STEP TWO

Finding the perfect tree (or poles) for support and cutting the wood to fit.

MATERIALS

Measuring Tape

One Tree or Two Poles

  Okay, so now you have all the wood and paint you need.  You will now need to find the proper tree, or poles.

   If you choose to do poles, you'll probably need two.  You will put one pole at one end of the plywood you will use for the floor, and the other pole at the other end.  When you attach a ladder, it will be a hanging ladder.

  If you use a tree, you will merely have to cut a hold in the middle of the floor-wood that will fit the tree.   For the ladder, you can either hammer in pieces of wood for steps, or have a hanging ladder at the edge.  We recommend the tree, but that is your choice.

  Now, we will tell you how to find the perfect tree.  The tree should be more than six or seven feet high, and thick enough not to sway when there is a lot of wind.  The circumference should be about fifty inches.

  CIRCUMFERENCE?¿  You might have no earthly idea what we are talking about.  What is circumference?  It is the perimeter of a circle ... if you want it simply.

  You can find circumference in two ways - taking a measuring tape and wrapping it around the tree until it touches the end, or the formula - C = PiD or C = PiR2.  We have probably confused you even more.

  In the first formula, the "C" means circumference equals.  "Pi" mean the number used to find circumference of a circle.  The number is 3.1415927 ... so on, but most people use 3.14.  Then, the "D" right next to "pi" means to multiply the diameter of the circle times pi.  Diameter is a straight line starting on one side of the circle, crossing the center point, and going to the other side.

  The second formula means to find circumference, you need to multiply pi by "radius" by two. Radius is a straight line going from the center point to the edge of the circle. 

  Here are some examples -             You have a tree that has a diameter of 12 inches.

Fit the numbers into the formula.

D = 12 and Pi = 3.14

So you do 12 × 3.14 = 37.68. Your circumference is 37.68!

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This example uses radius -              You have a tree that has a radius of 8 inches.

Fit the numbers into the formula.

R = 8 and Pi = 3.14

You first find radius times two - 8 × 2 = 16.

Now you do 3.14 × 16 = 50.24.  The tree has a circumference of 50.24 inches ( a rather large tree).

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  Now use either of these two formulas (or the simple way of circling the tree with a measuring tape) to find how big around the tree is.

  If you are to use poles, which would make you tree house sturdier in the case of wind, you should use two poles that are about six or seven feet high.  They should have a circumference of about two feet.

  You can have any type of poles, but make sure they are not any sort of public use, like the telephone pole, or an electricity pole.  That could not only be dangerous, but illegal.

  The poles should be space about 85 inches apart, because you will need about five inches on one side, then a pole, then the 85 inches, then another pole, then five inches.  This is for safety reasons, so that the pole does not break out of the side of the board.

  Now that you have found the proper support, you can go to step three, where we will talk about the cutting of the wood, if any.

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