Top Leg Cuts

     The brackets can be used to build a swing set A-frame structure in a matter of an hour or two, with no lumber cuts required whatsoever. But if you desire you can cut the tops of the legs at a 60 degree angle from a straight perpendicular cut, so that the legs end up flush to the beam. This will add some extra work in drilling and assembling the A-frame, but it is a nice touch, and it also adds more strength to the structure.

     When working with these legs with the 60 degree flush cuts, one suggested change in the process of building the set, as compared with the basic instructions provided with the bracket, is as follows: First connect the bracket to the beam, centering the bracket on the beam, and tightening the bolts. Then have an assistant hold one leg at a time, already having the 60 degree flush cut on its top, and with the leg in position against the bracket and the beam, mark where the holes will be drilled to mate with the bracket. Then drill marked holes in the legs. Then unbolt and remove the bracket from the beam, and connect it instead to the two legs, with the bolts and locknuts not tightened to allow some play for when the legs with the bracket will later on be repositioned to the beam again. Next, attach the horizontal cross piece across the legs, forming the typical "A" frame structure. Do NOT attempt to connect the legs with the bracket to the beam without first having this horizontal cross piece in place. You then will hold this A-frame structure to the beam and connect it to the beam with the four bolts and locknuts for each bracket. Tighten all the bolts more or less to be able to then stand up the entire completed free-standing structure, and then carefully stand it up with the help of able bodies. Then, with it stood up, completely tighten all the bolts.

     You will also possibly have to trim a bit of the very top of the leg depending on the beam size. For example, with the 6x6 beam in the image at left (which actually measures 5 1/2" by 5 1/2") this beam required cutting off about 1/2" at the very top of the legs so that they would not stick up past the top of the beam, as seen in the image. If the beam were a true 6.0" by 6.0", no trimming at the top would be necessary. If the beam were a more traditional 4x6 beam, quite a bit more would be needed to be cut off the very tops. If you go with an 8x8 beam, the 60 degree angled cut does not extend all the way across the leg but rather extends down only as far as the bottom of the beam, where it is notched to receive the bottom corner of the beam. The 6x6 beam option is the easiest to work with and the most readily available.