Lag Bolt

Working on a tree house for the grandkids and finally decided I was ready to bolt the first support to the tree - 3/4" lag 6" long. Drilled a 7/16" pilot - do you know how hard it is to drive a 3/4" lag?? Do you know how ticked off a guy gets when he twists the first one off cinching it down to the support?? :eek::mad::mad::mad::CRY:
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Not sure yet if I shift over 22degrees, move up a foot or so, or shift to a different tree. One thing I do know is that the next one will get a bigger pilot hole and some vegetable oil lube!!

i use a 3/8 impact to drive them. think i used a 1/2 in pilot hole.

Roger---simply measure the root diameter of the threads----do not try to put a bolt with a diameter bigger than the pilot hole into a seasoned tree---same goes for depth--also might want to drill the hole to the size of the thread for the first inch or so----

If everything elso fails--drill all the way thru, use a threaded rod with nut and washer on back side of tree

Yeah, after it was 2/3 in and really tightened up I got bull headed and tried to force it. Pulled a portable compressor out and strung air hose to the tree - old 1/2" impact would not budge the *amned thing, which should have been my stopping point but nooooo. The tree's 20" diameter, so drilling through is really not an option. Bigger pilot hole, knowing that the tree is going to grow the hole tighter in a short time anyway.

I was kidding about drilling thru

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Originally Posted by jerry clayton

I was kidding about drilling thru

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Thought you probably were, but someone else seriously suggested that to me....:rolleyes:

liquid hand soap works great for wood

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Originally Posted by cffisher

liquid hand soap works great for wood

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Won't hurt a live tree?

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Originally Posted by rspears

Won't hurt a live tree?

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Not if it's anti-bacterial :LOL: :D

Mike

I was going to recommend K-Y Jelly, but after yesterday it's liable to be in short supply for awhile.:whacked:

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Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

I was going to recommend K-Y Jelly, but after yesterday it's liable to be in short supply for awhile.:whacked:

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:LOL::LOL::LOL::HMMM::HMMM::HMMM::mad::mad::mad:

My solution was to move down on the tree about a foot. Just finished the first one - 1" starter 1/4" deep to eliminate mushrooming at the top throwing the bracket out of square; 3/4" hole 1.5" for the smooth shank, then 5/8" hole 6" deep. Coated the lag with vegetable oil and drove it with a 1/2" ratchet, then cinched it with a 2' breaker bar. Not easy, but it worked! Fitting the second bracket now, to account for minor angle variations, and will have it drilled and in place shortly after lunch.

The root of that lag bolt should be about a half inch. Pilot it to about 5 to 5-1/2 inches with a 7/16 or 1/2 inch bit, then counter bore for the length of the shoulder with an 11/16; then drive the bolt home with a BFH, and give it a twist or two with a wrench to seat the threads. This from an old "Clumsum" who has driven far too many lags into old dead trees (power poles). :3dSMILE:

Rumbler beat me to it. An old, wiser guy than me, said to drill the pilot hole then drive them in with a hammer to seat. Driving them in makes the tree fibers ''angle in'' around the lag bolt as it drives into the tree & adds extra holding power, sort of like a ring shank nail.

See, there you go thinking like a mechanic. The head of a lag bolt is what you use to take them out! A sledgehammer is how you put them in ok? Ask any old carpentor over a couple pbrs' and he'll patiently explain how all that works.

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Originally Posted by ojh

See, there you go thinking like a mechanic. The head of a lag bolt is what you use to take them out! A sledgehammer is how you put them in ok? Ask any old carpentor over a couple pbrs' and he'll patiently explain how all that works.

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Reminds me of a story my Dad told about Henry's early assembly line. The story was there were a couple of big Swede's responsible for hanging the doors, held in place with a couple of lag bolts on each hinde, threaded into the white oak framing. As the line increased in speed they found it difficult to keep up until they revised their installation procedure - one held the bolt, while the other drove it into place (no pilot hole here) with one blow from a ten pound sledge. Worked fine, until six months or so when the cars were returned to the dealer to replace the wood so the doors would stay on.....

