Easy See Saw

This play device is low cost, has a safe design, and will stand up to the abuse children give it. The base of the whole design is a galvanized steel window well from your home center or building materials store. This project uses two window wells for strength and safety. The size of the galvanized steel window wells you will need is 18" x 37" x 16".

Step 1. At the selected installation location, lay the first window well flat on the ground as shown in the drawings. Fasten the flanged edges to the ground with 3/8" x 12" spikes. Drive a spike into the ground through each hole drilled in the window well flange.

Step 2. Lay second window well over first so that the grooves seat with those in the first unit.

Note: The purpose of this is two-fold...1. Double the strength of the fulcrum area, and 2. Provide smooth rounded edges on all exposed surfaces for child safety.

Step 3. Drill 6 - 1/4" holes through both units. The 6 hole locations are shown in Drawing 2 at locations A, B & C. Install 1/4" x 3/4" machine bolt through each hole and tighten. Cut off excess threaded bolt and file smooth.

Step 4. The seat will be made from a 2" x 10" x 10' pressure treated lumber. The blocks at the fulcrum point are 2" x 2" x 9 1/2" boards fastened to the underside of the seat. These boards keep the see-saw centered on the fulcrum.

Note: The way to position these boards properly is to lay the seat on the fulcrum exactly centered. Hold each 2" x 2" x 9 1/2" board snug in position and mark the location. Turn seat upside down and install boards securely at marked locations.

For the comfort of the riders finish the seat with little curved cut-outs as shown

Step 5. Handles can be made a variety of ways. Our handles are made from 1 1/2" thick wood and bolted with 1/4" x 3" lag bolts through the bottom of the seat. The upright part of the handle is 5" wide by 6" high. The top of the handle is a 2 x 2 by 9" long with the edges rounded for comfort on the child's hands..

Be sure to file the 1/4" bolts smooth that fastened the two window well units together as children will love to crawl under the tunnel as well as teeter-totter above.