Best way to hang a swing from a tree?

I want to hang a sturdy swing from two ropes, chains, or cables attached to a branch of a very mature silver maple. What's the best way to hang them without doing any damage to the tree? I want to safely support a simple wooden seat holding one adult, up to a total of maybe 200 pounds. If you've done this, please tell me about your experience.|||Yes I've done this for my daughter on a sugar maple.





If the tree limb is too high to reach, take heavy metal object and tie some fishing line to the object. Tie the other end to your rope. Throw the metal object (I used a wrench) over the limb and pull everything over the limb to you. This will also pull the rope back down to you. Put a slip-knot loop into one end of the rope and slid the other end of the rope through the loop. Pull the loose end of the rope until the loop snugs up against the tree limb.





In your wooden seat ( use 2x12 spruce lumber) drill two holes 2 inches in from the edges, centered in the width. Hole diameter should be large enough for the rope to slip through. To keep the rope from slipping back through put a double knot into the rope on the underside of the seat. Now you have one side done.





Repeat everything for your second length of rope.





The slip-knot loop will not hurt the tree's limb and actually expand as the tree limb grows in diameter. Cable and chain will cut through the limb's bark.





1/2" poly rope will support at least 300 - 400 pounds.