I plan on attaching my pole, to the stand using a shackle and eye bolt... Is there a minimum weight rating I should be looking for? FYI, I weigh 160lbs
I plan on attaching my pole, to the stand using a shackle and eye bolt... Is there a minimum weight rating I should be looking for? FYI, I weigh 160lbs
Rule of thumb for life-preserving lines and hardware is 5-1 to 10-1 break strength, depending on the application (if you expect sudden stops after a fall, err towards the top of the range). So, somewhere in the ~800+ lb range is what I'd look for (as I'd expect you probably aren't going to just jump into the hammock when it's on a stand).Originally Posted by engine386
Hope it helps!
"Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
--Floridahanger
A nice, compact conduit and pvc version of the Turtlelady stand was created by wylie_coyote. See his post and pictures at:
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...t=wylie_coyote
I did an all 3/4" conduit version, using 8 eye-bolts, instead of tripod-lashing, or hinge-hardware, or through-bolts arranged in a "T", or drilling any holes: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/TurtleLady/TurtleDog stand: 8 eyebolts and 3/4 conduit, no drilling or lashing
Last edited by Banana Hammock; 06-29-2013 at 17:50.
- The original Banana Hammock
How did you bend one of the eye bolts open and then rebend it shut around the other two?
Oh, sorry, JeffD, I forgot to mention that part. I don't have a vice, so I took one of the 3' foot sections of the conduit that I cut from the tripod poles, as my "cheater bar". I didn't damage anything - didn't dent my "cheater bar", nor did I mar the threads on the eye-bolts, using this method:
First, I hammered a flat-blade screw-driver into the gap, to spread it enough to fit the thicker blade of my large pry-bar into it. I did this while holding the eye-bolt with gloves, against an anvil. (mind you, I used a screw-driver that has an incorporated "striking cap" - as hammering a regular screwdriver would shatter the handle) as I tried to picture here:
I slipped my 3-foot conduit "cheater bar" over the threaded bolt section of one of the eye-bolts. (these are rated at 300 lbs, so I knew I would need some SERIOUS leverage) Then I took a 24" long (my shorter bar would work, but 24" of leverage made it doable - though still "hard" - I had to use my muscles) prybar, and while standing on the "eye" portion of the eye-bolts, to keep it from twisting, I just prised the eye-bolt open. (much easier than "twisting" it open - especially for closing it back up) I did NOT do this with a nut installed in the conduit - as this would put wear on the threads.
(I realize I should have taken pictures during the actual process, but these post-process pictures should give you an idea of the angles I used to approach the serious leverage needed. Imagine that large pry bar shoved all the way into the gap made by hammering the first screwdriver into it. Not shown, because I didn't want to open it up again, just for these pictures.) I only had to pry it open a half-inch to slip the other two eye-bolts inside. This may deteriorate the strength rating slightly, but it's merely the rear-most tripod leg of each t-pod, and "steel is real" - meaning that slight bending/manipulation of it won't ruin anything. Of course, doing this before the poles are attached makes everything very manageable. You could use longer eye-bolts, and have more ridge-pole-length-micro-adjustment-capability. I use the "de-virginized" eye-pole for the "rear", with the other two splayed to the sides. I keep all my eyebolt's gaps arranged towards the sky. It probably doesn't really matter, but it seemed super strategic at the time, so I'm sticking with it. I absolutely LOVE this set-up. THANK YOU, TurtleLady and TurleDog! I want to give you a TurleDove or something!
To close it up, I beat it with that same hammer (pictured above), but had to hit it as hard as I could against an anvil (I mean REALLY hard. Much harder than pounding a nail. Like, harder than you've ever hit anything before.), while wearing thick welding gloves to hold the bolt straight, and absorb the shock of the hammer strikes. (wearing gloves was necessary, because of how insanely hard I had to hammer it closed) I got them just as close gapped as they came from the factory.
I'm sure a vice would make this a lot easier, and there are probably many ways to skin this cat - I just went with the first thing to come to me, with the tools I had on hand. YMMV.
P.S. when hammering in the RidgePole's nuts: screw the eyebolts in all the way tight, then arrange them both pointing the same direction before you pound the nuts into the ends. I also found that using my tubing cutter (a carbide disc-blade, that clamps and spins around the pole) deforms the ends enough to make pounding the eye-bolt's nuts in not good. I pounded all my nuts into the "factory cut" ends, so the openings really accepted a high-quality press-fit into the tube/nut junction. I was really amazed. Totally.
I measured everything, because I'm OCD like that - the inner-diameter of the 3/4" EMT conduit is very close to 13/16". Now, I realize that is larger than 3/4" - but that's just the truth, I don't know what to tell you. That's the size my "3/4 conduit" came. I then took my dial calipers to the hardware store, and measured the out-most shoulders of the nuts, to be sure they'd "press-fit" into my conduit - and the 1/2" x 6" eyebolts' shoulders measured very close to 13/16" - that's just the truth, I don't know what to tell you.
Last edited by Banana Hammock; 06-29-2013 at 17:09.
- The original Banana Hammock
Aww heck. I thought maybe you magicked it on the like Houdini or something...
That would have made a better story.
Some say I'm apathetic, but I don't care. - Randy
I have in my hands, three rings of solid steel.........................Aww heck. I thought maybe you magicked it on the like Houdini or something...
That would have made a better story.
Fiberglass windsurfing masts have not been used in probably 25 years. I think you probably mean epoxy. An epoxy or aluminum mast would work great. I would think a constant curve would be best. However, since the most common mast you'd find would be 4.6 meters (~15ft), you would probably want to cut the top off. The amount of compression on a windsurfing mast is between 400-600 lbs. So, it's in the strength range you need for the ridge pole. The older flex top designs (circa 1980's) would definitely need to have the tops cut off due to their design, i.e. the last 3-4 ft are designed to flex much more than the lower part. But, they would be very cheap - around $10-$25 used.
Carbon would be best because the stiffness to weight is ideal. However, even a cheap, used 4.6 meter 30% carbon mast is going to cost around $50-$100.
The great thing about using a windsurfing mast is they are all 2-piece, i.e. they are designed to separate in the middle.
I have several epoxy, aluminum, and carbon masts and I'm going to see what I can throw together.
One thing I'm a little puzzled about regarding this design and tarps is why you wouldn't just lay the tarp directly on the ridge pole just like you'd do if you were using a ridgeline and tie each end of the tarp to the end of the ridge pole. Or, is the ridge pole too close to the hammock for that?
“I held a moment in my hand, brilliant as a star, fragile as a flower, a tiny sliver of one hour. I dropped it carelessly, Ah! I didn't know, I held opportunity.” -Hazel Lee
That's what I did with mine. But, I wouldn't recommend doing so with a smallish tarp; the distance between the hammock and ridgepole is too great. My (huge) Hennessy Hex worked okay like that, but my tiny diamond asym would not have.
Hope it helps!
"Just prepare what you can and enjoy the rest."
--Floridahanger
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