Brachiation Ladder

[Craig D Peltier]

Hi, I just became aware that these existed. A friend wants me to build one for her. I was looking at pics and I noticed right off that the 2x4s werent bought at the local borg. They look like s4s select.
( this is what brachiation ladders are for: it helps coordination and grows the chest to allow more lung capacity thus more oxygen to the brain for toddlers)

So anyways of course I couldnt find any help in lumber at Big Orange so I went to Big Blue. They had to make a call to there lumber supplier. After I noticed him writing down prices like 2x4x8 $4.05 he came back an told me several prices like $20 an up per piece. They were douglas fir s4s select.

For instance a 2x4x8 was 23.26 or 4.36BF. And a 2x6x8 was $57.23 or $7.15BF:eek:

So do you think poplar would be strong enough for a toddler up to 75lbs or so to hang off of? Its cheaper than this fir? Ash would be also, is this better?
Does select doug fir come in the rough?

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[Bill Wyko]

I just needed to dress up some 2x4's for some finish work. I ran them through my surface planer and they turned out great. Squared the edges up real nice.

[Jason Beam]

Craig, the prices you got for the fir are outrageous! But, your alternatives are actual Hardwoods and they would generally be much stronger than Fir. Ash would make a great wood for something like this - it's very strong and looks a little like white oak.

[Andrew Williams]

Ash, in this part of the country, is in the $2.00-$2.50 range per BF. Can't imagine how it could be all that much more on the west coast.

[Craig D Peltier]

Ash, in this part of the country, is in the $2.00-$2.50 range per BF. Can't imagine how it could be all that much more on the west coast.

8/4 ash here at one place is 3.25 and another 5.50.

It was $100 cheaper for ash but I have to mill it so its not cheaper. Its 140bf in just 2x4s and 2x6s, figuring ash in the rough 2x4s are 2x6s and 2x6s are 2x8s at lumber yard.

[Andrew Williams]

If cost is the main issue then you could always glue them up from 4/4 stock (might also offset bowing and crooks). I made my workbench that way. my hardwood supplier has told me recently that clear pine has become quite an expensive commodity these days, red oak is cheaper!

As far as the strength issue, personally I would not let my kid dangle from poplar. Maybe a really wide beam.

[Tom Veatch]

..., figuring ash in the rough 2x4s are 2x6s and 2x6s are 2x8s at lumber yard.

You lost me on that! Are you saying that you have to get rough 2x6 to mill a 2x4?

Rough cut lumber should be very close to the stated dimension. A rough cut 2x4 (8/4 stock) should measure very close to an actual 2" X 4" and after milling will be close to the actual 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 dimensions of a "normal" 2x4.

And I'll second the statement in a previous post that ash would be a very good choice. Better than fir/"white wood", IMHO. BTW, those pictures remind me of some of the stuff on the obstacle course in Marine Corps boot camp.

[Craig D Peltier]

If im buying rough 8/4 ash, im not going to be able to choose pieces thats 4 inches wide is what I meant or exactly 6 and mill them down 1/2 inch to be the nominal size of 2.5 x 3.5. Ash was $100 cheaper but more work. Soemone mentioned gluing up 4/4 pine for frame thats a good idea.
quote=Tom Veatch;603955]You lost me on that! Are you saying that you have to get rough 2x6 to mill a 2x4?

Rough cut lumber should be very close to the stated dimension. A rough cut 2x4 (8/4 stock) should measure very close to an actual 2" X 4" and after milling will be close to the actual 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 dimensions of a "normal" 2x4.

And I'll second the statement in a previous post that ash would be a very good choice. Better than fir/"white wood", IMHO. BTW, those pictures remind me of some of the stuff on the obstacle course in Marine Corps boot camp.[/quote]

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Make 'em from any high quality splinter free hard wood.

I'd use maple, and I'd make the rungs round. 66400

Many folks get up to $500.00 for custom ladders