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  1. #1
    Senior Member packman9000's Avatar
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    Bic/HikerDad Bridge Mod?

    I'm relatively new to the DIY hammock process, but I'm wondering about the following mod on on the bridge made by Bic all that time ago.

    My thought it to make the foot end just a bit more flat to reduce the tendency for the feet to squash together, something I have with my WBBB - and can live with but if I'm making my own bridge it's worth exploring all the options.

    Supposing one or both ends of the Bic bridge pattern are sewn perpendicular? (and the excess trimmed off post-sewing) I ran off a mini to demonstrate my idea:
    bicbridge1.png

    - Would this make an appreciable difference in whether my feet are pushed together when in the hammock?
    - Would this cause additional stress on the fabric? I'm using the 1.8 AirWave that comes from the RBTR kit, but have the 1.0 HyperD to use if possible.
    - What other considerations do I need to take into account if testing myself? e.g., spreader width, etc.

    Thanks so much for your help!

    -
    Derek

  2. #2
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    You can adjust the foot end width by changing the crossbar length. I'd suggest building it following the original pattern because bridge hammocks don't squeeze feet quite the way gathered end hammocks do. An alternative is to use a different end cap than Bic's, but don't cut anything until you make the hammock and lie in it. You can just leave 16" or so extra fabric past the spreader bar. You'll find good ideas posted by Just Bill, Grizzly Adams, Shug, and others. I'm partial to Grizz's "Origami Endcap" design. There are lots of other good ones, though.
    Last edited by WV; 01-10-2021 at 09:45.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by dialout View Post
    I'm relatively new to the DIY hammock process, but I'm wondering about the following mod on on the bridge made by Bic all that time ago.

    My thought it to make the foot end just a bit more flat to reduce the tendency for the feet to squash together, something I have with my WBBB - and can live with but if I'm making my own bridge it's worth exploring all the options.

    Supposing one or both ends of the Bic bridge pattern are sewn perpendicular? (and the excess trimmed off post-sewing) I ran off a mini to demonstrate my idea:
    bicbridge1.png

    - Would this make an appreciable difference in whether my feet are pushed together when in the hammock?
    - Would this cause additional stress on the fabric? I'm using the 1.8 AirWave that comes from the RBTR kit, but have the 1.0 HyperD to use if possible.
    - What other considerations do I need to take into account if testing myself? e.g., spreader width, etc.

    Thanks so much for your help!

    -
    Derek
    Logged in to answer this, and saw your PM but I'll answer here instead.

    WV has solid advice there- try the bridge itself before you alter it. Best case- you're happy with the pattern as is. Of the bridge patterns- a design like the RR is more prone to the issue you're concerned about.
    The reason is the very short bar relative to the fabric size creates a deep 'V' at the foot.

    I don't personally have an official 'Bic' Bridge. But unless I am missing something you're unlikely to have any severe issue at the foot end. Usually the issue is at the shoulder side.

    As WV mentioned- rather than trying to completely redo the pattern... messing with spreader bar length is much easier if you use an Oak dowel rod or are lucky enough to be like WV and cut switches from the land you're living on.
    So try the bridge with the 36" spreader and if it's feeling a bit tight at the heel... then bump up to a 37" spreader.
    If you're really tall- you may try trimming the spreader a bit so you can get more length out of the pattern... but go too far and you will cause the issue you're worried about. (35" is a good 'bottom')
    If you're feeling pinched in the shoulders and might like trying a RR style- try putting on a longer dogbone set- shoving a 40" head and 30" foot spreader in there.

    The ratio of bar to fabric does much more for you over all than the endcaps.
    If anything- the end caps shouldn't have any load on them at all; so they can't do as much for you as you think. Can they be made to do something... yes, but it's much easier to balance out the bridge in other ways.

    Keep in mind- come cold weather- you don't want to be so close to the ends that they compress your insulation in the foot box. So that's another reason not to rely on the end cap to save the day... if you're shaping the end so much that you need to use it... odds are good you're going to crush out the footbox insulation in your topquilt to do it.


    Custom spreader bars are a bit like a lace-lock or special lacing technique on a shoe. It will fine tune a really close design to perfection. Or save a less than ideal design from the scrap bin. But at some point if the shoe doesn't fit- it's not the shoe for you. That's really the gist of the issue with altering a pattern... you're basically getting a whole new bridge to work with that may have it's own share of problems. If you try the bic bridge and just flat out hate it. You'd be better off looking into WV's People's bridge or tackling the Ariel.

    As for your idea- yes it would work. But the more you try to shape things, the more load you'll put on the endcaps.
    Basically what you are proposing is the same technique used for a square corner. Such as a square bottom stuff sack or the popular ZPP bags folks make.
    What is used on the Bic pattern is what is called a 'dart'. There are ways to do different darts, pleating, or other tricks to shape fabric.

