Hammock Straps: Tack stitch vs. Box X stitch...and everything inbetween

**jellyfish** · 02-16-2017, 15:02

Originally Posted by blackbishop351

Wow. So hi-tech! I pretty much use one machine, one needle, one stitch length to do everything....

Just an FYI, I also box stitch, but only do one box (around 2" long) with a single pass on the edges. This has held for many, many hangs on several hammocks. That's not to say your way isn't stronger (I'm sure it is, after looking at it), but maybe that extra strength is unnecessary? In reality, there isn't a terribly high amount of tension on those loops. Almost all the force is transferred to the tree via the solid sections of webbing.

Anyway, I'm now addicted to your channel! Thanks! =P

I don't think the extra strength is necessary. It is overkill.

However, I get some piece of mind knowing I could also tow a boat with those straps (haha) or that my niece is not going to come crashing down.

**jellyfish** · 02-16-2017, 18:59

Originally Posted by Tacblades

Woo hoo a new channel for me to watch, already learnt some good tips, i like the needle sizing method not seen that before

Glad you found something useful. I'll be extra-motivated now to try to re-interpret some of my grandma's wisdom into camping gear advice.

**P-Dub** · 02-16-2017, 20:26

Originally Posted by dscotthep

bethandevans.com was a favorite resource of mine until it disappeared a few months ago. The internet archive still has a copy of it though.

Thanks for that link -- very interesting site!

**Dutch** · 02-16-2017, 22:44

I have a pull tester and I have broken many huggers and straps. Also my wife worked for Graco as an engineer and they thoroughly tested stitching on webbing to make strollers, car seats, and high chairs. The box stitch with a W or an X will have a higher breaking strength. Bar tacking is still very strong but the place it will break is at the first bar tack.

**jellyfish** · 02-16-2017, 22:52

Originally Posted by Dutch

I have a pull tester and I have broken many huggers and straps. Also my wife worked for Graco as an engineer and they thoroughly tested stitching on webbing to make strollers, car seats, and high chairs. The box stitch with a W or an X will have a higher breaking strength. Bar tacking is still very strong but the place it will break is at the first bar tack.

Thanks for the empirical evidence!

My big dog Sid tested out many a design. He was a bulldozer, broke a lot of gear, and really put stitching through its paces.

**Caminante** · 02-17-2017, 08:22

Originally Posted by Dutch

I have a pull tester and I have broken many huggers and straps. Also my wife worked for Graco as an engineer and they thoroughly tested stitching on webbing to make strollers, car seats, and high chairs. The box stitch with a W or an X will have a higher breaking strength. Bar tacking is still very strong but the place it will break is at the first bar tack.

If it's good enough for babies, it's good enough for me. Thanks for the info.

**curlymaple42** · 02-17-2017, 08:50

Yup, already learned some stuff on JellyFish's video!! Thank you!!! Great stuff, well done.

**Bcarrawa** · 03-04-2017, 03:30

Hi everyone, and wow, thanks for all the feedback! This was really informative. I want to show what I have been doing so far, since that was basically what most asked.

I made this strap using box stitches, it is a daisy chain system, but two folded pieces of webbing with box stitched ever 4 inches.
17090970_10108683686175159_1698061912_o.jpg
The carabiner will lay right on the stitch, and why I need a super strong.
17121998_10108683686220069_887642974_o.jpg 17121998_10108683686220069_887642974_o.jpg

Im sewing it using this machine: 17121581_10108683768185809_1557081111_o.jpg using this thread: Swan 210D

I guess first off...am I way off with who Im trying to do here?

I tried an intense stress test, and was eventually able to break it...but it took work. 17105818_10108683686269969_1315754086_o.jpg
I basically hung the hammock, rolled it up, and went to the middle of it and bounced really really hard jerking the thing around and being incredibly hard on it...like literally jumping with all my weight on it. I know not very scientific, and have no real conclusion from this, but it concerns me nonetheless. It can easily hold the weight of 400-450, which would be ideal of a commercially sold one. Ultimately I would like to sell straps and am trying to get my stitching in line.

Thanks everyone!

Brian

**jellyfish** · 03-04-2017, 09:27

Brian, thanks for your report.

Resting the carabiner against the stitches means the whole setup is only as strong as that top line of stitching. It looks like once that failed, you lost the whole seam.

Am I understanding that right?

I'm milking a bad case of eye strain, so seeing the black thread against the black webbing is a challenge for my tired eyes. What kind of stitch is it?

**jellyfish** · 03-04-2017, 09:40

I am noticing that Eno Atlas Straps (also a daisy chain) seem to fold the fabric over so that the carabiner is not resting against the stitch line. Your experiment is probably why they do this.

Which is reminding me of how Shug always says to put the whoopie on the knot, not on the toggle.

A parallel euphemism might be to put the carabiner on the strap, not on the stitching.