That would definitely tighten the mid section but that, as others have said, is not a good thing. If you want less percepted sag in the butt or torso, a wider/longer hammock would be the fix allowing a flatter lay. The mini spreader bars also emulate a larger hammock to a degree thereby giving a slightly flatter lay. My next DIY, once I'm done with the current one, will be a bridge hammock because of the improved flatness/less butt sag.
If at first you don't succeed...
You're doing it wrong
I made a hammock with shorter sides. it was terrible, I thought it would help make a better "tub" style. I only shortened the sides by one inch it was crazy how much difference it made when I got in the hammock. I could not even lay in an angle, I quickly took it apart and fixed it. :-) i would think if you shortened the middle much at all you would not be able to stay in the hammock. The opposite of the "tub" effect
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/___________/
That's my best effort at ASCII art. There's an old post on the forums that discusses the concept but my search foo is phooey. Maybe some one else can track it down.
If you want to play around with the convex or concave curves on the ends I would cut a normal rectangular piece and play with the whipping. That way you don't trash the fabric if you don't like it. Plus you can try several variations on the one piece until you find what you are seeking.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
"Bless you child, when you set out to thread a needle don't hold the thread still and fetch the needle up to it; hold the needle still and poke the thread at it; that's the way a woman most always does, but a man always does t'other way."
Mrs. Loftus to Huck Finn
We Don't Sew... We Make Gear! video series
Important thread injector guidelines especially for Newbies
Bobbin Tension - A Personal Viewpoint
I couldn't agree more with ramblinrev...I have a DIY that I have whipped probably 100 times, with another coming up soon. But once I get exactly what I'm aiming for, I'm never touching it again.
What I have found that works for me is to have the feet side of my hammock raised higher than my upper body. So what I have done (and continue to add finesse) is to whip my foot side tighter than my upper body side. What that does is it allows me to keep my knees bent in a normal direction, and it also let's me hang both sides of the hammock at the same height on the trees, (I like my feet above head level so I don't slide in my hammock) eliminating another variable in the perfect hang every time mind frame.
My two cents and hope it helps.
Oh and what gave me the idea originally was justjeffs "w" whipping method found on www.tothewoods.net
"We do not go to the green woods and crystal waters to rough it, we go to smooth it."- G. W. Sears
My forum name is Fish<><; I'm in the navy; and I hate sleeping on the ground. If I didn't need ground to walk on or measure resistance to, I think I could happily give it up.
Good tips on playing with the whipping (blush). That way I am not committed to anything right away!
I once made a hammock with convex ends and it was unbearable. Granted I went a little too extreme with the convexness but after that experiment I just cut it square and went down the mini-bar road.
Good luck,
RED
My Youtube Channel
Deep peace of the running wave to you.
Deep peace of the flowing air to you.
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you.
Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Deep peace without end to you.
adapted from - ancient gaelic runes
The end is the same, the means are different...
The short sided hammock, whether it be cat cut, W whipped, just pulled a little bit on the sides or a mini-spreader bar, is the means to get rid of of the ridge in the middle that irritates the calf.
The foot box is a different means to get rid of the ridge that irritates the calf; but there's a little magic in there somewhere. To me, the foot box is more comfortable.
Then along comes the shock cord mod which is a nice no sew (or minimal sew at least) alternative.
All different means to the same end...
Now my new ENO with mini-spreader bars AND the shock cord mod is.. well, twice as good!
"I aim to misbehave." - Capt. Mal Reynolds
Mind of a Rat Youtube Channel
When I first started, before I started using the WBBB method of whipping, I tried 6 or so variations where I functionally changed the shape of the body by altering how I whipped it...
After a couple of days of dorking around, I read a thread here on the WBBB method... I haven't gone back!
John
"Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda
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