    All that said- as WV also pointed out- you don't actually need an endcap for structure on an end bar bridge.
    You may note that the 'arc' of tension under the spreader is the load bearing portion and that line will affect your comfort much more than the end cap.

    If you look into recessed spreader bar designs, things change but don't get too far ahead of yourself and solve a problem you don't have.

  4. #4
    Senior Member packman9000's Avatar
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    Thank you so, so much for the insights. I wouldn't be taking chances on anything until I actually have it made, sleep in it a few nights at least, and give it a good try as-is first, but the suggestion of playing with Spread bar length is good to know...I was under the impression that if I changed the length of the spreaders, it would both add stress to already high-stress seams or mangle the ratio of spreaders-to-dogbones and diminish the reliability of the bars.

    That's great to know, I'll hold off on buying the metal or carbon spreaders until I have it made and try it with varying lengths.

    If a recessed-spreader option was easier to build or could be modified on just the head end of the Bic hammock, where it would the most difference, I'd be all over it...but recessing looks trickier than I need right now. Maybe on a later build.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by packman9000 View Post
    Thank you so, so much for the insights. I wouldn't be taking chances on anything until I actually have it made, sleep in it a few nights at least, and give it a good try as-is first, but the suggestion of playing with Spread bar length is good to know...I was under the impression that if I changed the length of the spreaders, it would both add stress to already high-stress seams or mangle the ratio of spreaders-to-dogbones and diminish the reliability of the bars.

    That's great to know, I'll hold off on buying the metal or carbon spreaders until I have it made and try it with varying lengths.

    If a recessed-spreader option was easier to build or could be modified on just the head end of the Bic hammock, where it would the most difference, I'd be all over it...but recessing looks trickier than I need right now. Maybe on a later build.
    Yar, with bridges one small step at a time is best.
    And with recessing- you're either doing it or you're not. IE- the whole pattern, suspension, etc changes.
    If you're really light you can sorta shove a pole in and pull a fast one but most find that doesn't hold up long.

    Just to be clear;
    If you reduce the spreader bar size- you're okay to play with it.
    If you increase the spreader bar size- you should increase the dogbones.

    Where you do get in big trouble is shoving too long a bar in without changing anything else.

    I have a pair of 48" dogbones and an 'infinite' ridgeline floating around for prototypes. Using a way too big dogbone reduces the stress on both the spreader and the corners.
    I would change out all four of them so you aren't dealing with an unbalanced bridge.

    The Ridgeline not only allows you to more consistently compare minor adjustments- but stabilizes the geometry of the whole bridge as well.

    While a dowel rod comes in any size you like- realistically you only want to play with something that you could actually take to the trail (assuming that's your goal).
    So about 42" is reasonable 'upper limit' but keep in mind as you get closer to a 1:1 ratio of bar length to fabric you do really stress the corners and more importantly- the bar.

    Floating around somewhere was also a section of 2" PVC pipe I put over my early experiments with longer bars in case I shattered one.


    If all ends up 'pretty close' after you play with the spreaders...
    The next step would be to change fabric.
    Airwave, Hybrid 1.7, hybrid 1.2, Hexon 1.6 all produce a different feeling bridge. The double 1.0 you were thinking of is another route if they are both loadbearing.
    If you shove a thick pad in between; in reality you just have a single layer 1.0 with integrated bedsheet

  6. #6
    Senior Member packman9000's Avatar
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    I was going to use the 1.0 HyperD as a single layer or use as a partial-double layer to hold a pad (I realize it's not a structural double layer). But I bought the fabric on sale, and reading up on the sacrifice in strength and the difficulty to sew I may save it for stuffsacks and buy either the 1.2 or 1.7 MTN; I will probably never built a hammock out of it. The AirWave I was unconvinced about until I actually had it in my hands...it feels like cotton and is much easier to sew than the other, lighter fabrics I've used.

    The mod I posted in the OP, I may end up trying on one end after seeing how the foot end of the Bic bridge works. I'm not sure, and I won't touch the rotary cutter until I sleep it out quite a bit. As it is it's got to be better than the pressure ache I have from scrunched feet in my GE.

    Josh just packed my spreaders today. The hammock is already done. I haven't made the bugnet (yet) because I'm exploring different ways of attaching the zipper at the corners.

    Can't wait until this is all done and I can try it out on an actual trip.
    Last edited by packman9000; 01-29-2021 at 18:04.

  7. #7
    Senior Member packman9000's Avatar
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    Not to bump the thread here, but it's pretty dang comfy so far. My biggest concern was that my HG Incubator wouldn't fit, and it actually fits dang well! There's more fabric/down/baffles than I need in a bridge hammock, but if I cinch up the bottom a bit tighter it fits real snug and warmer than when I'm in my Blackbird XLC.

    So far, I've sold on bridge hammocks. Although I do have a couple tweaks to the Bic pattern I'm going to be trying on my next build. I'm hooked on making my own stuff, the only problem is budget at this point. :/

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