Not sure it's a true story, but it sounds good....

A lag bolt recall.



http://skins.hotbar.com/skins/mailsk.../emoti_462.gif

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Originally Posted by rspears

Reminds me of a story my Dad told about Henry's early assembly line. The story was there were a couple of big Swede's responsible for hanging the doors, held in place with a couple of lag bolts on each hinde, threaded into the white oak framing. As the line increased in speed they found it difficult to keep up until they revised their installation procedure - one held the bolt, while the other drove it into place (no pilot hole here) with one blow from a ten pound sledge. Worked fine, until six months or so when the cars were returned to the dealer to replace the wood so the doors would stay on.....

Not sure it's a true story, but it sounds good....

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My uncle used to tell me a similar story, except, it was at the Chevrolet factory!

Those two guys must have been Ole and Sven. Yah, you betcha! lol!

Top row of support brackets is in place. Now to drop a plumb line from each, uppper support and figure out the lower's angles. Since the tree is not 100% straight (are they ever??) each bracket gets a bit of tweaking to be level and aligned.

It might be a lot easier if you chose a tree that was vertical and not horizontal...:LOL::D:LOL:**):eek:

AWWw.. you fixed it! HAH!

Got the last of the support framing done, and I think the tree is the weakest link in the design:LOL::LOL: This picture is with the internal bracing done on the first section, which was repeated for all eight sections.

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Got the second section of TREX decking down this afternoon. Taking longer than I expected as every piece is a custom cut, up & down the ladder twice to mark & cut. Tomorrow I think I can start cutting pieces on the decking, which should make it lots faster!! Hope the grandkids love it!!

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I'm impressed! That's one fine tree house. What are you thinking it'll rent for??

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Originally Posted by glennsexton

I'm impressed! That's one fine tree house. What are you thinking it'll rent for??

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Probably a laugh, smile or occasional hug from one of the grand kids.

WOW! I wish I had a tree house like that. It would give me a place to go instead of the doghouse! Nice work, Roger.

Well that is looking very fine but may I ask, how do the grand children get up there and is there any safety rails to prevent one of them falling off?? We here in NZ have a Government department looking out on our Health and Safety and that building certainly wouldn't pass their standards sadly. If you don't believe me, just ask Robin (Lami8tor) about the wood splinter episode when he was cutting fire wood last year, the story has just this week slipped to page 8 of the local newspaper.:LOL::LOL::LOL:. Oh to satisfy me fully, could you post up photos of the finished project including a copy of your building consent and permits please.:HMMM::HMMM::HMMM:

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Well that is looking very fine but may I ask, how do the grand children get up there and is there any safety rails to prevent one of them falling off?? We here in NZ have a Government department looking out on our Health and Safety and that building certainly wouldn't pass their standards sadly. If you don't believe me, just ask Robin (Lami8tor) about the wood splinter episode when he was cutting fire wood last year, the story has just this week slipped to page 8 of the local newspaper.:LOL::LOL::LOL:. Oh to satisfy me fully, could you post up photos of the finished project including a copy of your building consent and permits please.:HMMM::HMMM::HMMM:

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Well, since this is a project in progress it would be safe for you to assume that the means of access/egress has not yet been installed, but it will be a ladder of sorts, likely homemade:eek:. The portion of the structure that I'm flooring now will be walled, with large windows all around with the sills at least 32" above floor which is code for railing height on decks here. Out front there are three supports that extend an extra 2', and with a bit of an inset of those two walls it will form a "porch" of sorts. It will be railed on one end, across the two wide openings, and the ladder access at the end of the "porch" with a gate for fall prevention. On the subject of "satisfying you fully" :rolleyes: and posting permits:confused:, I'm sorely afraid you have me confused with someone who cares....:p:p:p;) But since you may have connections with those in power, I will likely defer posting anything further on the progress of this project, and especially no more incriminating pictures!!**);):LOL::LOL::LOL:

