The Set Up And Maintenance
Trampolines can be a ton of fun for the entire family, and a ton of work for the person assigned the task of setting up and maintaining the trampoline. There are a few things you can do to make the job easier. Take time to read the directions before you start putting the frame together. While there are likely to be anxious children in a huge hurry to hit the mat, it's better to find out what you're supposed to do before you start than to find out you should have done something differently after the project is half completed.
One of the most difficult pieces of the puzzle with regard to setting up the trampoline for the first time is stretching the springs. Remember that these springs are going to support (and spring back) a lot of weight. They must be very strong to perform their assigned task. While that's great once the trampoline is set up, stretching those springs to reach the frame is a daunting task for all but the strongest people. Go back to the basics of tools to help perform the stretching part of this job. Levers and pulleys were among the earliest inventions man created to help perform heavy jobs. Levers and pulleys can help you with this job as well. If no one is strong enough to stretch the springs alone, you may be able to use something attached to the curve of the spring so that two people can pull at the same time. A rope or small chain will work, but be sure whatever you use is strong enough to withstand the pressure. A rope that breaks under this kind of pressure can cause some serious injury to those doing the pulling.
Be sure that no one stands on the opposite side of the trampoline from the springs being stretched. If those pulling on the springs should accidentally release a spring, it's likely to fly through the air with tremendous force.
Once the trampoline is set up, there's little to do other than routine checking to be sure springs remain securely in place and that there are no tears in the mat. You'll find that replacement springs and patching materials are available from most retailers who sell trampolines, meaning you can have what you need to make those repairs on hand at any given time.
The proper set up and maintenance of trampolines is one of the first steps toward safely using this piece of equipment.