Free Standing Treehouse

[buggyman1]

I promised my little helper i'd build her a treehouse after I finished the trailer. I got started on it a couple of days ago. I'm not using any plans, just gonna kinda wing it. I have a pretty good idea in my head how it's going to look, so that's our starting point. The main frame supports are 20' 6x6's set four feet in the ground. I got my post-hole digger stuck on a root, four feet deep, on one of the holes, I had to unhook it from the tractor and put my backhoe on to dig it out, fun stuff. I used five 80lb bags of concrete on each hole except the stubborn one, it took 12. Here's a couple of pics of our progress so far.

 

[ferrari99]

Looking good.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I got my post-hole digger stuck on a root, four feet deep, on one of the holes, I had to unhook it from the tractor and put my backhoe on to dig it out, fun stuff.

It may have been better on the pocket book to just reverse turn the PTO shaft to un-screw the auger from the root. If the auger isn't stuck hard, you may be able to turn the auger shaft with a large pipe wrench but it is easier to turn the PTO shaft although you have to make a lot more rounds. The few times that we have had a stuck auger, just a couple of rotations of the auger enabled the tractor to lift it out.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Some tractors may not let you turn the PTO shaft and might require unhooking the shaft from the tractor.

 

[MoKelly]

Looks neat and high. Could you also use it as a deer stand?

MoKelly

 

[EddieWalker]

Looking forward to following your progress!!!!

 

[farm boy00]

Looks neat and high. Could you also use it as a deer stand?

MoKelly

Double reason to build. Go up there to hunt while the little one plays with no sound toys

 

[buggyman1]

It may have been better on the pocket book to just reverse turn the PTO shaft to un-screw the auger from the root. If the auger isn't stuck hard, you may be able to turn the auger shaft with a large pipe wrench but it is easier to turn the PTO shaft although you have to make a lot more rounds. The few times that we have had a stuck auger, just a couple of rotations of the auger enabled the tractor to lift it out.

Tried that with a 36" pipe wrench, no luck. You can turn my PTO backwards most of the time, it was stuck good.

 

[buggyman1]

Looking good.

Thanks.

 

[buggyman1]

Looks neat and high. Could you also use it as a deer stand?

MoKelly

I'm not really a hunter but I like to shoot.

 

[Hiltz]

There is tons of information and thousands of awesome pictures of tree houses on the internet. A lot of really cool ideas. Good luck with yours

 

[buggyman1]

There is tons of information and thousands of awesome pictures of tree houses on the internet. A lot of really cool ideas. Good luck with yours

Thanks, yeah been looking online and getting some ideas. Some of them are nicer than my house. I'm going to try and make a fireman's pole (not sure what to use yet),a crow's nest on a nearby tree, a hatch in the ceiling, some type of rope swing, a wooden ladder, maybe even a zip line. Should keep us busy the rest of the summer.

 

[buggyman1]

First board going in place. I work nights so a lot of my building is done after dark on my days off.

 

[buggyman1]

I decided to make it two floors. The X bracing is temporary, I plan on using 45 degree 6x6's for the permanent bracing.

 

[buggyman1]

Dang, is there a trick when uploading pics to get them to come out straight? Half the ones I try to upload are sideways, never had this problem before.

 

[buggyman1]

Pretty cool-looking knot in one of the beams, I thought it looked like a dog, or maybe a bear.

 

[buggyman1]

Floor joists in and laying down the decking for the top floor. I used 2x6's for the joists and 5/4 for the decking. The support beams are two 2x8's bolted to the posts with 6x6's sandwiched in between, also used some 45% angle 6x6's for bracing. Is that clear as mud? The top floor is 16' off the ground at its tallest point, that's a 12' stepladder in the pic. (on the ground).

 

[buggyman1]

My helper taking a snack break.

 

[buggyman1]

Access hatch to the top floor.

 

[buggyman1]

I set two 4x4 posts and built a small landing for the stairs, also poured a small pad to anchor them, the concrete is below grade so it won't be seen. I also got all the spindles in for the first floor.