Collapsahedron —— my collapsing version of the Tensahedron

[woodscavenger]

I have loved the Tensahedron thread. Took forever to read. Probably missed a few posts here and there but I think I have mostly stayed on top of it. I first built a pine version with 2 x 2s. I then built one with 3/4 EMT, wood dowel end inserts with chamfered holes held together with Amsteel loops. Works great and is moslty portable if I have my truck and can leave my tonneau closed.

I was browsing my workshop......ie. land of the misfit projects when I came across four poles I bought a few years ago for a telescope project that never happened.

These poles are (were) sold at Lowes in the paint department. Heavy duty telescoping paint handles. Telescope from 48” to 96” with a large heavy duty fiberglass base handle with a nested hexagonal extruded aluminum pole inside locked with a springloaded trigger pin with stops every 6”. Each pole was about $30 with tax. (Just checked online with prices $18 and up)

I used quick paracord lashings just for proof of concept and proof of strength. It hold my 200# with ease. No real flex in the poles. I did extend them to full length minus one pin section leaving an additional 6” inside the fiberglass. The poles were about 7’ 4” (90”). By shortening my whoopies I could get away with taking the extensions down one more pin section .

Lashed at the top and feet with a paracord width stop tied to the feet.

My hammock is a DIY gathered whipped end. Total length about 138” with a ridgeline set at about 112”.

I will tear this all apart and log for a better mechanism to hold the top and bottom together. Likely with some sort of Amsteel shackle with drilled and chamfered holes.

I need to figure out a tarp but that should take too much.

Relaxing

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Upper connection
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Hexagonal pole and spring clip
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Pole Closeup
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Retracted
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[Snaps]

Cool idea!

If you don't want to have to adjust your whoopies down--or if you want to hang precariously high at mousetrap angles--there's a 16' version .

I can't seem to find the 8' poles for under $35... and $140 plus some tinkering and materials gets me to the point where the trade-off versus the commercial version probably isn't worth it, IMHO. But at $15 or $20 apiece it gets really interesting...!

[W8lkinUSA]

I'm curious how many total uses this can handle. For the rare need, it might be worthwhile to others.

I will need the O.G. solution since I hope to use it more regularly.

[Watertooner]

I have to admit that the thread title had me looking for a taco video, but the actual content was even better. It's great to see the energy behind ideas for lightweight stands. "I was browsing my workshop" has been the source of many projects for me. It's probably a way to rationalize my procrastination in regards to whatever original task brought me out to my workshop...

[Latherdome]

Before we went full custom tubing for the commercial version, the search for suitable materials did pass through manufacturers of extensible poles for other purposes like this. Didn’t work out with our pack size and load capacity requirements, but mainly the suppliers balked at safety/liability issue as soon as you stated that the application was to bear human weight. If it wasn’t in their original engineering, they tend not to want to play.

[TxAggie]

Before we went full custom tubing for the commercial version, the search for suitable materials did pass through manufacturers of extensible poles for other purposes like this. Didn’t work out with our pack size and load capacity requirements, but mainly the suppliers balked at safety/liability issue as soon as you stated that the application was to bear human weight. If it wasn’t in their original engineering, they tend not to want to play.

Thank you lawyers.......

[woodscavenger]

I obviously do not know about total uses but these poles are stout! The wall of the fiberglass base is probably 3/16” thick. The pin mecdhanism is thick and the trigger mechanism is very solid as well. Once I re-do the attachments I will repost photos.

[DerekWest]

Awesome! Great job, thanks for sharing. I was excited to show my wife how the tensa4 worked, so I bought some emt conduit and rigged up a demonstration.

[Tigglet]

Wonder if this is something I could manage to DIY... I’d love to have another stand that I can leave in the car or use when the grandkids or friends come over. No good trees in the yard - so stands are what I have to use inddors and outdoors.

[Snaps]

[s]OK... I found a site where I can get four poles for $99.98 shipped:

ThePaintStore.com - Wooster Sherlock poles[/s]
Wait! Even better... $70 with free shipping!

Zoro.com

It's interesting, but still not nearly as portable as I'd like. It's a great option if carrying four 4' poles doesn't bother you.