Let me start off by saying I am a complete and total newb when it comes to wood work, so any advise is super helpful.
Okay, so I purchased a swing set that you assemble yourself. I started to put it together and I'm already stuck on like the fourth step. The instructions had me put together two sides of a structure, and now I have to put the two structures together. The beams connecting to the two sides are near impossible to square. I'm assembling this on grass … as I don't have much else to do it on. Whenever I get one side square the other side isn't square, and so on. The ground is hella-unlevel, so I'm not surprised I'm having issues.
Does anyone have any tips or recommendations on how I can make the structure square? I have a square tool but all I know to do with it is check if something is square.
I was thinking maybe I could purchase some L brackets that are guaranteed to be a 90° angle, and use that to attach the beams to the structure at the proper height. But they are expensive and I don't want to end up buying them only to have them not be the best idea. Though, looking at the instructions right now, I don't think there would be anyway to make that work given that there's no inside joint to bind to.
I've attached a photo of the step I'm stuck on and highlighted the beams that aren't square with a green arrow.
I really want to get this thing done for my son, so any help is really really appreciated.
Thank you!
Best Answer
If the issue is a flat place to put it, see Kyle B's answer.
If the issue is squaring the individual parts into one of these frames, cast your mind back to geometry, and make the diagonals equal length (i.e. get the screws into a section but not completely tight. Measure the diagonals and nudge the frame until they are equal, then tighten the screws, and check the diagonals again just in case.) This is typically much more accurate than using a square, though you can certainly use a square in the same manner (assemble loosely, nudge to square, tighten) and that may be close enough for this purpose.
Edit to add: Putting in one screw, adjusting the diagonals, and only THEN putting in the rest of the screws will work better if you are not using pre-drilled pilot holes for the screws. I was assuming that this being a kit it has predrilled holes, which should be close enough that having them all in but a bit loose should allow adjustment to square.