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Thread: Crazy Idea???

  1. #1
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    Crazy Idea???

    Hey folks. I am a noobie and just got my HH (Explorer Ultra). Was comfortable enough but failed to meet my expectations. At just over 6 feet tall, I was surprised to find I could not get flat enough even with getting on an angle from edge of bug netting to bug netting.

    So in my usual pursuit of perfection I have been playing around with a few ideas and was wondering if someone might have an opinion to share on one of them.

    The basic idea is this. Instead of gathering all of the rectangular fabric of the hammock into a single gather and whipping it together, gather and whip together the half of the width (approx 32 inches) of the fabric from the right side of the to the middle width. Do the same on the other end so that the gathers are diagonal from each other. These gathers will form the main support for the hammock that will then be tied off to the trees. If you are still following the image I am trying to create, we would have a half formed hammock with diagonal corners ungathered. The ungathered fabric will then form the direction on which you would lay down.

    Next we would gather and whip from the left outside edge about 20 inches of fabric leaving about 12 inches ungathered. Do this at both ends of the hammock. These secondary gathers would then be tied off to the main gather. The line used to tie it off would have to be short enough to eliminate stress on the ungathered fabric but long enough to allow the second gather to move away from the first, maybe about 11 inches after the knots have been tied. Also maybe some heavy reinforcement at the edge of the ungathered fabric to prevent a lengthwise tear from beginning if stain were placed on it.

    The whole idea is to cause the hammock to have a ability to expand more than a single gather allows without making the hammock very very long.

    So for those who have not already concluded I am smoking an illegal substance..... and can somehow picture what I am trying to convey in these hastily written words , please poke holes, give your thoughts, or direct me to the post of the last lunatic to think something like this might work.

    Thanks very much!

  2. #2
    Senior Member Two Tents's Avatar
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    Hmmmmm! I think I follow what you are trying to do. I'd like to see the 'finished' product.
    I like refried beans. That's why I wanna try fried beans, because maybe they're just as good and we're just wasting time. You don't have to fry them again after all.

  3. #3
    Senior Member RootCause's Avatar
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    Your write-up was fine. You're either not smoking illegal substances or we both are. I'm prepared to take a blood test showing I'm not.


    I think your basic premise is sound, and worth trying. I've tried a number of end-gathering techniques, and they all produced distinctly different lays in the hammocks. At one point I used zip-ties for the whipping and tried three different whips in under two hours.

    Any normal hem on the end will reduce the risk of a lengthwise tear starting.

    Let us know how it turns out, and..... as always.... pics or it didn't happen!

  4. #4
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    I would probably start by getting some cheap fabric like $1.50 a yard stuff from Wal Mart to try the various whipping methods you are thinking of before doing the final version on your Hennessy.
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    RootCause
    Thanks for the encouragement -- I think.
    Also for the reminder about the Zip Ties. I read that previously on one of your posts and thought what a great idea, but of course forgot until your reminder.

    Sarg,
    What fabric is strong enough to play with that only costs $1.50????? Please let me know.

    Thanks.

  6. #6
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    I always check the fabric section at my wal-mart. I can't find something every time, but I do occasionally find 1.1 ripstop nylon bolts. My best find ever was about 7 yard of the stuff in green that was something like $1.50 for the entire bolt. I've gone through that though using it for prototyping, stuff sacks, and bags for my stoves when I was still a gear manufacturer. I've also made a hammock for my son using cotton material - but that was for a hammock in his room when he wanted to replace his bed with a hammock. If one were prototyping hammock whipping, then any material that looks like it can hold your weight would work since it won't need to to be water resistant or wicking or whatever.
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  7. #7
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    Thanks Sarg.

    I guess my real dilemma is knowing which ones are strong enough to support my weight. Being new to this, I was reluctant at first to trust the HH I just got. I could not believe such a thin fabric could hold my weight. I guess I will just let my butt let me know if I chose the wrong fabric.

    BTW -- Your site was quite helpful. One of the first bookmarks I made when starting to learn about Hammock Camping. Well done and thanks.

  8. #8
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Thanks for the compliment and good luck.

    I've had many butt landings in the last 12 years
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    Quick follow up. Any thoughts on using a double layer of flat bedsheets for a test fabric? Strong enough to hold 180 lbs.?

  10. #10
    Senior Member SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Probably fine. I weigh 175 and have used lots of single layer stuff to test with. A couple of them have failed over a lot of use, but none has ever failed on the first few. One was even lower than 1.1 oz fabric - but that was some unidentified ripstop stuff from wal-mart that even looked too light, but I figured what the heck.
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