The tree fort is 95% completed! I am waiting to install the "straight" slide that I bought at
the Home Depot because there is a chance that I might be given a spiral tube slide FOR FREE!
The best resource I had while building this tree fort was a book I checked out from the public library called "Build your kids a tree fort" by Black and Decker. I got the idea/instructions for my ladder design from that book, along with lot's of other common sense tips and tricks. Here's a few pictures of the ladder being built.
This part of the project gave me an excuse to buy clamps and saw horses!
My Pelican Colorado 15.5' canoe has been neglected these past few weekends, despite incredible weather. I'm getting hooked on woodworking and having too much fun building this fort!
Our Mazda is a trooper. This puppy has hauled some pretty serious cargo for its class, and I think this last load was most incredible of all. The guys working in the lumber yard at Home Depot were skeptical to say the least when they saw me pull this little guy around and start loading up. Someday I'll get a pickup...
My work crew. Still trying to teach them how to correctly hold the ladder while I work :)
I decided to buy pre-fabricated deck railings instead of assemble my own railings. This not only saved me a ton of time, but I think they'll be safer. Speaking of safety, I've rigged up a very crude barrier to keep the boys and their buddies from climbing up the ladder without adult supervision. We trust Austin to make it up and down safely, but Blake's still not quite there yet.
The slide (swirly or not) will exit the platform on the same side as the ladder. I'll just remove a few more of the railing slats, cut the bottom cross piece, and fasten it to the base frame.
Can't wait for the leaves to fill out our pecan tree again so that we can camp out underneath it!
Grandma Hair sent Austin the green rope swing for his birthday and he's really starting to get the hang of it. I found the red wagon (beneath the fort) for free (it has a broken wheel) and plan to convert it into a sort of swing to hang underneath the fort.
