrete is wet. CCA treated poles last as long as creosoted poles. You could place the pole in the ground, surround it with pieces of broken brick and or rock and bash the stone/bricks until the pole is firmly planted and then fill with soil all the while bashing the soil with a 10 pound hammer, this is what I have done, works well saves the concrete. But the kids will be playing on the poles so use concrete and get the strength. I've seen people wrap the pole in plastic, huge mistake, the concrete will dry as will the pole, when it rains it gets wet. Anyway its not like the pole is in a pool of water it's just damp. Put stones at the bottom, the water will dry out of the soil anyway, check how dry the soil is in the bottom of the hole when you dig the hole. Unless you live in a swamp the hole will be dry. You will not get away from the pole getting wet if it's outdoors. Don't worry, the pole will be there long after the kids have left home, it's how wooden decks are built.

[Plentipotential]

http://www.extremev.co.za/machined-pole-jungle-gyms-johannesburg.asp

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Got some pipe clamps this week from Toolcraft. I recall there were someone looking for them a while ago.

These are great value and better than similar priced sash clamps. Record sash clamps have just become unaffordable.

 

 

Length and price?

[Long Wheel Base]

Thanks so much for all the tips about the jungle gym poles, guys  .

Was already planning on getting the poles from noags so will get the machined ones. The slide has a 7 to 10 day lead time so only expecting to pick it up 1st week September. Will get the wood in the mean time and start asap. Only problem is I see so many cool designs and our design keeps changing. I need a specific design before I buy material. Don't want much wastage.

[stefmeister]

Length and price?

R369 for the fixtures, and the pipes were separate, about R50/m. You can make up your own lengths. I figure 3/4" pipe are good for up to 2m lengths.

https://www.toolcraft.co.za/products/pony-clamp-3-4-pipe-the-original

[BSG]

Thanks so much for all the tips about the jungle gym poles, guys [emoji106] .

Was already planning on getting the poles from noags so will get the machined ones. The slide has a 7 to 10 day lead time so only expecting to pick it up 1st week September. Will get the wood in the mean time and start asap. Only problem is I see so many cool designs and our design keeps changing. I need a specific design before I buy material. Don't want much wastage.

We have a whole treated (colours the wood light green, not too sure what treatment it is) wooden play park in our caravan park (been in use now since 1997 and we live by the sea), we don't use concrete at all, only stones or bricks around it in the hole, fill with soil and compact it with a pole or "stamper" and absolutely no rotting on them. Moved one about a year ago and it stil looks brand new.

[Stretched@Birth]

I am busy with a wooden jungle gym for the lighties. Using the usual split poles for most of it. Getting a few different "opinions" on treatment of the wood. I have obviously looked at some of the jungle gyms at parks/schools etc and they all treated with something. The standard treated poles you buy is apparently not good enough and I tend to agree. Reasons vary but the main points seem to be that, A, ideally it needs a smooth finish avoiding splinters and B, Less harmful for little ones.

A few things I have been told, When planting the poles in the ground, don't put concrete first and then the pole, rather put the pole and the concrete around so the bottom of the pole can still breath. Treat bottom of the pole with creosote and the rest with a varnish of some sort. Any poles that get cut, treat the cut part.

What you guys think of the above?

Any other tips?

What should I treat the poles with? Varnish?

The jungle gym will be in between 2 big trees and will see little to no direct sun.

The greater Johannesburg area is basically built on a termite colony, so treatment is critical.  Your preparation, and how you plant the poles is also very important.  See the below diagram from the SAWPA (South Africa Wood Preservers Association) website:

 

 

 

For the planted poles, they need to be H4, and if you cut them, the cut end should not be planted, i.e. plant the treated end, but also retreat the cut end with a suitable treatment (e.g. Waxsol F).  Once the jungle gym is done, you can treat it with a suitable oil.  

 

When working with CCA treated timber, especially when cutting, wear the appropriate protection (dust mask), and do not burn the off cuts.

 

To buy treated poles and wood, Noag se Mark in Kempton, or Mint Road Saw Mills in Alrode.  

 

See the diagram on guidelines for planting the poles, essentially you want to prevent water from damming up around the base of the pole, which causes rotting.

 

If you follow the guidelines, the lighties will outgrow the Jungle Gym before it falls apart...

[Rocket-Boy]

Got some pipe clamps this week from Toolcraft. I recall there were someone looking for them a while ago.

These are great value and better than similar priced sash clamps. Record sash clamps have just become unaffordable.

 

Awesome clamps, that was me looking for them a while back. The Pony ones are very highly rated. Did toolcraft do the cutting and threading of the pipes for you?