Did anyone else see Popular Mechanic's article in the August 2010 issue on how to hang a hammock? I was pretty happy to see it, until i got the part about screwing an bolt into a tree, but their recommendation to use straps was at least a good start.
here is the link to the article
Popular Mechanic
BG
I get that magazine and wasn't happy about that article. Plus the guy they interviewed wasn't that informed on non-spreader bar hammocks. Turns out all he sells are spreader bar hammocks!
The eye bolts might work if the tree is in your back yard, but that will get us all banned at state parks!!
And, I love barbecue, and I love hammocks, just not at the same time. (I'm sure Shug would agree).
~bill
going out to varnish my BMBH spreader bars.
Not all who wander are lost.
anyone tries something like that in my backyard and I'm getting the gunOriginally Posted by canoeski
The eye bolts might work if the tree is in your back yard, but that will get us all banned at state parks!!
any time I talk with people about hanging, I say first thing you do not do is use those eye bolts that came with your hammock.
Wow, eye bolts. It is nice to know that they did some serious research on their article before they wrote it.
John
I use thru bolt eye bolts (with oversized washers front and back of the bolt)rated for 2K lbs in the 4x4 posts I buried in the ground for hanging my hammocks. I have the 2 post at set up as a V so my one good hanging tree is at the center and the post are far enough apart I can hang 3 hammocks at once. I use straps and dutch Clips around the trees
I would never use a screw in eye bolt in a tree as every one I have seen have been open ended (meaning they could open under stress) and only rated for a few hundred pounds. Plus they could pull out of the tree not to mention the damage they would cause to the trees.
I am still 18 but with 52 years of experience !
Wow, that's no bueno. Typical, I guess...
The bolt is OK in your yard. Placed once...and pleasure over the years will accompany you.
Sad that it looked as if that's the way to hang
We have a LOT of educating the public on hanging with huggers....
Tom
Wow, I completely disagree with you. Mainly because in my mom's backyard, they had one of those rope hammocks with the spreader bars. A bolt was put into each oak, once and left there year after year. After a while there was no way to remove that bolt, the tree started growing around it. Bolt is still in one of those trees, the other died. I wont allow any bolts to go into my trees in my backyard. Course, others can do what they want with their trees in their backyard. But I have gotten questions from people when they see my tree straps and they want to know why I use them. People see bolts in your trees and they will assume that's the way to always hang.
I'm not a fan of bolts under any circumstances... But the bolt may not have been the reason the other tree died. The living tree grew around the bolt sealing it off from invasive forces. Logically if the bolt was the issue, they both should have died. I've seen too many maple trees tapped for syrup to condemn a single bolt left in the back yard to be used over and over. Out in the woods is a totally different issue.
I may be slow... But I sure am gimpy.
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