From: jrjorgensen@yahoo.com (J. Jorgensen)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Hanging a Tree Swing/Chair
Date: 14 Apr 2004 09:24:52 -0700

I have purchased a SkyChair which I plan to hang from a tree in our
backyard.  I also plan on buying a Disc swing to use on the same rope
(disconnect the chair and hook-up the disc swing).  The tree is a
poplar tree (I think) and the branch I want to hang the rope from
extends upwards from the tree at a 60 degree angle (as opposed to the
90 degree angle usually seen for tree swings).  I have a few questions
about hanging the swing/chair:

I plan to screw an eyebolt into the branch (I have heard that wrapping
a rope around the brach is bad for the tree, and it probably would not
be safe anyway given the angle of the branch).  Only one rope will be
needed for the swing/chair.  The branch is about 8" wide at the point
of attachment (about 20 feet off the ground).  First, is there a
problem with using a branch at this angle?  Should I get a lag screw
eyebolt of about 4 or 5 inches and screw it into the branch, or should
I drill through the branch straight up (so that the eyebolt is
pointing straight down) and get a longer eyebolt (probably 14" or so
given the angle of the branch)?  If a longer eyebolt, is there a type
of washer that would allow for the uneven angle of the branch where
the nut would meet the branch?  Or, should I consider inserting the
eyebolt at 90 degrees to the branch (or 60 degrees in relation to the
ground?

I plan on having some type of rope come down from the eyebolt to about
6' from the ground, where I will have a swivel hook and a spring,
where I can attach the swing/chair.  What kind of rope should I use? 
What kind of knot should I use at the eyebolt?

Any other ideas?  Thanks.

Jim