Normal swings are kind of boring because they only go back and forth.

I think a really awesome swing would go any direction and even spin.

You know what?

I think I'll actually just build a giant tripod.

The triangles in the tripod will all support each other and stiffen the structure, making the entire thing really stable.

I'm using two-by-fours.

These ones are 16 feet long.

I want the tripod to be tall, so we can get the maximum swinging action without worrying about it tipping over.

And remember, if you ever try something like this at home, make sure to ask an adult for help.

To attach the two-by-four legs together, I'm using rope.

I'm lashing the beams by wrapping a single strand of rope multiple times.

This will securely hold the beams together.

So the rope I'll hang from the top will just be a continuation of what I'm using to lash things together.

(grunts) When I twist the beams up and flex them out into a tripod, the rope tightens, holding the structure super-secure.

(chuckles) It is so much taller than I thought it was going to be.

Perfect, that means more fun on the swing!

The yard is not level, but with only three legs, it's going to stay totally stable.

Can this support my weight?

(laughs) It works!

We really want to complete the bottom triangle to make sure it'll stay stable.

The way we're going to do that is just with more rope, tying a rope from one foot to the other foot, to the other foot, and then back.

That way, the feet can't splay out, allowing the tripod to collapse while we're swinging.

(laughs) Not too bad for just a few triangles.

Calvin's going to love this.

Whoa!

(whistles) Good job, buddy-- oops!

(laughs) What happened?

CALVIN: I slid off.

NATE: Oh.

Is the seat kind of tipping?

CALVIN: Yes, really, it's kind of tipping.

The seat tips a lot on that knot that I tied, making it hard for Calvin to stay on the swing.

Bigger hole, that I can fit a pipe through.

CALVIN: Can I hold it?

NATE: Yeah.

Do you want to see if it fits through this hole?

CALVIN: Yes!

NATE: It's kind of tight.

CALVIN: It's kind of tight.

NATE: My idea here is, attaching the wood to the pipe will make the seat stay at a perpendicular angle to the rope, and also give Calvin a handle.

Now I'm just going to add a few triangles to help stiffen and support it.

And now this seat should stay nice and stable.

He made a stable seat.

I can do this.

(gasps) By myself.

Dada, look at me.

NATE: I'm looking at you.

What are you doing?

CALVIN: I'm swinging on the swing set.

If I swing outside the bottom triangle, the back corner can pick up just like that.

I'm going to use this Forstner bit to drill some nice big holes in the bottom of my tripod.

Through those holes, I'm going to drive some stakes, and the stakes will attach the tripod to the ground, making the ground actually part of my structure.

I'm going to swing out past the edge of the triangle and it won't tip over because I staked it.

Ha, yes!

Whoo!

Thanks, ground.

If it's safe for me, it'll definitely be safe for Calvin.

Whoa, whoa!

(Calvin laughing) NATE: All it really takes is a few triangles to make something that's stiff, stable, well-supported, most importantly, a lot of fun.

CALVIN: A giant triangle, wow!