DIY Wooden Cable Spool Project: Kid's See-Saw

$150
4 Hours
Easy
I'm adding to the backyard fun with this DIY wooden cable spool project. Based on a picture of a $500 see-saw (say what!), this project is an inexpensive way to add some cool to your outdoor kid's toy collection!
I love my child but a $500 see-saw is not in the budget. This project only costs me $150 with the most expensive part being the galvanized pipe. Side note: I realized that I have a serious addiction to reclaimed wood and galvanized pipe projects.
With the help of a reciprocating saw and an awesome husband, we were able to cut through the bolts in the middle of this ginormous spool and then cut the top and bottom into almost half. Notice the large metal ring in the middle? Yeah, there is NO going through that with any saw so it became necessary to cut the top and bottom off by one board.
Using 1/2" galvanized pipe, I created structural supports to hold the two half circles of the wooden cable spool top in place.
After adding decking boards on the flat top portion of the cable spool that will serve as the seats, I added two decking boards below for a foot rest. A small piece of wood was attached right above the middle structural pipe. The foot rest was attached to these pieces.
After the seats and foot rest were attached, I added wooden stoppers to help with safety. The handrail is also made from galvanized pipe but a foam pool noodle helps add another level of safety (no broken teeth please!). Check out the rest of the details on the blog!
Meagan {The Charming Farmer}
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  2 questions
  • A A on Oct 05, 2016
    Where u get your spool
  • Mandy Mandy on May 23, 2021

    what length of pipe did you use looks like 48"? What about the up right pipe as well?

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