Another homemade hammock-- take 2

[jdupre']

After Too Busy sparked my interest with his own hammock, I decided to try one myself. Bought 3.5 yards of ripstop nylon at WalMart , came home and in about 30 minutes had a prototype ready to go. It seems a little on the thin side but I'll give it a try. I got some of the dimensions down and then let my wife hem the material all the way around.

Using a combination of suggestions from the Net, I started assembling the hammock. I laid the fabric down on the floor and folded the long sides together.

Starting from the centerline( on the right in the picture) I made 1.5" pleats until I reached the end and then pulled the last few pleats out a little to tighten up the edges of the hammock.

I then whipped the material about 4" from the end with a whipping similar to that used on fishing rod guides.

This tail is attached to the hanging straps with a larks head.

I hung it up tonight and experimented with different positions. It's definitely more comfortable than laying on the ground.

Joey

 

[Kayak Jack]

Joey,

I compliment your experimenting and expanding. Modification in everything!

 

[jdupre']

Well, as with most experiments, there are bound to be failures. The material I THOUGHT was ripstop nylon is more like "rip prone" nylon. The hammock developed a tear dead center of the bottom as I was getting out. Don't know if the material caught on my pants or belt or something else, but I don't think it's salvageable. Oh well, I have a lot of material to make stuff sacks out of. Back to WalMart for another go.

Joey

 

[rhutchinson]

All the talk on here got me curious about hammocks this summer. I'm not prone to laying on my back, and didn't know if I would like one. I bought a CHEAP 10 x 12 tarp, folded it to make a 10 x 6, gathered and whipped the ends and hung it between a shed post and a tree. My grandson (1 yr.old) and I spent a LOT of good time being lazy in it, and it lasted all summer! I was into the whole thing for under 10 bucks!

Richard

 

[jdupre']

Richard, you sound like my kind of guy. A whole summer's worth of napping for you and your grandson for under $10.00---a lot of bang for the buck. 8)

 

[Kayak Jack]

If I was in a hammock with a real young'n, I'd probably want a drain hole in it - for the young'n, not for me. They tend to leak from time to time. And, they do other nasties too.

But, when they smile up at you and hug you, it's all OK.

 

[jdupre']

In the spirit of "gettin' right back on the horse that threw ya", I went and bought a piece of REAL ripstop nylon. Joy hemmed it while I took care of the supper chores. Nothing fancy, just some homemade drop biscuits slathered in butter with a steaming cup of Community coffee. Real nice being that it's 45 degrees with 20-25mph winds and dropping down to 32 degrees tonight. Add HIGH humidiy to that and you have some miserable weather.

I did gathering again with the 1.5" pleats.

Whipped the ends to set the finished shape of the hammock. This is about the only slightly tricky part of the whole operation.

Finished hammock with structural ridgeline. I think this works better than some designs I've seen that use a stretch ridgeline. A fixed length ridgeline guarantees the same amount of "sag" every time.

Went and braved the cold and wind to test the hammock. Was able to lay flat diagonally with the center ridge giving support under my knees. Definitely need some kind of pad to lie on. I could feel the wind sucking the heat off my body. Might consider some kind of under quilt for cold weather camping.

Joey

 

[Kayak Jack]

Joey,

Nice work. I've noticed that these hammocks feel "cold" even in summer weather. When it's HOT, they won't need a pad, and the heat draw feels real nice.

I find that a closed cell pad inside is easier than all those outside hanging things that attach to the outside of a hammock. I see all the stuff that Tom Hennessy has to attach all over the outside of a hammock, and frankly the attachments look like a Rube Goldberg set up.

A simple, closed cell pad inside does it - period. A smaller pad in hot weather, a larger pad in cold weather to wrap up around the sides of the sleeper, and under his feet. KISS

 

[jdupre']

Jack, I have a 1/2" "blue" foam pad. What size do you normally use for cold weather and what's the lowest temp that you are comfortable sleeping in your HH? I saw on one site where a couple of people swore by the uncompressed insulating power of an under quilt instead of a foam pad. I guess I'll have to camp a few nights to test a couple of these ideas out -- strictly for educational purposes, of course. :wink:

 

[Kayak Jack]

I use one about 4' long, and about 30" wide at the shoulders, narrower at the head and knees. In winter, I use a 3/4 length self-inflating cushion. I don't have a full length, or I would use that.

I've camped in below freezing weather, but go chilly because I didn't pull down the rain fly ; I let one side up for ventilation. I got it.

 

[jdupre']

Thanks, Jack. Went out in the back yard and tried the hammock with the full length pad with the corners rounded off. Getting the pad and the sleeping bag lined up in the right position in the hammock will definitely take a bit of experimentation.

It's 41 degrees out tonight with a 10 mph wind and our usual high humidity. I got in the hammock and got situated and was toasty warm in just a couple of minutes. Had my work clothes on -- polyester pants, short sleeve cotton shirt, cotton T shirt , wool blend socks, a medium weight cotton/poly blend wind breaker and added a homemade fleece neck gaiter. The only problem I had was cold feet. I don't think it's a problem with the set-up, it's always a problem for me to get my feet warm.

Joey

 

[oldsparkey]

The one I used in the Eagle Hest Hammock on the last trip worked really well and in fact will be a part of that camping outfit. It inflates about a third of a normal mattress , which lets it bend and conform to the shape of the hammock.

It is in there super special deals and is called a Campmor Sleeping Pad. Item # 47862-P for the regular and #47863-P for the long. $29.97 each. The Campmor Thirtieth Anniversery gift 2008 catalog. I got the long.

They say that the pads have been deflated for quite a while and you need to inflate them three times before using them. They are not joking ... I had to do mine a lot more then three times to get it to work since it has been compressed for so long.

It worked like a dream in the hammock and yes it is tapered ..not boxy like the others. It even was comfortable in the tent that I used during the storms and really cold weather.

Chuck.

 

[Kayak Jack]

I'd been wondering how the non Therm-O-Rest self-inflaters were working. Sounds like they do OK.

The nylon compressed up against you just sucks body heat out, even on a fairly warm day. Heck of a phenomenon! Good insulation under you will cure that easily. And, I find it much easier to cure IN the hammock than out side of it. Flanging around with outside attachments is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist.

 

[jdupre']

General consensus-- inside insulation simpler and easier than outside attachments. I found the inside pad kept out the cold but mine is a little narrow. I'll duct tape on another one and make it wide enough to have a little rolling around room.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Shoulders and elbows of mine sometimes stray to an unpadded area. Get colder'n a well digger's (milk pail) in Siberia. Pulle'm back onto padded area and nod off again.

 

[jdupre']

I think I narrowed down the cold feet thing. Lying diagonally , head and shoulders are on one side of the raised center ridge and feet are on the other side. My feet and lower legs are being squeezed between the center ridge and the side of the hammock causing reduced circulation. Anyone else have this problem?

 

[Kayak Jack]

Sometimes. I have to wriggle a bit to position my feet & legs. Sometimes, Bambii does that for me.

 

[jdupre']

Sometimes, Bambii does that for me.

We're not talking about the deer, are we, Jack? :wink: :lol:

 

[Kayak Jack]

No, a dear. Br'r Bear sent me some telephone numbers of gymnastic nurses. Bambii is a part time aviatrix, part time canoe guide, and full time gal. She's also deaf and dumb, and owns a liquor store.

 

[jdupre']

No, a dear. Br'r Bear sent me some telephone numbers of gymnastic nurses. Bambii is a part time aviatrix, part time canoe guide, and full time gal. She's also deaf and dumb, and owns a liquor store.

Does she have a sister?