Aside from Ripstop, what are some decent materials I might find at Wally-World, particularly in the $1/yd bin, for my hammock? And for a tarp, assuming I can't find silnylon, would a 9'x6' or 9'x12' plastic drop cloth work, or would it just be crap?
Aside from Ripstop, what are some decent materials I might find at Wally-World, particularly in the $1/yd bin, for my hammock? And for a tarp, assuming I can't find silnylon, would a 9'x6' or 9'x12' plastic drop cloth work, or would it just be crap?
I'm in sort of the same boat - I'm searching for cheap silnylon. Don't care what color, don't care where I get it, I just don't want to pay 7 bucks a yard for it.
Originally Posted by squidstew
It would be crap in the long run but it would work until something better comes along. Make sure to get a fairly substantial cloth as you wouldn't want the wind to rip it up.
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
Somebody has it for $3.00 for seconds, but I can't remember who.
Somebody will let you know.
Jbo
Noah Lamport. The website won't tell you a thing, you've gotta call. There's a $5.00 cut fee unless you take the whole roll. Colors are random, again, just call and they'll let you know what's in stock. It works out to about $4.00/yd when you add in shipping.
I do know (unless they got a shipment in the last couple days) that gray is sold out (I bought them out). Last week there were a couple blues and some other colors... there may even be a hot pink or bright orange left if you're that bold.
Oh, and back to the Wal-Mart question. Your hammock doesn't have to be made from ripstop. Taffeta is plenty strong enough and has a nice feel. Really, you can go for most anything that is synthetic (polyester or nylon), feels thick enough, and is wide enough and you can make an outdoor hammock (stay away from cotton unless you're using it inside only). Nylon will give more stretch (which I prefer in a hammock).
If you're not sure what it is, burn it. Preferably not in the store.If it burns and melts it's synthetic, if it burns and chars it's cotton.
Last edited by sclittlefield; 09-20-2009 at 20:23.
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Thank you sclittlefield. That was the information I was looking for. At the moment, I don't have a credit card to mail-order stuff. And might I possibly find taffeta in the $1/yd bin at Walmart? And is the $1 bin stuff clearly labled or would I have to just know how to identify it (as I'm sure you can tell, I've never bought fabric from Walmart, or anywhere for that matter).
Just about anything synthetic from the cheap bin in Wally World would be fine for a hammock. That's what I did for my home sleeper. If it is 60+ inches wide and synthetic (which most of the fabric that width would be) you shouldn't have a problem. Taffeta is a weave between ripstop (little squares woven in) and Oxford cloth (think fine quality men's dress shirt). You should be able to find it at Wal Mart without too much trouble.
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
Could I hand sew these materials, or are they tough enough to require a macine (I only know how to sew by hand, and don't have a machine; the only machines within my budget would be the crappy ones from walmart under $100 or maybe some that I've seen at a thrift store)?
It would potentially be possible to do a totally non-sewn hammock You would need some extra long fabric. Probably an extra foot for each end. So figure 12'. Heat seal the cut ends. Then you can gather and knot the ends using a variety of different techniques discussed in here in other places. the selvage (factory edge of the material would be fine without needing any treatment as long as the fabric is at least 60" wide.
The easiest way to knot the ends would be to gather the hammock in a"w" pleat style... fold the end over about 6" and secure it with a zip tie. The use a double sheet bend to secure the suspension ropes. The zip tie is just to stabilize things You do not rely on the tie for any strength. The knot takes care of that. In reality you would not absolutely have to heat seal the cut ends. But it would protect the fabric from raveling out over time. That would be mostly a cosmetic issue in reality.
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
The reason I ask about sewing is because I intend to use double layers, to slip a pad in, rather than laying directly on it, having it either shift due to me moving around, or stick to me due to sweat. I will also need to sew (maybe not immediately, but eventually) accessories for the hammock, ie. hamock sock, skins or a blackbishop bag, bivy, and I may eventually make myself a bigger pack.
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