Packable Tensahedron Stand

[GadgetUK437]

Made me a packable Tensahedron stand out of steel conduit, not light, but small enough to throw in a car.
Here are some videos,

ASSEMBLY


HANGING A HAMMOCK


PITCHING A TARP

[novasquid]

nice job. how light is "not light?"

[jdy98p]

Looking good!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GadgetUK437]

nice job. how light is "not light?"

8.78kg (19.36lb in old money)

--
Gadget

[bluzharp]

Thanks for the videos! Its really nice seeing one in use as there are.so few videos (outside of yours) looks a lot easier to take in the car than the big wooden one. Can't wait to build mine! Just need the snow to stop and go away here in Minnesota.

[Latherdome]

Nice work as ever Gadget!

Raftingtigger tried a tarp extension scheme like yours for Tensa4, but didn't like how, if you've got the tarp pitched low for most weather protection, the tarp tends to fret on the poles, an abrasion hazard over time. So we've settled for the time being on just having the main poles longer than most hammocks require, so you can pitch tarp direct to the apexes, and just let out the hammock suspension more to get the hang angle right. Not a complete solution for longer tarps though.

You observed early in the main tensahedron thread that letting out the hammock suspension increased ridgeline tension (opposite of tree suspension), effectively stabilizing it between loaded and unloaded states, so I was surprised at your remark that the shorter the suspension, the less movement between apexes between loaded and unloaded. I think you were right the first time. I now think of the hammock suspension in this context as altering the mix of shear and downward forces on the poles. Shortening the suspension increases shear force, slackening the ridgeline. Lengthening: opposite, causing the hammock to pull the apexes down and thus outward.

We've found that hanging a counterweight off the head apex (in addition to letting out hammock suspension sufficiently), is good practice to keep a tarp (and ridgeline) tight and stably so, better than guying the head end because it will give under great force (say a gust of wind) where a guyline might pull out or lead to damage.

[GadgetUK437]

So we've settled for the time being on just having the main poles longer than most hammocks require, so you can pitch tarp direct to the apexes

So, how long are the poles on the Tensa stand? I used 8', cos that's what you recommended.

With the 8' lengths I seem to be stuck in a dilemma (or possibly, a tri-lemma).
If I use longer hammock suspension, to put the apexes far enough apart to fit my tarp inside the span, then I am way too low. But if I narrow the gap between the bases, to raise the sit height, then I start getting the poles "up in my grid" (or rather, my outside shoulder and feet strike the poles).

You observed early in the main tensahedron thread that letting out the hammock suspension increased ridgeline tension (opposite of tree suspension), effectively stabilizing it between loaded and unloaded states, so I was surprised at your remark that the shorter the suspension, the less movement between apexes between loaded and unloaded.

Did I? Dunno, I've slept since then... I'll go back and check the footage.

[Latherdome]

So, how long are the poles on the Tensa stand? I used 8', cos that's what you recommended.

Evolution! In early days I was obsessed with the shortest possible length because chasing an ultralight dream, while long poles make everything need to be larger OD and/or wall thickness. My Tensa4 prototype's poles are 100"; what's shipping is 104" or a tad longer. Mine's good for 11' tarps. Past that some improvising is required.

With the 8' lengths I seem to be stuck in a dilemma (or possibly, a tri-lemma).
If I use longer hammock suspension, to put the apexes far enough apart to fit my tarp inside the span, then I am way too low. But if I narrow the gap between the bases, to raise the sit height, then I start getting the poles "up in my grid" (or rather, my outside shoulder and feet strike the poles).

I'm guessing your tarp is 12' or longer? Certainly a common length, but yeah compromises. Raftingtigger gathered and whipped up her excess tarp length to make it work, before she sewed in dedicated pole pockets at about the 11' mark.

Did I? Dunno, I've slept since then... I'll go back and check the footage.

https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...=1#post1828855

[Tikker]

Made me a packable Tensahedron stand out of steel conduit

that is magnificent, very well done

[GadgetUK437]

You observed early in the main tensahedron thread that letting out the hammock suspension increased ridgeline tension (opposite of tree suspension), effectively stabilizing it between loaded and unloaded states, so I was surprised at your remark that the shorter the suspension, the less movement between apexes between loaded and unloaded.

You mean this one?

It's kinda the opposite of tree suspension. Shortening the suspension makes for a steeper pole angle, lengthening it makes the poles shallower

I think you misread that, I didn't mention ridgeline tension.
Have a look again at this footage,

it's easy to see that the shorter the suspension, the less the movement of the apexes. It's kinda obvious really; with minimum suspension the distance between apexes = the length of your SRL... and that won't change, unless your ridgeline goes slack.

On the subject of ridgeline tension, I think the most important factor is the slope of the ridgeline.
When the head end is significantly lower than the foot end, then the tension on the SRL is high, and when the difference is small, the tension is much less.

Tensa4 prototype's poles are 100"; what's shipping is 104"... I'm guessing your tarp is 12' or longer?

My tarp is 11'8". Thanks for the dims, I might try using a longer centre section on my poles.