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  1. #1
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    First DIY Hammock, have a few questions.

    Okay, starting my first DIY project. I've been lurking for a couple weeks now, and running searches on everything I can think of to understand this. Basically, I've not tried hammock sleeping and decided to build a cheap one and try it out.

    As with all good ideas, it has gotten out of hand.

    My intention is to follow Knotty's design to start with. Then I added Grosgain. Then I added a bugnet. And a zipper. Now I need to sew it with my thread injector, but not sure how best to add the extra material. (Not to mention getting cold feet over using all the materials on my very first run.)

    Questions:

    1. For an attached bugnet, is it possible to sew it in to grosgain on one side, attach a zipper on the other side, and just gather and hem the head and feet with some form of elastic to keep it against the head and foot? Roll the edge and use a drawstring? Or should I sew it into the the head and foot? My basic though is that I can just toss off the netting if I dont need it?

    2. Should I add grosgain to the edge of the netting by the zipper, or just roll the edge and sew directly to the zipper?

    3. When sewing tree straps, is there a method that is recommended? I've seen a lot of methods, but cannot find (via the serch function) any guide or discussion. I have 4000lbs 1" straps, and using a 100% polyester thread. Will 4" overlap sewn with a box-shape and an "X" through the middle be best?


    Not sure how I am going about the netting. I might hold off on all the extra's and just do a basic model. See what I can learn on the first attempt. Heck, I don't even know if I'll like hanging.

    Last thing, I don't have enough AmSteel for a fixed ridgeline. Any massive risk by trying paracord to test a fixed ridgeline while testing out for a night? I have the AmSteel for the whoopie lines, but only 25' total, so only enough for connecting to the tree straps.

    Thanks to everyone for the massive amount of awesome information on this site. It's really saying something that I could attempt something this far out of my depth of understanding, and only have a few small questions. This is a really amazing community.

  2. #2
    Senior Member stefprez's Avatar
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    Hey there and welcome! For the most part, I'm interested in what other people post as well on your questions in regards to the DIY hammock. About to make my first as well. I can offer one potential suggestion for the sewing of tree straps. First idea is don't sew them. Tie a Figure 8 on a bight and use that as your clipping loop. That works wonders on climbing webbing, but I'm not sure how well the knot would set on the stiffer polypro webbing (if that's what you have). If you do want to sew, I've heard good things about the box stitches. On climbing gear, that use multiple rows of bar tacks. While they have industrial bar tacking machines, I'm sure a few extra rows would make up for the fact that you aren't using one of the designated machines. Here's a picture of some climbing gear that has bar tacks in case you haven't seen them before. They are basically a very tight zigzag stitch. http://www.summithut.com/img/150/127/C841/389/1000w.jpg

    Edit:Whoa... big picture. Let's just make it the link...

  3. #3
    Senior Member hiker_DC's Avatar
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    Read this thread about strength of sewing webbing.
    I have two doctors, my left leg and my right. ~G.M. Trevelyan

    Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time. ~Steven Wright

  4. #4
    Senior Member RootCause's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by weegie View Post
    Basically, I've not tried hammock sleeping and decided to build a cheap one and try it out.

    As with all good ideas, it has gotten out of hand.
    <Snip>

    Last thing, I don't have enough AmSteel for a fixed ridgeline. Any massive risk by trying paracord to test a fixed ridgeline while testing out for a night? I have the AmSteel for the whoopie lines, but only 25' total, so only enough for connecting to the tree straps.
    Welcome to the addiction! er, I mean.... forum!

    Weegie, you are well and truly hooked. But I'd say this: go in stages. Hem the fabric, make the gathered ends, then hang in it and take a nap. Figure out how it lays, how your feet & shoulders push it around, etc. DEFINITELY use paracord for the ridgeline temporarily. It'll stretch, no big deal. Try it tighter, try it looser to see the effect it has on sag and comfort.

    THEN go ahead with the bugnetting and everything else. Your time hanging will help you figure out where the fabric gets stressed, how the bugnetting should lay, etc.

    Good luck, have fun!

    BTW, I hand-sewed my tree straps. No worries about strength after 4 years of use. I imagine anything you do with an actual thread injector will be fine.

  5. #5
    Senior Member olddog's Avatar
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    Welcome aboard weegie, like RootCause states this can become an addiction so take your time and work the forum. Search,read and question. I've been at this less than a year and have already gone fulltime to my hammock. All the information you need is here.
    Most of us end up poorer here but richer for being here. Olddog, Fulltime hammocker, 365 nights a year.

  6. #6
    Senior Member JohnSawyer's Avatar
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    What rootcause said...

    Depending on the hammock, some sew the zippers to the netting, others add a strip of fabric in between. The netting is somewhat fragile, and getting it torn on a zipper is no fun.

    That said, I've made hammocks in HC4U's style:

    http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=670


    and the DIY BB style:

    http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...hlight=warbird

    (note this one has the strip of fabric between the netting and the zipper.

    On the BB style hammock, the netting is looser, and sewing it directly to the zipper is a riskier proposition. In my DIY HH style hammocks (for my kids) the netting is tighter, and less likely to snag...

    Best of luck. Take your time and enjoy the project!
    "Do or do not, there is no try." -- Yoda


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