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  1. #11
    Senior Member SteelerNation's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    Yes - I learned of the Zeppelin Bend here on the forums - it's become my favorite bend. Easy and fast to tie and holds really well. I've even stopped tying safety knots for it.
    Is there a way to tie a whoopie sling and a ridgeline to this knot? Or is there some kind of splice?

    I guess that I'm wondering what the best way would be to tie the suspension if I use 7/64" Amsteel for the entire suspension of the bridge. From reading around, I'm thinking that there should be a way to run a length of Amsteel through the bridge as the arc material, splice in an amsteel ring to take the spreader bars, tie/splice the two pieces together at each end to make the suspension and run a whoopie sling from each to the tree hugger.

    Problem is, I can't find the best knots/splices to use for each of those items. It seems to me that the splice/bury techniques are the best, the strongest, and the cleanest and would prefer to use them, but experimenting on my own just isn't getting it done.

    Would this work, and if so, are there links to the recommended knots/splices? Is 7/64" Amsteel the best way to go for this for comfort & lightness, or do I need to go with the AS-78?

    If it is not the best way to go, can you tell me where I am going wrong?

    Thanks everyone,

    SN
    Please visit my AmJustDuane YouTube channel

  2. #12
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Sinlge Line Suspension

    Quote Originally Posted by SteelerNation View Post
    Is there a way to tie a whoopie sling and a ridgeline to this knot? Or is there some kind of splice?

    I guess that I'm wondering what the best way would be to tie the suspension if I use 7/64" Amsteel for the entire suspension of the bridge. From reading around, I'm thinking that there should be a way to run a length of Amsteel through the bridge as the arc material, splice in an amsteel ring to take the spreader bars, tie/splice the two pieces together at each end to make the suspension and run a whoopie sling from each to the tree hugger.

    Problem is, I can't find the best knots/splices to use for each of those items. It seems to me that the splice/bury techniques are the best, the strongest, and the cleanest and would prefer to use them, but experimenting on my own just isn't getting it done.

    Would this work, and if so, are there links to the recommended knots/splices? Is 7/64" Amsteel the best way to go for this for comfort & lightness, or do I need to go with the AS-78?

    If it is not the best way to go, can you tell me where I am going wrong?

    Thanks everyone,

    SN
    SteelerNation - I embarked on an endeavour to get a hardware free single line suspension about 2 years back. Everything finally came together back in early 2009 with splices and the nacrabiner.

    What I finally came up with is very simple and easy to use. It consists of 3 pieces:

    1. 2 whoopie slings. On the fixed eyes of the whoopie sling, tie a Solomon Bar slider. Tie the Solomon bar knot tight enough that it won't slide accidentally, but loose enough that it isn't a PITA to slide. I use 1.75 mm Lash-It for all of the Solomon bar knots on my suspension.
    2. ridge line with fixed eyes spliced on both ends. Attach the ridge line to the whoopie slings with a larks head knot to the whoopie sling fixed eyes. Extremely simple and easy to make and use.

      If you don't know the desired ridge line length, just make the ridge line a long whoopie sling and experiment with the length until you find the desired length. I used 1.75 mm Lash-It since I have a lot of it and it is plenty strong enough for a structural ridge line. But you can use any other line you have available. If the line you have isn't splicable, then simply tie bowline knots on each end for the fixed eyes.


    This single line suspension can be used for either gathered end hammocks or Bridge Hammocks. For gathered end hammocks use a nacrabiner and larks head to the hammock end.

    For a Bridge Hammock I make my suspension triangles as pictured:



    It consists of a single length of cord with a diamond/lanyard knot tied in the middle. Then 2 more diamond/lanyard knots are tied on each length to give each leg the desired length for the suspension triangle.

    I have a fixed eye spliced to the cord coming out of the arc of the bridge. If you use webbing then you could use a continuous loop through a very small loop in the webbing end.

    On the fixed eye, I tie another Solomon bar knot:



    Another view:


    In practice the lanyard knot on the end of each leg of the suspension triangle is inserted in the fixed eye off the arc cord end and the Solomon bar knot knot slides down to capture the lanyard knot.

    The middle lanyard knot on the suspension triangle is inserted in the fixed eye of a whoopie sling and the Solomon bar knot slides down to capture the lanyard knot.

    Here is a picture of the suspension triangle on one end of the Bridge Hammock.



    The grey line coming off the apex of the triangle down to the left of the picture is the 1.75 mm Lash-It ridge line.

    Repeat at the other end of the hammock. Simple quick and easy to use. No hardware.

    I carry no hardware for my entire suspension. Using webbing tree huggers, I simply pick up a trail stick to use as a toggle. That is the extent of any hardware. When I use a rope hugger, I don't even use that much. My rope hugger is a length of rope with a spliced fixed eye on one end. Wrap the tree and tie the free end to the fixed eye using a slipped Becket hitch. Then I use a nacrabiner to connect the whoopie sling to the rope hugger.

    In practice, I hang the single line suspension at the desired height and sag, then hang the hammock from the single line suspension. I rarely remove the suspension triangle from the hammock. The only 2 instances I have are:

    1. experiment with suspension triangle size.
    2. swap foot and head end suspension triangles. Since my foot spreader bar is shorther than my head spreader bar and since I make the suspension triangles equal angle instead of equal side length, the foot and head end triangle are not exactly equal and if I desire to switch ends without rotating the hammock, I simply swap the triangles. Swapping ends or swapping triangles, either option is about equally easy, i.e., very easy and quickly done.


    With this single line suspension system and suspension triangles, my whole suspension is entirely modular and can be transferred easily from bridge hammock to bridge hammock.

