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The Tire Swing Swivel found in our clinics is available at www.swingwarehouse.com. This is light duty and comes complete with a hardened steel ball and ball bearing. We ahve found the bearing Swivel to be the quietest and safest way to attach a swing. The picture to the right shows this swivel hook.  If you are interested in professional installation contact Sean at (847)223-6192.

How to build a Climbing wall click here for instructions

Installing a Swing
There are a few ways in which you can install a screw eye on your ceiling I will cover the method we have found easiest.  You will need the following tools and supplies:

Tools :

Supplies :

• Saw, a hand crosscut or a circular saw will work.
• Screw-gun or power drill.  The cordless variety are more convenient.
• A stud finder.  The sonic variety are preferred.
• drill bits
• A straight edge. A carpenter's square will work well.
• A lead pencil
• A tape measure.  (you can also use the ruler on the side of the straight edge if it has one.
• A ladder unless you are really tall.
• two crescent wrenches

• A piece of a 2x12 at least 1.5" wider than the distance between your floor joists.
• 3" drywall screws buy one package or at least 28
• A swivel hook.  You can also replace the swivel hook with a screw eye though we have found them to be noisy and wear.
• Hardware to attach the swivel hook to the 2x12 (specifications are coming soon for now please take the swivel hook to your helpful hardware man (or woman)  Tel him or her that you need to attach it to a 2x12. 
• Loctite  or other threadlock

1. Find two studs on the ceiling where you intend to place the hook.  You can do this with the stud finder.  Be sure to mark the edges of the studs in several places.  Once you have done this use the straight edge to indicate the edges of the studs. 

2. Measure the distance from the furthest of the two lines which you have drawn and cut the 2x12 to 1" more than this dimension.  Your studs will probably be 18" on center which makes the distance between their outer edges 19.5" and the length desired for the 2x12 20.5".

3. Find the center of the 2x12.  Using the straight edge diagonally across the piece of 2x12 mark a 3" line in the middle of the wide part of the 2x12.  do the same with the straight edge diagonally across in the other direction.  this x in the middle of the 2x12 marks the center of the 2x12.

4. Drill 2 holes in the middle of the stud.  (use the swing swivel placed on the middle of the x you just drew.)

5. Attach the swivel hook to the 2x12.  using thread locker (like Loc-Tite).  If you have a piece of inner tube to place between the wood and the swivel hook it will be even quieter.

6. At this point put a drywall screw about an inch in from each corner of the 2x12 on the face which has they eye.

7. Put the 2x12 in it's position on the ceiling and drive the drywall screws into the ceiling checking that their position will place them into the studs.

8. Add a screw approximately every inch on both sides following the stud.  Drywall screws will only work if they go into the stud.

9. You now have a hook in the ceiling.  If you want you may cover the 2x12 with a material which works with the decor of the room.  You want the piece of material to extend at least a couple inches beyond the edge of the 2x4.

10. You can now add a swivel and a height adjustment mechanism to an existing screw eye.  The easiest way to add a height adjustment mechanism is with a prussic hitch  or kleinheist hitch.  If you are on the North Shore Hedlund Marine on Green Bay Road in Wilmette (847) 251-0515 will have everything you need:  You can also order things from Southpaw Enterprises.  Soon we will have a kit which includes everything you need to install a ceiling swing hook.  You can easily install it yourself or if you are interested in professional installation you may call Sean at (847) 223-6192

Swivel you may be able to find one at a hardware store also.

3/4 inch braided line with a thimble on one end.  The length should depend on your ceiling height but 6' should do.

1/4" piece of line for prussic 1' carabineer