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  1. #1
    Senior Member
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    Nov 2020
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    Looking for comments/help with wooden hammock frame using mortice and tenon joints

    IMG_0965[1].JPGIMG_0955[1].jpg
    I built a frame so I could use my hammock in the back yard. I considered making it out of the galvanized pipe that I've seen others use but that was going to cost over CDN$250 and during the lock down it was going to be difficult to get the materials. So I built a frame out of some 2x4s and decking board (5/4x6) that I already had. The theory was that the mortice and tenon joints between the top rail and the uprights would stop or resist the frame from racking and becoming a parallelogram, but it didn't work out that well. My tenons aren't a consistent thickness or width (hard to do with hand tools and tenons that are 5" long), and my mortices in the top rail are also a bit too large (I drilled the mortices with a hand held drill instead of my drill press plus it's really difficult to chisel the soft wood square). In addition, my top rail is a decking board (1" thick) instead of a 2x4 (1 1/2" thick) which I think would resist racking much more. Forgot to mention that I chiseled holes in my tenons for wedges so I could tighten the top rail down on to the uprights, and I used a mortice and tenon to connect the bottom of the uprights to the base. Sorry, I don't have a picture of that (very important) part but if you zoom in on the 1st picture you may be able to make out the wedge. Also, since I was planning on using a 2x4 for the top rail, I positioned the holes for the wedges 1 1/2" from the shoulders of the tenon. So, when using the thinner 1" deck board I had to insert a 1/2" thick piece so the wedge would have something to push against. Again, let me know if a picture is required.

    I suspect that even if I created a new top rail using a 2x4 and ensured that the mortices were a tight fit on the tenons, the weather might swell the wood and make it almost impossible to disassemble the mortice and tenon joints. So I'm thinking I'll abandon this design and try to fashion something to the one tree I have in my back yard.

    If anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate hearing them. I'm a little skeptical of the frames I've seen that use tripods made out of 1x2. Or maybe they are 2x2 but I'm still skeptical that they would bend under my weight, even though I only weigh 165 lbs.

    Thanks

  2. #2
    Phantom Grappler's Avatar
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    Mar 2014
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    Theyland, you’ve tackled quite a project.
    I admire your woodworking craftsmanship.
    Due to a cruel twist of fate, I was born with ten perfectly formed thumbs. At first I was gonna say, beef up your stands. Nailing, screwing or bolting extra wood to your existing frame for additional strength. Then I read your post, again and noticed you might want to disassemble your stand when not in use.
    Maybe go online and copy other campers homemade stands. Some of them are ingenious.
    Why think, when someone else has already thunk!?!! Some great creations on YouTube.

    Also if you are into knots, send me a private message, then I’ll swap phone numbers and describe in detail some really strak tripod lashing techniques—it ain’t the Boy Scout tripod lashing. That beauty is a pain to assemble. I have a way to make a tripod almost instantaneously. I did not invent it. It’s created by American Plains Indians. Their tripod lashing for the first three poles in their tipi. This had to be fast to assemble, and disassemble. Also it had to be very strong.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Monkeyboy42's Avatar
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    Jul 2014
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    Salisbury, md
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    The way to save your frame is to run another horizontal along the bottom, and add some crossbraces from one of the horizontals to each vertical. At that point you are into screws or bolts, and I’m guessing you want to be able to take it apart easily, from your description?

    The tripod “turtle dog” really works. It is 2x2. Remember that each 2x2 is only support 1/6th of the total weight. Currently you have 2x4’s each supporting 1/2 your weight. The math works out. Just don’t buy 2x2’s with 15 knots going through the full width. Carefully select pieces with a small number of small knots.

    On the turtle dog, the horizontal ridge beam is also floating. Your suspension connects to that, and the lateral compression force of your body weight trying to pull the hammock ends together is 100% supported by the hanging ridge beam. The tripods take only straight downward compression force transferred by the hanging ridge.

    It really works, and requires minimal skills to build. No fine jointery needed.

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