hanging play gym?

[Quantumcat]

I have plenty of thick cotton rope, thin cotton string, clean eucalyptus branches, and superglue. How do I turn this into a hanging playgym? Specifically, how do you actually attach it to the roof (I am no handywoman :-( ), and is it possible to make it removable so the spare room can go back to being a spare room when needed?

 

[birdy bird]

Hi, we have a swing mounted to the celing in a spare room. We used a stud finder to find where the wood suports are, then screwed in a hook. The swing has a metal ring at the top and it just hangs. It is removable when ever it is needed, but the hook is still there. The hook is not very noticable.

I would not use any type of glue as your bird may find it! bird + glue = not good!

 

[Aussie Ben]

Cool, Scarlett will enjoy a gym!

Firstly, do away with the super glue, that is a no no

I THINK cotton rope is fine to use. Personally, I use sisal rope as it is all natural and harder for toenails to get caught (it generally shreds instead of looping like cotton rope).

To join the branches together, I recommend using screws, for safety (unless you want to tie really tight knots). Just pick up a small pack of countersinking timber screws from the hardware store. Screw everything together as you want. Make sure that all the screws are either sunk right into the timber or covered with rope so that the bird cannot access them. This way you can use any sort of fasteners, zinc, nikel plate etc. Most people recommend using stainless steel fasteners, but usually forget to mention they cost 10 times the price.

As for attaching it to the roof, if you can't find a beam, you need to get a strong ceiling anchor (you MAY need to use multiple). There are many different types, but what is most important is that it can support the weight of scarlett and the playgym. look on the packet it should tell you. I wouldn't go for anything that holds less than 5kg (your bird will be jumping around on this thing remember). Just get the strongest possible anchor and you won't have a problem.

I like the 'toggle' type. I have used these for various things before

Good luck

 

[Bobby34231]

I don't recommend cotton rope, I've had a couple of incedents with birds getting tangled in it, one by the foot, and one around the neck, the use of a light chain or even sisal rope would be more safe.........

 

[Quantumcat]

Ok, I got around to getting all the stuff I needed (sisal rope, screws, drill, pruning saw, sandpaper, ceiling hook rated ten kilos). I sawed up the branches into nice manageable pieces, sandpapered all the sharp bits, tied and cut the rope so it is a loop at the top with four long pieces hanging down ... generally had everything ready. Then I tried to drill the screws into the wood and they won't go!! I was sooo disappointed!! They just spin around and around into they fall out and the drill bit falls out. I tried hammering them in a bit before drilling but they still fall out. Also, the drill bit keeps falling out even though I tighten it in. I can't find anything in the instructions about locking it into place. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Also one of the branches was just waaay too heavy ... so I put it on top of the desk (it has a sort of bookcase built into it) to make a new place for Scarlett to hang out. After encouraging her to stand on it with some seeds she has had fun giving it a good chew! It's a playstand with no building required

 

[Aussie Ben]

did you try drilling a 'pilot hole'? This often helps with this sort of thing, especially when drilling into natural branches. Get a regular drill bit that is the same diameter as the 'minor' diameter of the screw (that is the internal diameter) Seen below:

http://www.dssales.net/SCRCHRT_files/fig2prtsthread.gif

No real science to it, you can just line it up by eye to find the correct size. Now use this to pre-drill a hole for the screw. If your joining 2 pieces together, then drill through both of them. Now you can switch drill bits and drive in the screw.

As for the drill, if it has a regular chuck/collet on it then you should simply be able to tighten it up by hand by spining the top part of the chuck in one direction and the bottom section in the other. You shouldn't have to do it that way. You should just be able to change it by running the drill and holding the chuck. This is the method I use http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-video-12782653-changing-drill-bit.php

Also, its a silly question, but I have to ask, is the drill spinning clockwise when you are drilling?

