Z-plasty bug net modification

**balut808** · 08-24-2020, 19:50

I recently made myself a bridge hammock. I wanted to re-purpose the bug net I had from my old gathered end hammock for my new hammock I just made. Problem was with the spreader bars, the new hammock was too wide to fit in the bug net. So I performed a Z-plasty to make it wider. A z-plasty is a plastic surgery technique used to lengthen or reorient a contracted scar. You make equilateral incisions (or cuts) at 60 degree angles in the shape of a Z. You then transpose the triangles and suture everything back together. This has the combined effect of lengthening the short axis while shortening the long axis. Thus I made my bug net wider and shorter. Wide enough to fit my DIY bridge hammock perfectly.

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**4estTrekker** · 08-25-2020, 10:34

This is quite intriguing, as I find myself at a loss for a good, simple, well-performing, removable bug net for my DIY bridges, which has shockcorded end caps and thus can’t accept a sewn-on zipper. Could you perhaps provide a little how-to of sorts, even just a hand drawn diagram or three showing the cuts and steps? Many thanks!

**balut808** · 08-25-2020, 15:03

I also have shockcorded end caps. Here's how you make the cuts and transpose the triangles. As you can see the BC distance which was the short axis now becomes the longer axis and the AD axis which was the long axis now becomes the short axis. In my pics, I used some old ripstop to show where the cuts were done and sewed things up with some ripstop bias tape. In retrospect, I'm not sure the bias tape was necessary. I use some shock cord attached to the hooks on the bug net to pull it up towards the suspension apex and up and out of my face.
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