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GTS Free
Load capacity:
The GTS Free, or several GTS Free in combination, can carry large loads. 4 screws in the set, connected via two triangular constructions in the tree, bear: approx. 1.5 tons in softwood & approx. 3 tons in hardwood.
Prerequisite for secure fastening:
- Load GTS Free screws as evenly as possible
- No wide overhanging constructions
- No large leverage effects
- No strong twisting movements
- Keep water away from the connection!
The GTS Free is designed for mini-platforms < 10 m²! The weak point is the direct drilling of the wooden beam, as here the wood is loaded across the grain and can split under leverage.
The greater the load, the more the wooden beam must be reinforced around the drill hole:
- The wooden beam must have a minimum dimension of 120 × 60 mm (160 × 80 mm is better!).
- Make sure the load-bearing beams are of high quality and strength (tight annual rings). If necessary, build your support out of oak.)
- Double the cross-beam of the triangle.
- The drill hole (centre) must be at about 2/5 of the beam height at the bottom (e.g., at (120 mm / 5) x 2 = 48 mm from the bottom).
- Reinforce the wood about 2 cm next to the drill hole with the 4 fully threaded screws provided.
- Keep a distance of about 2 – 3 cm to the edge with the fully threaded screws; pre-drill the holes with ø6 mm to avoid splitting.
- Reinforce the wood with a sheet metal plate or a stable DIY construction.
- Or have a specialist weld stable supports.
- The drill hole must not be at the end of the beam, the beam should protrude at least 40 cm at the side so that the wood cannot tear!
Secure your beam around the drill hole with 4 x full thread wood screws.
Make sure that the wood does not crack – pre-drill with ø 6 mm.
The triangular tip must also be firmly screwed and glued.
Stagger your screws so that they do not interfere with each other.
Triangle construction
- Vertical spacing of GTS Free 70 cm — 2.0 m
- Upper cross-beam must be > 12 cm high
- Upper cross-beam should be doubled with platform beam
- Brace angle 45° optimal
- Triangle tip must be glued tightly and screwed around drill hole!
- At best, reinforce with DIY sheet metal or wooden construction!
Tools
- Pre-drilling (tree & wood): ø 36 mm Auger Bit
- Screw in: 1″ Ratchet (or pipe spanner or open-end spanner SW30).
Assembly
- Find and mark the right place in the tree – make sure there is room for the opposite construction.
- Make sure that there are no bulges or branches in the queue.
- Prepare the triangle on the ground
- Fix the triangle in its final position in the tree (horizontally and vertically in the water) with an auxiliary construction and long wooden Spax (e.g., ø 6 × 240 mm).
- Then drill directly through the upper wooden beam into the tree with the ø 36 mm Auger Bit – the hole must be perfectly horizontal!
- Mount the GTS Free and slide the upper wooden beam onto the shaft.
- Reinforce the wooden beam around the drill hole with the full thread wood screws supplied.
- Now the triangle hangs on the upper beam. Point it into the water again and fix it with an auxiliary construction and long wood screws.
- Now drill through the tip of the triangle into the tree with the ø36 mm Auger Bit. Again, the hole must be perfectly horizontal!
- Mount the lower GTS Free
- Remove the wooden triangle from the upper GTS and slide it in total onto your two screws.
- Reinforce your wooden beams with more wood screws if necessary.
Secure the beam with the nuts of the GTS.
Use a tube level to find the exact position of your opposite triangle construction or your other GTS Free.
