Birthday Seesaw: Ana White

Birthday Seesaw
Published on Ana White (http://www.ana-white.com)
Birthday Seesaw [1]

Submitted by Ana White [2] on Thu, 2012-05-03 13:08
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Birthday Seesaw
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Birthday Seesaw
[1]
Additional Photos
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
Late one night, my sister called me.
She had dreadful news.

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Birthday Seesaw
At 2:00 the next day, my three year old niece was having a birthday
party.
And we did not have a gift.
Now had she not been three, a card, a big hug, some tickles all would
have been fine. But when you are three, presents on your birthday is
everything. And we could not disappoint a three year old.
And by presents, I mean toys.
We live in remotish Alaska, a few hundred miles from a ToysRUs or a

Target. We do have a local grocery store that stocks a few toys and
coloring books, but our hunch was that would be where everyone else
was going for presents.
So that Saturday morning, the Ram stole 2 - 2x4s and 2 - 2x6 boards
from the Momplex.
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Birthday Seesaw
There are plenty.
And I found a bolt that I had been saving for a coffee table I swear I am
going to build someday.
And 45 minutes later, we made this:
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Birthday Seesaw
And the Birthday Girl loved it.
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Birthday Seesaw
The other guests at the party loved the seesaw so much, we've since
made another for another birthday girl.
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Birthday Seesaw
And I'm excited to post the plans today so you can make it too! But
first, a word of caution - sadly, seesaws or teeter totters have been
removed from most playgrounds for safety reasons, so build and use at
your own risk. I personally feel like the most dangerous thing my child
does for her health is sit inside and watch tv.
These plans have not been fully tested; build and use at your own risk.
Summary:
Make a teeter totter for less than $20! Free easy seesaw plans from Ana
White!
CategoriesProject Type: Toys [8]

Outdoor [9]
Playhouse [10]
Room: Kids and Toys [11]
Skill Level: Intermediate [12]
Style: Children's [13]
Estimated Cost: Under $20 [14]
Dimensions: Dimensions are shown above.
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Birthday Seesaw
2 – 2x4 @ 8 feet long
1 – 10” 5/8” bolt with nut and four washers
1 – 24” 1” dowel or closet rod
Common Materials: 3 inch screws

Elmer's Wood Glue [15]
Tools:
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Birthday Seesaw
[16]
[17]
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Birthday Seesaw
[18]
[19]
Cut List:
2 – 2x4 @ 96”
2 – 2x6 @ 24” (uprights)
2 – 2x6 @ 36” (long base)
2 – 2x6 @ 24” (short base - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square ends
NOT parallel to each other)
2 – 2x6 @ 12” (scrap piece can be shorter than 12” – used for handle)
FROM EACH 2x6 cut one each of the 24”, 36”, 24” and 12” to conserve
boards
General Instructions:
Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning
this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section.
Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a
clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight
boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before
attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold.
Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will
not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good
luck!
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Birthday Seesaw
[20]
Attach long base supports to uprights with lots of screws and glue.
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Birthday Seesaw
[21]
Then add the side supports again with lots of screws and glue.
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Birthday Seesaw
[22]
Build the seat part by sandwiching the handle supports between 8 foot
long 2x4s and attaching with glue and lots of screws. Drill a 5/8" hole in
center of 2x4s for the pivot bolt.
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Birthday Seesaw
[23]
I used scrap 1x8 boards for the seats, covered in a foam chair pad cut
in half and outdoor fabric. I drilled three holes in the uprights with 5/8"
bit so the seesaw could be adjustable. The most difficult part of this
seesaw was getting the bolt holes lined up. We ended up just making
the bolt holes a little larger so the bolts could pass through easier. On
the bolt, we put washers on each side of the uprights to protect the
finish and for a smoother ride. For the handles, we had extra closet rod
dowel, so we just cut to size, and drilled a hole and inserted the rod. We
then glued and screwed in place.
Finishing InstructionsPreparation Instructions: Fill all holes with

wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed.
When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of
the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to
remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces
as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth. It is always recommended
to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color
evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed.
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Birthday Seesaw
Source URL:
http://www.ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/birthday-seesaw
Links
[1] http://www.ana-white.com/2012/05/plans/birthday-seesaw
[2] http://www.ana-white.com/users/ana-white
[3] http://www.ana-white.com/sites/default/files/3154809527_13360685
25.jpg
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[8] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/project-type/toys
[9] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/project-type/outdoor
[10] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/project-type/playhouse
[11] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/room/kids-and-toys
[12] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/skill-level/intermediate
[13] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/style/childrens
[14] http://www.ana-white.com/category/plans/estimated-cost/under-20
[15] http://elmers.com/diy
[16] https://www.ryobitools.com/power-tools/products/details/537
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Birthday Seesaw

Published on Ana White (http://www.ana-white.com)

Birthday Seesaw [1]

Late one night, my sister called me.

She had dreadful news.

And we did not have a gift.

And by presents, I mean toys.

We live in remotish Alaska, a few hundred miles from a ToysRUs or a

There are plenty.

And 45 minutes later, we made this:

And the Birthday Girl loved it.

CategoriesProject Type: Toys [8]

Dimensions: Dimensions are shown above.

2 – 2x4 @ 8 feet long

2 – 2x6 @ 8 feet long

1 – 10” 5/8” bolt with nut and four washers

1 – 1x8 @ 3 feet long

1 – 24” 1” dowel or closet rod

Common Materials: 3 inch screws

2 – 2x6 @ 24” (uprights)

2 – 2x6 @ 36” (long base)

Finishing InstructionsPreparation Instructions: Fill all holes with

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