Super simple, strong, fairly cheap, very quick bipod style stand.

**Texas Hanger** · 09-29-2016, 10:23

Thanks to the OP and everyone else that shared in this thread. Since seeing this design, Ive really wanted to try it and retire my TD stands. They are more bulky and less versatile in my opinion. So a couple of weeks ago I got my connectors and finally made one.

The legs are one section 6.5ft long. The ridge pole is slightly over 15ft and in 3 sections. the chained spread between the bottom legs is 5ft. Some sway front to back (not much) and NO movement left to right (even with me initiating a gentle relaxing swing).

The pics show my new Kelty 12 tarp in use. I got it to cover my XL bridge better from end to end. Normally with a gathered end hammock I would use my Superfly. Here are the pics:

Porch Mode.jpg
View Under Tarp.jpg
Back of Tarp.jpg
Connection Close Up.jpg

**BigE94** · 09-29-2016, 20:10

Looks great. Definitely some major coverage there. I'm going to have to look into those Keltys

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**HalMc** · 10-02-2016, 12:46

Ok, you guys are killing me here. This has been a crazy rabbithole for me... I'm 385# and 6'7", and sleep in a double layer 11 foot Dangerbird (110" ridgeline) when I camp, but recently have decided I might want to sleep year round inside in a hammock.

Some of your rigs look very, very complex, possibly for tarp hanging, etc? For now, I'd be looking at something that MAYBE would get dissasembled once a year or so, but ideally be permanent. So here are my questions (if I missed the answers in the thread, I apologize, I'm not the most mechanical guy and some of this went over my head)

1. Which is stronger / less flexy: the 1" EMT Conduit or the Chain Link Fence Polls?
2. Aside from the pass through L connectors, the top rail, and the legs with feet, is there anything else I need? (assumning I will come up with a way to stop the legs from spreading)

I'm trying to come up with the cheapest and strongest version of this, at the expense of tarp use, portability, etc.

I have been looking at hammock stands online for days. I wish I had found the Hammeck verson before they closed up shop... anyhow, any help I would love. And before you ask, I am too concerned with damage to my house to rig up hanging points from the walls or ceiling given my weight and how much I tend to thrash around when I sleep....

Thanks guys!

Hal

**BigE94** · 10-02-2016, 13:13

Originally Posted by HalMc

Ok, you guys are killing me here. This has been a crazy rabbithole for me... I'm 385# and 6'7", and sleep in a double layer 11 foot Dangerbird (110" ridgeline) when I camp, but recently have decided I might want to sleep year round inside in a hammock.

Some of your rigs look very, very complex, possibly for tarp hanging, etc? For now, I'd be looking at something that MAYBE would get dissasembled once a year or so, but ideally be permanent. So here are my questions (if I missed the answers in the thread, I apologize, I'm not the most mechanical guy and some of this went over my head)

1. Which is stronger / less flexy: the 1" EMT Conduit or the Chain Link Fence Polls?
2. Aside from the pass through L connectors, the top rail, and the legs with feet, is there anything else I need? (assumning I will come up with a way to stop the legs from spreading)

I'm trying to come up with the cheapest and strongest version of this, at the expense of tarp use, portability, etc.

I have been looking at hammock stands online for days. I wish I had found the Hammeck verson before they closed up shop... anyhow, any help I would love. And before you ask, I am too concerned with damage to my house to rig up hanging points from the walls or ceiling given my weight and how much I tend to thrash around when I sleep....

Thanks guys!

Hal

With your size emt isn't an option . wasn't for me either. Stick with the top fence rail. Use one piece legs with feet. Add a length of line at the middle or end of the feet to limit spreading. Your toprail will need to be two pieces. Use 's hooks at the end of the toprail to eliminate leg slippage.

Let us know how it goes.

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**FunkTastic** · 10-09-2016, 09:51

First and foremost, a huge TYVM to CircusFreak (do you juggle? I do). & to all who've experimented & posted on this thread. Major, Major benefit from all of it. Especially the big boys as big as, or larger than me (22 stones here, but working to get it down).

Thought I would post my pics and such here as I have finally finished reading through the entire thread & hopefully my questions (if I can remember them) won't be repeats. I will try to keep them specific to this frame.

As I posted in my intro and my "embarking" thread, I am looking for better indoor sleeping arrangements. Chronic issues from old injuries have caused pain & insomnia for over 29 years. After doing research, I decided there were better results reported from hammocks (stumbled on the hammock for back pain articles quite accidentally) than from all the expensive options. Originally I was designing support supplements for my caravan & each leaba but again, found this thread & decided to go this route.

I bought an inexpensive prefab hammock for the intent of trying before delving too deep. I had top rail & ordered the l fittings before I realized my toprail was the larger size. Rather than abandon the project, I sunk more funds & bought four rails @ lowes & had them cut the nipples off two & then halve them. then cut a 5ft section off of one of the remaining 2, & cut a 4 ft section off the last. This gave me a nippleless 4ft, two 5 ft sections, one with a nipple, & one without., and a 6ft with a nipple. Using the nipples I can affect ridge poles in the sizes of 9+, 10+, 11+, 15+, & 16+ feet each, with the 15 & 16 ft ridge poles having 2 splices. I did this for purposes of experimenting.

