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Thread: Newb questions

  1. #1

    Newb questions

    I remember sitting work at the front desk thinking to myself something along these lines. How can I make an open bivy that keep you dry on the bottom, has bug netting, and is comfortable? Apparently I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I could just make a hammock! Dry on the bottom issue is important in the Vancouver Canada area where the forest floor is often a soggy mess, but in a hammock the ground is irrelevant for the most part, awesome.
    I have a few questions for the veterans of the DIY forums.

    1) Do people buy patterns that have been copyrighted, patented and licked so that no one else touches them? Or is it fairly chill and as long as you’re respectful, give recognition where it’s due, and are willing to offer up high fives of appreciation? I personally like the idea of collaboration, but respect is important too.

    2) I’ve seen different weight nylon being mentioned and I’m curious, what is the relationship between “oz and denier”?

    3) What is “whipping” which people refer to? Is this what happens when you make a bad hammock?

    Thanks for your consideration.
    -Jo

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    1) "Or is it fairly chill and as long as you’re respectful"<--this. There are lots of "how to's" on HF and supplier's sites.

    2) The higher the denier, the higher the oz/square yard. Roughly...30D=1.1oz, 40D=1.6oz, 70D=1.9oz. Coatings will add to finished weight.

    3) Whipping is one method of keeping a gathered end gathered. Method 2 is what i use. Photo

  3. #3
    Senior Member the_lorax's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JesterJosev View Post
    1) Do people buy patterns that have been copyrighted, patented and licked so that no one else touches them? Or is it fairly chill and as long as you’re respectful, give recognition where it’s due, and are willing to offer up high fives of appreciation? I personally like the idea of collaboration, but respect is important too.
    Generally, as long as you're not trying to turn around and sell to others, folks here don't mind if you borrow their ideas. There are lots of how-to posts.

    Make it for yourself, post pics and say thanks to those who inspired you and you'll be good. Bonus if you give back ideas on any modifications you made/tips on how to do something that wasn't initially clear to you for the next person who comes along. HF seems to thrive on the willingness of its members to share and help each other.

    Quote Originally Posted by JesterJosev View Post
    3) What is “whipping” which people refer to? Is this what happens when you make a bad hammock?

    Thanks for your consideration.
    -Jo
    Whipping is a way you gather the ends of the hammock together. Common options:
    1) Fold the fabric a bunch of times (think paper fan) and then "whip" the ends by wrapping some cord around it several times and then tying. Like GMCTTR showed. The DIY Hennessy tutorial shows more.
    2) Sew a channel in the end, run a length of cord threw it and "cinch" it down. See Sticky: Instruction: Gathered End Hammock

  4. #4
    Jimbo3b's Avatar
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    I got most of my patterns from http://www.backwoodsdaydreamer.com/

    Click on "DIY Guides" and select the product you're interested in building.

    Lots of discussion on oz vs denier in the "Fabrics" subforum to this forum (look at the top of this forum page). A new thread started 08 Feb 13 has a good discussion.

    I've whipped hammocks, also tried a sheet bend knot and a sewn channel. I like all methods, but whipping is fastest for me. I suppose a sewn channel is what I like best for hammocks that I make for family and friends because I wouldn't want them to try whipping it themselves if they take it apart to run through a washing machine.

  5. #5
    Thanks for the replies everyone.

    I'd also like to point out that this forray of mine into DIY could be pretty empowering. I mean as a student I seem to find that gear pricing can be restrictive. By making some gear and saving some money perhaps will help out with some gas money in the future to attend a hammock hang. Also I would like to point out it could be argued that you get bonus cool points for being able to craft your own kit. I mean buying yourself a Hennessy is pretty awesome too, but perhaps theres something special about showing up with your Frankenhammock and getting the job done!

  6. #6
    Senior Member doogie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JesterJosev View Post
    Thanks for the replies everyone.

    I'd also like to point out that this forray of mine into DIY could be pretty empowering. I mean as a student I seem to find that gear pricing can be restrictive. By making some gear and saving some money perhaps will help out with some gas money in the future to attend a hammock hang. Also I would like to point out it could be argued that you get bonus cool points for being able to craft your own kit. I mean buying yourself a Hennessy is pretty awesome too, but perhaps theres something special about showing up with your Frankenhammock and getting the job done!
    Be careful. I started with a Noah's Tarp and an ENO DN, both given as presents. Never used the hammock much except for relaxing. Then I found Hammock Forums and the DIY section.
    I then made:
    a set of Whoopie slings and swapped out the heavy suspension on my DN
    tree straps from some strap clamps
    Fronkey style bug net
    Sil-Nylon hex tarp
    top quilt with down scavenged from an old coat and vest
    gathered end hammock
    turtle dog stand
    Sil-Nylon winter tarp
    detached bug net

    I'm not addicted to DIY.....really I'm not. Oh I forgot to mention all of the cooking stuff I made, but you have to be a donating member to see those forums. Well, maybe I am addicted a little
    "Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. ... To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountain that sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow." - Robert M. Pirsig

    Subscribe to my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PaCampingDad

  7. #7
    Senior Member FLRider's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JesterJosev View Post
    I remember sitting work at the front desk thinking to myself something along these lines. How can I make an open bivy that keep you dry on the bottom, has bug netting, and is comfortable? Apparently I don’t have to reinvent the wheel. I could just make a hammock! Dry on the bottom issue is important in the Vancouver Canada area where the forest floor is often a soggy mess, but in a hammock the ground is irrelevant for the most part, awesome.
    I have a few questions for the veterans of the DIY forums.

    1) Do people buy patterns that have been copyrighted, patented and licked so that no one else touches them? Or is it fairly chill and as long as you’re respectful, give recognition where it’s due, and are willing to offer up high fives of appreciation? I personally like the idea of collaboration, but respect is important too.

    2) I’ve seen different weight nylon being mentioned and I’m curious, what is the relationship between “oz and denier”?

    3) What is “whipping” which people refer to? Is this what happens when you make a bad hammock?

    Thanks for your consideration.
    -Jo
    1.) Generally speaking, making stuff for yourself from established designs isn't frowned on too hard. I always try to get permission from a vendor, though, if I'm copying their design, before I go and post specifics of how I did it on a public forum. It just seems polite to me.

    2.) There really isn't a strict relationship. Denier is the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of a single thread used in the fabric weave. That means that different weave types and thread counts will have different weights in relation to denier. That being said, a rough correlation for ripstop nylon is 30d = 1.1 oz/sq yd and 70d = 1.9 oz/sq yd. Most online cottage fabric suppliers will know the weight of their fabrics off-hand; don't expect big box stored to know that, however. The ladies at JoAnnes won't get that question much, so it's unlikely that they'll know the information.

    3.) It's how you gather the end of a gathered-end hammock. The_lorax covered it very well with the links in the post above.


    A point on DIY. Don't expect to save money if you're prototyping from scratch. I sure didn't with any of my stuff. However, if you're working from an established plan (such as the DIY Gear Supply plans linked above), you can definitely save some.

    And, yeah, if you're getting wet from underneath in an hammock, you've got bigger problems than just getting wet...
    "Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
    --Floridahanger

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