Before I buy materials

[SutterButtes]

Thank you so much for explaining which thread to use and why! I greatly appreciate it!

[SutterButtes]

Thank you very much for the helpful links! I'm just barely learning to sew (inject thread) so anything that makes it easier is greatly appreciated! I am definitely going to check out those sewing clips before I try to make any quilts.

Unfortunately I don't really have anywhere at my house to practice hanging. However, our first trip is going to be a really easy one with my brother just to sort of get a feel for it. He will be able to help us get everything set up correctly and we will probably take his tent just in case something goes wrong with the hammocks.

[SutterButtes]

the structural ridgeline does not set the hang angle, but it does set the hammock sag by setting how far the ends are allowed to be. Because of this it can come under some load. However at a hang angle of 30degrees. the ridge line would only be loaded up to 85% of you body weight. Zing-it has an average break strength of 500 lbs, so it can be used as a structural ridgeline. Though you should not put it at too low a hang angle.

FYI, I guessed right about the differences in Zing-it and Lash-it. A coating difference makes Lash it hold knots better. To splice these thin lines I use a plastic canvas needle. It works very well.


From Sampson: Lash-It! yields the highest strength, lightest weight, lowest stretch, and longest wear life available. The Samthane coating adds to the twine's wear life, ensures its knot-holding capability, and gives it a distinctive gray or yellow color. Zing-It! offers extremely high strength while Samthane urethane coating provides excellent abrasion resistance and an easy gliding surface. The exceptional low stretch allows for control, and Zing-It! is conveniently packaged to achieve higher throws with lighter weight.

Thank you for all the explanations you have provided to help me figure out my straps, ridgeline, etc. I feel better now about using Zing-It/Lash-It for my ridgeline and know what to do to avoid having problems with it. It looks like I will probably get a spool of Lash-It for using knots/lashing and a spool of Zing-It for throwing.

I will look into the hummingbird style suspension you mentioned.

Also, thank you for the PDF on how to make whoopie slings.

[Amaas]

This is a very information rich thread. I just started doing some diy gear this week. Mainly just accessories. Had never touched a thread injector before. Will definitely be referring back here when I start doing a whole setup.

[cmc4free]

Thank you very much! I had not even thought of needles until you mentioned them! I am not yet sure which thread to use for which materials but once I've picked out thread how do I know whether I want the smaller or larger size needle for each thread?

For straight pins I have seen that some people use binder clips instead so as to not put holes in the fabric. Will this be acceptable for my purposes?

Sorry, I hadn't noticed this earlier.

Most folks recommended using the smallest needle that will work for your given choice of thread, since we're talking about building structural items out of very thin fabrics. The goal is to poke holes no larger than necessary in the fabric.

Jellyfish has a good YouTube video about needle sizes.
https://youtu.be/XwynEzDwDoM

If you've settled on Tera 80, which is a good choice, just not stocked in quite as many colors by Dutch or Ripstopbytheroll, you'll probably want size 10 or 12 needles. A craft / fabric / sewing store will most likely stock Schmetz needles in packs that include multiple sizes if you want to go that route for starting off. I think I got a pack at Hobby Lobby that includes size 10, 12, & 14 universal needles.

[SutterButtes]

Sorry, I hadn't noticed this earlier.

Most folks recommended using the smallest needle that will work for your given choice of thread, since we're talking about building structural items out of very thin fabrics. The goal is to poke holes no larger than necessary in the fabric.

Jellyfish has a good YouTube video about needle sizes.
https://youtu.be/XwynEzDwDoM

If you've settled on Tera 80, which is a good choice, just not stocked in quite as many colors by Dutch or Ripstopbytheroll, you'll probably want size 10 or 12 needles. A craft / fabric / sewing store will most likely stock Schmetz needles in packs that include multiple sizes if you want to go that route for starting off. I think I got a pack at Hobby Lobby that includes size 10, 12, & 14 universal needles.

Thank you for your suggestion on the needle size. I am using my mom's sewing machine (Viking Husqvarna, almost identical to the one Jellyfish used in the video for sewing straps). The smallest needle my mom had was a size 11 so that is what I used. When I went to Joann's the sewing "expert" said I needed a size 90 needle.

I followed the above-mentioned tutorial and was able to complete one loop on one strap. (I had to bring the rest home to cut with a hot knife because the utility knife/candle route wasn't working out to my satisfaction.) However, I had issues with tension. I think part of the problem is that the spool of thread doesn't fit on my mom's machine properly. I think the other part of the problem is that I had to manually reverse the stitch several times when I ran past the end of the strap. I think this threw off the tension and so I ended up with a lot of extra thread loops on the front side (the bobbin tension was fine). I would post a picture but I don't know how. Next time I plan to sketch exactly where I want my thread to go. Hopefully with a little more experience I will get the hang of it and it will look better and be more secure.

[SutterButtes]

We were supposed to be sleeping in our hammocks in the piney woods tonight.

Earlier this week I saw the forecast for the Sierra for tonight was frozen mix. We aren't prepared for that kind of weather so we decided the better part of valor was to stay home. Our first trip will now be in July.

Since our trip was postponed I decided to take another look at our suspension. When I ordered from Dutch I decided to include the Double Whoopie Hooks and a spreader bar so we can hang from the same two trees. However, I had not thought through how they would work into the suspension I had planned, specifically how they would work if I needed to bypass the whoopies for a short hang.

In researching the subject I have found a lot of different options that I had never heard of before: soft shackles, EVO loops, modified Beckett Hitch, UCRs. (I had read about UCRs but had decided against them because they didn't seem as secure, however in my research I found that kitsapcowboy had mentioned that he had found something that makes them more secure so now I am considering them as an option.)

So my point is that I have more questions regarding suspension. I have an idea of what I think I'd like to do but I'm not sure if it will work or if there are other factors I need to consider.

I am not familiar with forum etiquette so I don't know if I should ask more questions in this thread or start another thread specifically about suspension. If anyone could let me know which option is appropriate I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

[MikekiM]

Not sure where you are in this project.. I didn't read all the posts. I notices your question about which noseeum.. 0.9 or 0.5 nano noseeum.

I've used both as well a 0.67 (which I prefer most). The 0.5 is crazy, whispy light. I used it for the netting on a DIY half wit. The slightest breeze has it wafting into the air and stress points are really weak. Skip that for something like a Fronkey style bug net. The 0.9 is the opposite end of the spectrum. Really robust, much easier to sew, but way too heavy for my style of kit.

I find 0.67 to be the best and most versatile choice. It's robust enough.. the fully detachable net I put on my first DIY hammock, now three seasons old, has no tears, runs or rips and it's been caught in the zipper a few times. I just made another half wit clone in 1.0 Monolite with a detachable half bug net, using modified #3 coil zippers and used 0.67 for that as well. The monolite/0.67 is a great combination.