Indoors, I will have very limited space & of course the 9+ft ridge pole will be more workable, & perhaps the only option. So far I've tested the 10+ and the 9+ setup (will add pictures to the post @ end), adjusting the feet only slightly to allow for drop in height to compensate for loss of distance between hang points, in an effort to maintain a consistent angle.

On night one using the 10+' configuration, I slept better than I had in over 29 years. I had to get up at 6 hours but I woke up just before the alarm went off and felt fully rested, & worked the entire day without as much fatigue. The prefab models the brazilian/mayan styles i've seen online with a finished canvas of about 79x60 then the navy like lines heading, not quite a clew, but resembling one. stretching out completely while attempting the diagonal lay I feel the hammock forcing me into a specific alignment, with the need to cross my feet in order to be comfortable. on a bed I usually side sleep, turning often to alleviate pressure at various points. in the hammock I woke to find myself completely on my back almost in a yoga style pose with my feet together (on the soles) & my knees bent, pulling my heels closer to my bum. As odd as this may sound. I woke up without any of the lumbar pain, sacral pain, & kidney pain that I experience on waking from a bed.

Last night I tried the 9+' configuration, as mentioned adjusting the legs to allow a drop in ridgepole height to compensate for the loss of length, & pulling the anchor lines in further, all to attempt to affect a similar hang angle as the 10+ft configuration.

i am doing this because, after considering & analyzing comments/data from responses to my thread about starting this, & after I get back from the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, I intend to make an 11ft gathered end hammock using the instructional video I found on here. I will attempt to use the 9+' configuration. I think I will be able to lash the hang connections of the hammock right to the anchor points on the ridge poles, the ridge pole effectively being the "ridge line" so to speak, with a decent hang angle. I am sure I will have to play around with it a bit, but I am definitely seeing a bit of difficulty affecting a decent diagonal lay in the short prefab, with the ends bunching so quickly.

So, After all of that rambling, a few questions. Has anyone hung a hammock right at the ends, or very close to the ends, of the actual hammock, sans long anchor lines, and successfully established a good angle?

Any one experiencing length wise rocking/swaying ( from end to end of the frame)? is this something to be concerned about? If I chose to set up stabilizing anchor lines on each end (for when I move it indoors, & out of the caravan), do I need to be concerned with a high stress line? I.E. do I need to be careful about the studs being able to handle a lot of pull just to prevent the lengthwise swaying/rocking?

I am considering doing an acid etch & then painting the frame with por 15 & topcoat. Should I wait to do this, or even bother at all?

Thanks so much for the responses of any who managed to make it through my rambling. Now I'll add the pics of both configs so far

9+' configuration:

IMG_20161009_092402.jpg IMG_20161009_092911.jpg IMG_20161009_092934.jpg IMG_20161009_093231.jpg IMG_20161009_093244.jpg

10+' configuration:

IMG_20161006_225804.jpg IMG_20161006_230024.jpg

**zukiguy** · 10-09-2016, 10:32

You can hang as close to the ends as you want, so long as you're maintaining the overall "droop" of the hammock either with a ridgeline or just based on the measurements. I think you should be able to hang an 11' hammock pretty easily with a 10' ridge pole and maybe the 9'. Most use the 83% as the "sweet spot" for the majority of hammocks. In that case an 11' hammock would have a ridgeline of just over 9'. If you're using a shorter one you're definitely good to go.

If you have continuous loops on the ends those would connect right to the ends of the stand via whatever hardware you're using. This might result in a pretty tall setup depending on the length/spread of the legs but you can always adjust that.

**FunkTastic** · 10-09-2016, 11:40

Originally Posted by zukiguy

I think you should be able to hang an 11' hammock pretty easily with a 10' ridge pole and maybe the 9'. Most use the 83% as the "sweet spot" for the majority of hammocks. In that case an 11' hammock would have a ridgeline of just over 9'. If you're using a shorter one you're definitely good to go. .

ChemGuy also mentioned the hanging points @ just over 9', which means I should be ok with the 9+" setup if I can get the knots hooked up. Since I'll be making my own hammock I just need to figure out how to do the continuous loops you mentioned or something comparable. I'll definitely be thinking about it while @ the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival this week.

If I get this & the lengthwise rocking figured out I think I'll be golden. Maybe this will be a perfect long term solution. I sure hope so. I bought a Twin size comforter @ Goodwill for 5.00, plenty of batting in it. and I have plenty of mini clips & paracord so I'll work on a decent underquilt when I get back as well.

My TentMaker died on me so I'll probably be sewing by hand unless I can find a suitable replacement in a timely fashion.

**HalMc** · 10-15-2016, 13:53

Ok, I ordered my parts. Looks like I will have a project next weekend! Thanks for all the tips and advice, guys. This is a great thread.

**bearbuttuser** · 10-17-2016, 18:06

I have my L connectors arriving tomorrow. Will be picking up the fence rail posts either today or tomorrow to have everything ready for setup. I'm gonna go with the original recommendation of 5ft legs with a 10ft top rail.

Edit: Home Depot nor Lowes will cut the fence posts

...I'm in So.Cal, not sure why everyone else has been able to get theirs cut...

edit 2: Looks like I will have to purchase the top rails and cut them myself with a hacksaw or heavy-duty pipe cutter.

Edit 3: purchased pipe cutter recommended on here and worked perfectly. 5ft legs, 10ft top rail.