I hope that made sense

 

[Quantumcat]

I borrowed a nail from my neighbour and hammered in a pilot hole, as Ben suggested, but it still didn't work. The screw just spun around and didn't do anything (except make the hole bigger). I figured out how to make the drill bit stay in, there was a little plastic gear-shaped thing used to tighten the chuck properly, I just wasn't able to tighten it suffciently by hand. So anyway I decided to give up on that and try tying the rope to the branches with my cotton string. It worked! I also used the string to turn the remainder of my sisal rope into a rope ladder. Here are some pics:

I have a problem with the ceiling hook. It came with a stick with screw-lines on it, the hook, and the flaps. It said to screw the hook onto one end of the stick, and screw the flaps *two or three turns* onto the other end. Then push the flaps through the hole, and after the flaps open, to "pull down slightly and tighten". Well there's about 5cm of screw-stick sticking out of the hole and it's very ugly. I can't see how you can possibly tighten it, since you can't hold onto the flap part!! Does anyone know how to tighten it?

Oh and if anyone wants to know how much this cost:

-Sisal rope = $2.50/metre, I used ten metres (including the rope ladder) = $25. Only needed about six metres for the actual gym, so $15.
-Eucalyptus branches = free (someone down the street was doing some serious pruning, left a gigantic pile of branches in his front yard! I helped myself.)
-Pruning saw = $4
-Sandpaper = $1.50
-Cotton string = $2
-Scissors = $5
-Cheapest possible drill = $20
-Drill bit for ceiling hole = $3
-Ceiling hook = $5

 

[Aussie Ben]

I borrowed a nail from my neighbour and hammered in a pilot hole, as Ben suggested, but it still didn't work.

lol, i actually meant use a drill bit and drill the hole, not a nail and hammer but thats cool

Anyway, it looks really great, you have done such a wonderful job and it looks like someone else likes it too.

As for the hook, would you be able to post a picture of what the problem is? I might have an answer for you.

 

[Quantumcat]

Oh yeah, it was too much bother to go back to Bunnings so I just went to my neighbour, hoping he had the right drill bit. He suggested a nail. Sorry! It probably would have worked had I drilled it.
Anyway here's the hook:

 

[Bobby34231]

Thats known as a toggle bolt, if you take the swing off the hook, then pull down on the hook with slight pressure, you can turn the hook round and round and eventually the threaded part will go up into the part thats in the ceiling, keep turning till the hook is snug up against the ceiling

heres a video that may help a bit, its an installation into a wall and not a ceiling, but its the same pricipal, instead of a hook it uses a screw headed bolt, so you'll use your hand instead of a drill to tighten, hope it helps.....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkVIpGVwzOE&feature=related[/ame]

 

[Aussie Ben]

I had a similar problem with these hooks when I used them. To fix it, I lightly pulled on it in a downwards direction while I was tightening it, this seemed to create just enough friction so that the flaps 'Grab' the inside of the ceiling and stay in place. It may take a bit of patience and a gentle touch, but it should work. The ceiling i used mine in was heavily insulated so that helped provide friction too, but I can't see why it wouldn't work for you. Only one way to vind out

 

[Aussie Ben]

Oh Bobby you beat me too it lol

 

[Quantumcat]

That sounded exactly like what you were supposed to do ... so I went and did it ... only the stick came out :'(

If I pulled too hard, it sounded like it was slipping through, but if I didn't pull hard enough, the flaps would just turn around ... in the middle of trying to get the tension just right it came out. I was SO sure it was turning the right way, the screw-lines looked like they were going upwards (would that have been the right way??) but it mustn't have been!! I guess I have to go back to Bunnings now.... siiiiighhh (I'm sorry scarlett :'().

 

[Aussie Ben]

righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. If you were turning it to the right, its very odd that the threaded rod would come out.

 

[Bobby34231]

righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. If you were turning it to the right, its very odd that the threaded rod would come out.

and don't forget the slight downward pulling pressure on the hook or else the toggle will just spin around up in the ceiling without allowing the bolt to tighten

 

[Aussie Ben]

righty-tighty, lefty-loosey. If you were turning it to the right, its very odd that the threaded rod would come out.

and don't forget the slight downward pulling pressure on the hook or else the toggle will just spin around up in the ceiling without allowing the bolt to tighten

amen