Review on 🔩 Complete Mounting Hardware for Frame Brackets by Brett Slater

These brackets are very strong and will save you the hassle of cutting a lot (maybe all) of wood. For me, the 4x4 slipped easily into their holes. I used 10 foot 4x4s. Because 4WDs have leeway, they can bolt on and make one A-frame significantly wider or narrower than the second A-frame (assuming you buy two of these to make a traditional A-frame swing). . Between the legs on each side I attached a cross piece of wood 2x6 of the same length at the same distance from the bottom of the legs. So I knew that the legs of both A-frames were the same distance apart. I wanted to add another cross brace for a bit of reinforcement. I cut the cross brace so the ends are at the same angle as the legs. If you didn't use a cross brace, you wouldn't have to cut the tree at all. The 4x6 didn't have as much clearance, but it slid slightly. The weight of my legs was pulling on the second bracket so I couldn't push the 4x6 by hand. However, with the help of a rubber mallet, it was easy to move around the 4x6. With 10ft legs, it was a little tiring to pick it up. At first I tried it alone, but in the end my wife helped and we managed. I'm glad I went with the 10ft feet as I wanted the extra height to get a nice big arch for more exciting swings. I highly recommend attaching the legs to the ground in some way. I went with concrete. I've been warned by some people not to put my feet in the ground because they can rot pretty quickly. I used Simpson CBSQ44-SDS2 4x4 brackets which allow you to sink a metal U shape into the concrete and then provide a metal plate for the 4X4 installation. They're expensive, but they turned out beautifully. I sunk them into the concrete at an angle so the metal plate makes direct contact with the 4x4 legs. Now that the legs are filled with concrete, the swing is very stable. It's up to you how long you want 4x4 for the legs and 4x6 for the main beam. I think 10ft is great for the legs (actual height will be slightly less due to the angle they are placed). 8' wood will be fine. If you put your feet on the ground, you need to subtract that from the height. For 4x6 I've seen a wide range of recommendations from no more than 8ft to 12ft. I found a few commercial swing kits/setups that used a 12 foot 4x6 so I went with the 12 foot and I'm glad I did. 12 feet wears out quickly with a few hanging items. The legs of the A-frame are turned outwards (not only to give an A-shape, but also in the "out" direction). This allows you to hang a 4x6 swing directly from the bracket and has enough side-to-side clearance so you don't bump your feet and lean to the side a little while swinging. I put the rope right down the middle of my 4x6 and put all of my 240 pounds in the rope. I didn't see the 4x6 curve at all. This gives me peace of mind that three kids rocking (even with their dynamic load) are not going to load a 12 foot 4x6. All in all, I think the brackets are great. They are a bit pricey as you have to buy two, but they are well made and make the swing easy to build. Edit: Over a year later they still work great. I added some bars next to the swing and touched up an area (Behr 3330 stain/mahogany stain) on the swing when I painted the bars. Added image.