Advice/encouragement needed for 2x2 tripod stand

**cougarmeat** · 05-08-2018, 10:11

I visited a nursery yesterday and they have garden stakes - about 3 inches in diameter and 8 ft long - for sale. But the wood was lighter than I expected for that size piece and the quality didn't look so good. But it inspired me to check my local Home Depot.

A 4 x 4 seems too massive, but a 2 x2, if strong enough looks like it might work for the legs of a tripod.
Has anyone made a tripod stand out of 2x2's? Does it work well? How long were your 2x2's? At what angle do you spread them out?

The 2x2 does look like a nice size for strength, yet light weight. I figure I can get out my knot book and see how to lash three together that will allow them to configure like a tripod; then attach a line near the base to keep the legs from spreading too far.

I've been planning on picking up a Tato stand but will have to save all this summer and maybe get it next year. At one time I built a nice pipe stand but it didn't pass the "beauty" test for the back yard. If I'm lucky, I can sell it locally (anyone near Bend OR want to buy it) for about $60.

**geneaut** · 05-08-2018, 10:35

There have been some guys making tensahedron stands from 2x2s.

A tripod lashing would be the rope work required for lashing them up. Are you planning on making this like a turtledog stand and using a cross piece ?

**Western** · 05-08-2018, 11:12

I made one turtle dog style using 2x2's that has stood up well. I even ran them through the table saw to cut the corners off making them octagonal and easier to lash / handle. Total length about 5-6 foot. Never measured the set up angle, just made it look good.

Used eye bolts at the top for a sturdier tripod connection and a chain link fence rail with coupling in the middle for the cross piece. 2x2 cross piece was really stressed with my 1/8 ton butt in the sling.

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**cougarmeat** · 05-08-2018, 11:18

Yes, the turtle dog stand - Two tripods with a horizontal ridge pole hanging from them. The hammock attaches to the ridge pole. I'd like a span of 13 - 15 feet so I could use it with my Ridge Runner but the span could be a lot shorter for a gathered end.

I recall some posts where the legs of the stand - at least two of them - were connected by a metal hinge. But I'm happy with rope lashing.

Currently I hang from rings attached to the house but it is 1) under cover 2) in the glare of a street light and in close view of a neighbor's window. As such, I hang with a full shroud for privacy and to block the street light. But I don't see any stars and as it is sheltered from the sky, I don't get a true sense of how well my kit will keep me warm during cold nights. Or how a tarp will work in the rain - things I like to figure out at home.

I could get my pipe stand out if I took it apart every day and put it away. But I don't think the pipe treads were designed to be taken apart and put together often.

**Western** · 05-08-2018, 11:31

if you want to take it up and down alot, doing the top of the tripod like this guy did his seat legs (but with 1/4 or 5/16" hardware) works well for me.
http://www.designsponge.com/2011/06/...ing-stool.html

Hang your hammock with very little suspension (since you can move your tripod "trees") and you can get away with a lot shorter overall length.

**Western** · 05-08-2018, 11:41

Trying to find a good picture of mine, but this is the best I can find. I've since shortened the height and attach the hammock ends directly to the tripod hardware.
Camporama 2012_113.jpg

**rais'n hammock** · 05-08-2018, 11:59

Originally Posted by cougarmeat

Yes, the turtle dog stand - Two tripods with a horizontal ridge pole hanging from them. The hammock attaches to the ridge pole. I'd like a span of 13 - 15 feet so I could use it with my Ridge Runner but the span could be a lot shorter for a gathered end.

I recall some posts where the legs of the stand - at least two of them - were connected by a metal hinge. But I'm happy with rope lashing.

Currently I hang from rings attached to the house but it is 1) under cover 2) in the glare of a street light and in close view of a neighbor's window. As such, I hang with a full shroud for privacy and to block the street light. But I don't see any stars and as it is sheltered from the sky, I don't get a true sense of how well my kit will keep me warm during cold nights. Or how a tarp will work in the rain - things I like to figure out at home.

I could get my pipe stand out if I took it apart every day and put it away. But I don't think the pipe treads were designed to be taken apart and put together often.

I have made a few with the hinge method. It works well and is easy to setup/takedown.
I also tie the legs together so that they don't spread apart on smooth ground. This makes it easy to know where the legs belong to for faster more confident setup.

Before I added the ties to the legs.

Longer top pole for my first attempt at my bridge setup...

**cougarmeat** · 05-08-2018, 18:06

Thank you all, that gives me some good ideas. I'll probably skip the lashing and use the hardware method shown in the three legged stool link. Rais'n Hammock, is that how you connected yours? A straight bolt through two sticks that passes through an I-Bolt on the third?

Once I set the angle, I may cut the feet to somewhat match. But in so doing, there is a loss of flexibility in changing the feet distance - in case the terrain demands closer or further apart.

**rais'n hammock** · 05-08-2018, 18:23

Originally Posted by cougarmeat

Thank you all, that gives me some good ideas. I'll probably skip the lashing and use the hardware method shown in the three legged stool link. Rais'n Hammock, is that how you connected yours? A straight bolt through two sticks that passes through an I-Bolt on the third?

Once I set the angle, I may cut the feet to somewhat match. But in so doing, there is a loss of flexibility in changing the feet distance - in case the terrain demands closer or further apart.

I cut the 2 sides at the top to meet each other. This creates more surface for a positive stop. The back leg is also cut on an angle to mate up to the top of the front 2 legs.
This is the type of hinge I used. One bolt in each of the front 2 legs and 2 bolts in the back leg. Bolted all the way through.
https://www.homedepot.com/Heavy-Duty-Tee-Hinge

The bottom of the legs was also cut to match a "level" floor. The distance of the legs is determined by the cuts at the top. I have seen others who didn't make any cuts at the top and just bolted it to the hinge but I found the method I used a little more stable.

The extra holes in the part attached to the front legs will receive a shackle. I used this style:
https://www.homedepot.com/Galvanized-Anchor-Shackle

I hang CL off these. The CL is larks headed to an eye-bolt that is screwed into the top rail.