OmniSwing Installation?

MoxieMeg started this discussion · 12/26/2012

Hey All! Anyone have any experience in installing an omni swing in their house? I don't have room for the stand set up, so I was planning on somehow screwing it directly into the ceiling, but I assume I would need to reinforce it somehow. Since I live in a trailer home I can't exactly crawl up in the attic and do it from above, so just wanted to see if any of you had done anything similar before? Thanks!

10 replies

chemgoddess1 · 12/26/2012
Look up instructions for installing a sex swing and follow them.
azblanco · 12/26/2012
i think aerialgypsy just got her omniswing. you could send her a message, she might be able to help
chemgoddess1 · 12/27/2012
Seriously, I rigged my own hammock and used an lag screw and instructions for installing a sex swing. Basically you need an eye lag screw which is large enough that you could install a porch swing on and you need a joist. The one I have is probably 1/2" thick and about 4" long. http://www.hardwareworld.com/files/pi/lR/W/W3AU.jpg
MoxieMeg · 12/27/2012
Haha Chemgoddess I never doubted that you did. I actually had thought about doing just that, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. What do you mean by a joist, though? I'm so not knowledgeable about this stuff. Is that just a beam in the ceiling? The only reason I'm concerned about that is because on their website they specifically say to not use the 2x4's in your ceiling, as they are not strong enough to support that weight. But perhaps there are two types in ceilings, and I just have to find the right one? Haha sorry for my complete and total lack of ceiling awareness!
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 12/27/2012
A joist is a wood beam that supports a floor or ceiling. Generally I would expect them to be 2x6 if they're expected to support any weight (like an attic). However, if they're just holding the ceiling up, they're probably smaller. In a trailer I don't know though. Is the ceiling also the roof? In that case it'd have to handle snow loads... If you can't access the joists from above, you might be able to span several joists with an oak (or other strong wood) two by four and mount to that. Bear in mind that the threads of the mounting screws end up being what's really supporting you. Whatever you decide I'd be really careful. Static type stretches/poses are probably pretty easy to rig for. But if you start doing any type of small drops, even slack drops, or dropping into a pigeon from a diaper wrap, are going to put a lot more stress on your rigging.
chemgoddess1 · 12/27/2012
I am not sure how a 2x4 would not be srong enough. When they are run for joists they are laid on end so you would be drilling into the 4 inch side, not the 2 inch side.
chemgoddess1 · 12/27/2012
And I did not think Omniswings were set up for doing drops.
Dancing Paws · 12/27/2012
they aren't made for doing drops. They are yoga swings. They are meant to be handled gently. If you want to do drops, you nmeed silks and a tall outside rig that is heavy duty.
MoxieMeg · 12/27/2012
Hmm...I think I'll get in touch with the manufacturer of my house, and see what they have to say about the ceiling joists. I'm sure I'd probably be fine screwing into one of the joist things there, especially if I didn't do anything jolting, but I'm just really nervous about the whole thing. My pole seems to be doing just fine, but that's a little different than suspending my entire body weight on one screw in one board... I didn't think about the snow loads though. i don't know how the ceiling is constructed. I'll just have to ask them. I have a guy who's supposed to be coming out to do a few repairs soon anyway. He should (hopefully) know more about it than I do!
CD Hussey fka Jivete · 12/27/2012
I'm just very careful. Joists are really not meant to handle heavy point loads. A 130 lb person is a pretty hefty point load. And then when you start moving... Even if you aren't dropping (I was thinking of an aerial hammock), a moving load is different than a static one. I'd be even more wary of drilling into the wide side of a 2x4 unless it was spanning a couple joists. There's a reason support beams tend to be taller than they are wide. I'm probably being overly cautious. One of the aerial studios I go to is rigged through the ceiling and supported by multiple joists (by a master rigger) and one ended up pulling through the ceiling. I'm also an engineer and tend to overthink things. And I'm a hydraulic engineer and not a structural, so all of my structual classes were way back in college. My porch swing is attached to eyebolts attached to who knows what and a couple of us can swing on that without any problems. I still probably wouldn't attach my aerial hammock to one of the bolts and hang upside down. :-p