[QUOTE=headchange4u;21334]After a little searching I also found this site that sells carbon fiber tubes (hollow), CF rods (solid), as well CF square tubes. Sizes range from 3mm to 6mm (.12"-.24") in 1000mm length (~40"). They are dirt cheap to boot. They may be kinda small for this application, but they might work.
EDIT:
dragonplate .com good supply fot cf tubes, the 48in 1/2in make a great light hiking pole. easy to make and cheap I've used them for a yr now,
gnome
Scott,
That is the exact fabric design of my yellow dmb hammock, except I didn't cut the parabolic curves, i just sewed in a channel and left the excess fabric above to form a rectangle. I remember your suggestion to attach the spreaders without making a hole in the webbing, but I've spent a lot of nights in my hammocks with webbing with holes and haven't seen any signs of weakness. My next hammock will be 10' long, 6' curves, same basic design as the yellow dmb. I'll use polyester ripstop if i can find some to remove some of the stretch, and I use sypderline as the suspension lines. Anyway, I agree with your assessment and thinking above. Its a good way to make a bridge with end-caps, and keep it simple.
Simplicity has never been the hallmark of my designs
On the current prototype the fabic is cut in a way that is similar to what you describe Scott, with a difference. Rather than be rectangular at the head, with the objective of being gathered, the fabric starts narrowing from the head spreader bar, and extends a couple of feet past. At the edges of this extension I sewed a channel, and pass the suspension cord through it. This creates an endcap, and room above my head where I can put my arms when laying on my back (thanks dblhammk for pointing this out!).
I know, I know, a picture is worth a thousand words. Maybe I'll shoot one after work tonight.
Grizz
Those drawings of Scott's are even more similar to my current hammock than the last time I saw them (something like 500 posts ago on this thread).
Here are some photo's of my ultralight bridge, under 10 ounces (not including 3 ounce suspension).DSC00921.JPG
DSC00922.JPG
DSC00929.JPG
After initial testing, the pad sleeves need modification (seen in the third image). I have allowed large gaps, but this allows the pad to buckle and create cold spots in those gaps. I will fix that. Also, the tarp has a wind-blocking front end. It was a good first try, but I think I can do better when I have the time try it again.
Aside from cold spots at the thigh, the comfort of this hammock is awesome!
Nice!
Sure looks like silnylon there.
I've thought about making a sil hammock ever since I discovered that it was strong enough for the suspension curve. But it seems like I'd want to use it only in temps where I'm not going to have skin in contact with it. Looks pretty warm in those pics! I gather you don't feel like you're in a bathtub filled with your own sweat?
Grizz
The hammock body is 1.1 nylon. I did use sil for the pad sleeve. So the middle section, which gets the most strain from sitting or entering and exiting the hammock, is double layered fabric.
As far as condensation or bathing in sweat, this has never been a problem for me. It may be that I hike in arid regions (desert and Sierras mostly).
B TW, I used 1.8 mm spyderline in the edge channels. I believe it is plenty strong for me and allowed me to shave another ounce off the hammock weight.
I'd guess that having something---anything---between you and silicone would help. That non-sil 1.1. looks so crinkly I thought it had to be sil.Originally Posted by dblhmmck
I've found that with my last two hammocks with cord suspension, if I hung them a little higher than usual then the cord really cut into my legs getting in and out. In the latest prototype I ate the weight gain and used webbing. I'm not trying for the lightest possible hammock though. Looks to me like you're getting that one sewed up!B TW, I used 1.8 mm spyderline in the edge channels. I believe it is plenty strong for me and allowed me to shave another ounce off the hammock weight.
Grizz
Ramblinrev does a happy dance....
I'm not the only one....
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
There's more to the story...the current prototype has a prematurely retired sibling, whose destiny now lies in becoming part of an over-cover. On that one I tried to put some webbing 2' wide at the mid point of the suspension curve and use cord up to the ends, and then do something like what Turkeyboy did with embedding cord loops in the channel.Ramblinrev does a happy dance....
I'm not the only one....
It was a fine fine idea in theory but I made the channel a little too narrow, so that the fabric was really strained where, in the mid-section webbing, it doubled back to form a loop for the cord. Same thing at the ends where the webbing loops showed. My mistake in design, didn't allow enough tolerance there . Anyway, in the course of sewing this up got a small tear I didn't notice in the fabric...until I got in. Then the small tear became a larger tear (about 1/2") and the hammock was retired. I spent twice as long screwing around with that channel and those webbing loops than the rest of the hammock put together, so when the current one hit the cutting floor I said to myself "Self, we ain't doing that again" and I just rolled in the webbing quick as you'd like.
Grizz
You can also try an archery store, and see what they will charge you for some carbon blanks.
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