Now now Roger, don't be like that...... You see..... I had a very deprived child hood and never had a tree house...... and......and.....well I would really like to copy yours before the patent is granted...... Okay,please......;););)

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

Now now Roger, don't be like that...... You see..... I had a very deprived child hood and never had a tree house...... and......and.....well I would really like to copy yours before the patent is granted...... Okay,please......;););)

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Stirrer,whipinslash.............:whacked::whacked:

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Originally Posted by rspears

Well, since this is a project in progress it would be safe for you to assume that the means of access/egress has not yet been installed, but it will be a ladder of sorts, likely homemade:eek:. I'm sorely afraid you have me confused with someone who cares....:p:p:p;) But since you may have connections with those in power, I will likely defer posting anything further on the progress of this project, and especially no more incriminating pictures!!**);):LOL::LOL::LOL:

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Um.. Roger.. If I ask nicely, would you re-consider? :HMMM::HMMM:

Don't let a crass question spoil it for the rest of us..:(

You do such neat work, I always pick-up a tip or two from pictures here.. please keep sharing! :):)

Did I beg enough?? :eek::eek:

That should turn out to be one cool tree fort. Can you also use it as a deer blind in the fall? Now that would be real handy!:)

Your 100% correct, in that the tree will be the weakest link. Your lag bolt method of attaching the supports all at the same point on the tree, is what we in the maple sap/syrup tapping hobby, call "ringing" the tree. That is considered a big no no.. Ideally you would want to stagger the bolt holes in different areas of the trunk. Course that would mean all the legs would be all different lengths, and might look rather odd, but far healthier for the tree. Some trees are remarkably resilient, but don't be surprised if you see some decline in your trees health over the next few years.

But what the heck, the grand kids will be grown out of it by then, and wanting you to build them a hot rod..:3dSMILE:

So at risk of more good natured crap from down under about compliance with rules and other such drivel here's where the tree house is today, awaiting a few sheets of corrugated roof panels to block the snow, and perhaps some movable screens for the windows so the kids can consider overnights without getting eaten up by mosquitoes...

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Nice detail on the hand rails, where is the elevator going?

heck Roger, no more sh*t from me but here is a thought, sadly, in some countries / Pacific Island States that would be a 4 star hotel. Well done Roger, a very fine job you are doing young man. Also , my apologies if I offended you with my sense of humor earlier in this thread.:)

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Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

heck Roger, no more sh*t from me but here is a thought, sadly, in some countries / Pacific Island States that would be a 4 star hotel. Well done Roger, a very fine job you are doing young man. Also , my apologies if I offended you with my sense of humor earlier in this thread.:)

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Heck, you didn't offend me in the least!! I knew you were just hassling me a bit, which is all in good fun. It's still a work in progress - I think I need to get the grandsons up there with a saw, hammers & nails to make shelves, benches, or something so they have some ownership!!

Wow, that is so cool Roger! Good stuff for sure....

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Originally Posted by pepi

Nice detail on the hand rails, where is the elevator going?

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The elevators going to have to wait, unless maybe I can take a come-a-long hooked to a bucket, over a pulley at the top, anchored back down at grade ......:HMMM::rolleyes: Nah, not a good idea :LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:

That hand rail on the ladder - I made the first one out of 1"OD EMT conduit, butt welding a sweep at the bottom, anchored at the top, no mid-brace. Got it bolted in place, pulled on it a couple of times and noticed cracks at the welds :(:( It was just too thin to hold up, and was going to be dangerous. One of my boys had left three sticks of 1" black pipe laying around, so I commandeered it for the cause :LOL:;) Sooo much better, and gotta admit Grandma was right insisting on the hand rail.

The railings on the platform are salvaged from my deck rebuild last summer, and I have a gate for the top of the ladder access that will be spring closed to keep excited little ones from wandering off the platform ;)