    Oh, I would not use 7/64" cord on the bridge arc. Too small to use comfortably. You will find it uncomfortable on the back of the thighs on entering exit. 3 mm (1/8") cord is about the smallest you can go and retain much comfort. When wearing shorts in the summer, if you find 3mm cord uncomfortable, then use spare clothing (shirt, pants, jacket, etc) or a sit pad draped over the cord when exiting entering and the problem disappears.

    I use only 3 mm AS-78 on the arcs of all of my Bridge Hammocks.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

  3. #13
    Senior Member SteelerNation's Avatar
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    Thank you for that TeeDee!

    I really appreciate advice from the experts!

    I was thinking about trying to build the arc and triangle suspensions out of one piece of continuous line, but I think that is trying to get to cutsie. I'll look to get the AS-78 for the arc and use 7/64" Amsteel for the triangles.

    Man, I've seen the pictures before, but wasn't able to put it all together in my head. Thanks for the great explanation!

    I'm going to try to use my Wally-World trekking poles for the spreader bars. I don't think that I'll need the big pockets for them as I plan to have a point protruding from both ends and was thinking that a loop would work well. Do you think that there is a good way to splice in fixed loop at the end of the arc cord (where you have your pocket) maybe with another solomon bar to tighten the loop up after I put the end of the pole in?

    SN
    Please visit my AmJustDuane YouTube channel

  4. #14
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteelerNation View Post
    Do you think that there is a good way to splice in fixed loop at the end of the arc cord (where you have your pocket) maybe with another solomon bar to tighten the loop up after I put the end of the pole in?

    SN
    Yes. I splice a locked Brummel with bury fixed eye at the end of the arc cord on both ends. I make the splice so that the eye opening is right at the end of the fabric. The eye is 4" long and that gives enough room for the pocket using 1.5" seat belt webbing and the lanyard knot of the triangle cord with both of the sliding Solomon Bar knots.

    If you can devise a cord loop to capture the pointy end of a hiking pole, please post on the forums. I have not been able to devise such a cradle or loop of cord that I would trust. For the hand grip end, it is not too bad since the hand grip is large. But for the pointy ground end of the pole, there is very little to grip and secure the cord loop or cradle. The point has always slid through whatever cord loop or cradle I have tried. I have always had to just drop back to the webbing pocket.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

  5. #15
    Senior Member SteelerNation's Avatar
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    Ahhhh, see what you are saying there with the end poking through. I'll have to think about that some more.

    Do you do anything special when you sew the channels for the arc cord? Do you just roll the edge and sew it over once or do you do something to achieve a couple of layers of fabric in the cord channel?

    Thanks again! Am ordering the AS-78.

    Duane
    Please visit my AmJustDuane YouTube channel

  6. #16
    Senior Member TeeDee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SteelerNation View Post
    Ahhhh, see what you are saying there with the end poking through. I'll have to think about that some more.

    Do you do anything special when you sew the channels for the arc cord? Do you just roll the edge and sew it over once or do you do something to achieve a couple of layers of fabric in the cord channel?

    Thanks again! Am ordering the AS-78.

    Duane
    Anything special? Nope. I fold the seatbelt webbing so that the pocket is formed with a double layer of webbing. I guess a single layer would work, but I just don't feel comfortable with that carbide tip poking against the single layer of webbing. I fold and sew the webbing up close to the AS-78 using a zipper foot. Once that is done I use a zig-zag stitch over where the webbing ends butt against each other. Then I sew the sides of the pocket together . That is sewing through 4 layers of webbing, but the seatbelt webbing is so flexible, I don't have any problems.
    Those who sacrifice freedom for safety, have neither.

    Do not dig your grave with your teeth. (Unknown)

  7. #17
    Senior Member SteelerNation's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    Anything special? Nope. I fold the seatbelt webbing so that the pocket is formed with a double layer of webbing. I guess a single layer would work, but I just don't feel comfortable with that carbide tip poking against the single layer of webbing. I fold and sew the webbing up close to the AS-78 using a zipper foot. Once that is done I use a zig-zag stitch over where the webbing ends butt against each other. Then I sew the sides of the pocket together . That is sewing through 4 layers of webbing, but the seatbelt webbing is so flexible, I don't have any problems.
    Sorry, wasn't clear. I was really asking if there was anything special about the arc cord channels. That is, with all of the weight on the arc cords and the transfer of load between the hammock body and the arc cords, is it enough to roll the fabric edge and sew it once, making a channel for the AS-78, or do you need to fold a bigger piece down from the edge (say 2 inches for a one inch channel) and then fold that in half again to create two fabric layers on the channel?

    I'm sure that the seatbelt part will come up, though, unless I figure out something else for those spreaders.

    Thanks again for all of the info!!

    SN
    Please visit my AmJustDuane YouTube channel

  8. #18
    Senior Member WV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeeDee View Post
    For a Bridge Hammock I make my suspension triangles as pictured:



    It consists of a single length of cord with a diamond/lanyard knot tied in the middle. Then 2 more diamond/lanyard knots are tied on each length to give each leg the desired length for the suspension triangle.
    TeeDee, to tie the lanyard knots, did you have to pull the entire cord (with whatever knots were already tied in it) through the center of the carrick bend? Or is there another way to do it?

  9. #19
    Senior Member stevebo's Avatar
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    great post--thanks for the info!
    FYI: If you want to know what type a certain bear is, sneak up behind it and kick it. Then,
    run like crazy and climb up a tree. If the bear climbs the tree and eats you, it's a black
    bear. If the bear just pushes the tree over and eats you, it's a grizzly bear : )


    Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me, either, just leave me alone.
    --unknown

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