Same-sex spreader bar improvisation

**Baka Dasai** · 11-18-2018, 03:53

I have a pair of spreader bars for hanging side by side with my partner. And I have an identical second set for use as spreader bars with a bridge hammock.

This weekend I grabbed two hammocks, a set of spreader bars, and set off with my gf for a weekend away.

Except I hadn't brought a set of bars. I had brought two female bars.

Doh!

How to join the two female bars? I looked around for a solution, and grabbed a stick off the ground. I broke off a suitable length, and started whittling it down to the inner circumference of the spreader bars. After 15 minutes I had a spreader-bar connector to insert into the ends of the two female bars. It was a snug fit, but the now-joined-together spreader bar was a few degrees off being perfectly straight. I had no idea if it would work.

When we both got in our hammocks for the first time there were some ominous creaking/cracking sounds, but my wood connector held over two nights, and was reasonably easy to remove when packing up. Success!

I feel both dopey, and triumphant at overcoming my dopiness

**sidneyhornblower** · 11-18-2018, 05:00

That's a good argument for carrying a decent knife with you as well. I'd be scared, as you probably were, of the bars collapsing or being damaged but it sounds like things held together despite being "a few degrees off."
Cheers.

**soul embrace** · 11-18-2018, 08:43

maybe put some colored tape around either the male ends or the female ends so next time if you are in a hurry and ran the set of bars and they both have tape on them you know they are the same.

good thing you grabbed the two females ends instead of the males ends

**OlTrailDog** · 11-18-2018, 19:50

Back in the day, I had a WBRR. Once upon a time I forgot the spreader bars. Since a bridge is extremely uncomfortable without spreaders, I used my BD carbon fiber poles as makeshift spreaders. I managed to snap the end off one of them. I did take note there was considerable pressure applied to the spreaders in this experiment. I am quite surprised your "add a dicktomy", as Rush would say, stick surgery held up to the challenge. However, I did make it through the night and have lived to tell about it.

**Baka Dasai** · 11-19-2018, 01:20

Originally Posted by sidneyhornblower

That's a good argument for carrying a decent knife with you as well.

An Opinel No.6 did the job.

Originally Posted by soul embrace

maybe put some colored tape around either the male ends or the female ends so next time if you are in a hurry and ran the set of bars and they both have tape on them you know they are the same.

I'd like to think I won't make the same mistake again. I'll try a different mistake instead.

**Biker Bob** · 11-19-2018, 18:38

Learn from other's mistakes-you don't have time to make all of them yourself.

**AllanLisa** · 05-31-2021, 18:29

One day I forgot about the spacers. Since a bridge without struts is highly uncomfortable, I used my BD carbon fiber supports as improvised struts. I managed to tear off the end of one of them. I noticed that in this experiment, considerable pressure was applied to the spreaders. And we were constantly interfered with by my friend's cat, and I call her hustler pussy. Since he used to be a pickpocket until the cops arrested him. Hence my nickname for his cat. Sounds creative to me. You can wrap colored tape around the male or female ends so that the next time you're in a hurry and run a set of strips, and they both have a video on them, you know they're the same.