These are a bunch of shots and a video of the 48-foot (14.3-meter) Apatosaurus jungle gym that father Matthew Cosman (aka the causeman) built in his workshop off-site then had hauled and craned into his backyard for his children to play on. Some more info while I’m at least thankful my best friend had a treehouse growing up. Granted we never played in it without getting stung by wasps, but sometimes even your fondest memories still sting.

“This wound up 48 feet long and weighs about 3,500 lbs, all in without the footing [footing came in at 24,000 pounds). Yes, much steel, aluminum, and composite leftovers bought in classifieds, left over from projects, and eBay. Some I did have to buy. If someone was motivated, you could do it like I did, but you’d have to be very patient in the waiting and seeking out the right deals. This took years for me. $10,000 is the low end on this, but before anyone thinks that’s extreme, I know many folks whose car, boat or motorcycle habits are way more expensive. This is my hobby as it were.”

Man, that thing is deluxe. It also has LED lighting throughout (including moving ones embedded in the slide (gif after the jump) and other glow-in-the-dark elements for nighttime play. And you know what they say. “Nighttime is the right time.” You know I never understood what that meant. “I think it’s about sleeping.” And an afternoon delight? “A nap in your car after lunch.” I can’t return to work without one.

Keep going for the entire build gallery and finished product.

Source: Geekologie – Jealous: Dad Builds 48-Foot Dinosaur Jungle Gym For His Kids