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2 Attachment(s)
Newby setup
This is my new setup. DIY hammock, underquilt, tarp, and hammock stand. Thanks to Jeff's backtothewoods.com for the hammock how to. Thanks to this forum for DIY whoopie info (love em). Thanks to the forum posts on hammock stands. I had five extra landscape timbers left from a project...:) The UQ is from an Ozark Trails three pounder sleeping bag. The tarp is 1.5 ounce 60" wide kite ripstop with polyurethane on each side. No leaks, ...so far. I'm a car camper, so "no problem". I have slept out in rain @ 40 degrees, and down to 28 degrees and the tarp was frosted (inside and out). I've stayed toasty warm... so far.
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I'd say that you've got yourself a top notch setup. I really love the way your stand looks. Worthy of being sold IMO.
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Great looking gear! Your DIY skills are impressive. That is a beautiful hammock stand.
That stand is sort of heavy, though, even for car camping. :D
Maybe carbon fiber tubing for the next one? :lol:
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I dig it the most! good job...I love your stand.
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I hardly think you qualify as a n00b! Great stuff!
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Thanks for the positive comments. This was a lot of fun to make. The tarp material was really "slick" when trying to sew the rolled hem. I'm afraid it's not very straight :-). I put it together with a flat felled seam, then seam sealed with Coleman sealer. I thought it was fun....my family thought I was "obsessed". lol. The underquilt bagged a little at bottom center, but I read on this forum that you could bungee over the ridgeline and help that. I'll try it next outing. The stand has a little slop, so I can get the bolts in and out without a hammer. First setup, I tightened the tarp and when I got into the hammock, the tarp sagged something awful. I ran down to Walmart and picked up a ratchet strap and hooked to the two eyebolts at the top end of the uprights. I cranked down till it felt really solid and used the ratchet strap for a tarp ridgeline. No more sag.
DJ
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The stand breaks down to either three or four separate pieces. At three pieces, the base, and both uprights remain together. I can lift it, but it is a pain trying to move it very far. My 64 year old back and legs ain't what they use to be. When I break it down to four pieces, the base and one brace are together and they aren't too hard to carry. I'm thinking about drilling a hole in the end of the bottom cross brace 2X4's and insert a shaft on each side of one end , and mount a bicycle front tire on the shaft. I could just pin the shaft thru the 2X4 and roll the whole thing to my camping spot. What do you think? The problem, too, is having to have wrenches along to loosen/tighten all the bolts. I've seen 2 X 4 construction for this stand and worried about the strength. With these landscape timbers, I don't worry about it snapping quite so much.
DJ
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1 Attachment(s)
Very nice looking set up, DJ! Do you ever hang from these trees right here? Attachment 28933 They look to be about right! Anyway, your stand is mighty fine too! Enjoy!!!
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Actually, my hanging started on two of those very trees. I have gravel in front of that shed door, and that was where my first (old) strap dropped me, lol. I went straight to West Marine and bought 20 feet of 3/16 Amsteel blue (5400 test) and new 1 inch straps, and put a stop to that nonsense. When the strap started to let go there was a little "ping" like a guitar string breaking. I thought "now what is that?". About three seconds later, I found out. I had to laugh about it. (see Happy Hiker's quote above ) lol.
DJ