DIY community

[SinisterMinister]

I think you’ll find that our forum has a higher DIY rate than most other online communities because of the nature of our community. It’s not like we can go to the local Hammock store and buy a new ridgeline organizer, or head over to Wal-Mart and buy a 6 foot whoopie sling. I also think backpacking in general fosters DIY projects as even the most casual backpacker still looks for ways to drop pack weight. (If you've ever cut the handle off a spoon, you're a DIYer) Sprinkle this all with the fact that most of the entry level DIY projects for hammocking and backpacking are low tech and easy; it’s hard to not be a DIYer on some level here.

For me, I came looking for more info on Hammock camping, but already had some interest in DIY. (I’ve made alcohol stoves for backpacking and a travel cabinet for a video game console.) I think anyone with a slight DIY tickle will get hooked immediately with our DIY section. I fall into that category. I saw the activity here and had to sign up.

Any forum can be active, but ours is special because our membership is so much more collaborative than others. It’s not just a place where people show off what they did. It’s: “Hey check this out, and here’s how I did it.” How many threads start out like this? Then half a dozen people start to contribute to the idea…36 pages later a new cottage industry pops up. I haven’t seen anything like this on any other forum or group I belong to.

Who knows, it may not be unique, but it sure is special.

[trinni]

I've always been some kind of DIY-guy. A little more than a year ago I started thread-injecting (again, had my hands on a machine at home when I was a child and at school) coming along with the addiction of constantly spending the little money I have on fabrics and all the small stuff one also needs...

Making DIY-stuff for hammocking started after alot of hiking when I thought about taking too much weight with me and did my research on lightweight gear. I am an extreme multitabs-browsing Firefox-user and so I do not exactly remember what came which way first but one thing I know for sure is that I stumbled upon alot of YT-Videos of Shug and Rev bringing up the issue of hammocking as a lightweight solution AND making your gear yourself. So I stepped a foot further and got to HF which already had a BIG DIY-community and lots of projects and ideas and I loved the idea of going off-ground. The virus had me after my first hammock....

This way it all started and now I just can't wait to find the time again to get myself a selfmade bugnet, an organizer, down-booties, grizz-beaks....
And besides, as a student there sometimes is more time than money... (but at the moment, there's a lack of both)

Since then I've made a bunch of done-myself gear (still lacking the bugnet and you knows):
3 hammocks, 2 tarps (one of them is made out of diy siliconized woodland camo ripstop from bwdd), 2 down quilts, a gearskin-inspired 'backpack', a gear-hammock, tree-huggers, several whoopies, mini-headlights, stuff-sacks, alcohol and wood-burning stoves, toggles...

I love DIY for the sake of learning new things and being proud of them. I really like being able to make my gear all by myself. And who knows when the zombies are coming?

[dmrichm]

I am all about the DIY. I initially came to the forums to seek out a lighter and more comfortable way to camp. I lurked and lurked and finally took the plunge. I didn't have much money and wasn't sure if hammocking was for me and that's when the DIY bug bit. I made a simple hammock and fell in love. I enjoy the challenge and the sense of accomplishment that comes with DIY. Ever since, I have been looking at gear and thinking to myself: "I could probably make that....or at least try". I started out watching your thread injecting vids, Rev. With the materials in one hand, a sewing machine in the other I dove into DIY head first and have't come up for air yet. To date I've made countless stuff sacks, a few hammocks, a tarp, underquilt, topquilt, booties and a down hat. I love it!

[BER]

I have only done a bit of DIY (one GE hammock with WB Traveller whipping, and one simple bridge with full dynaglide suspension), but I really liked it. Actually, I like the designing better than the actual thread injection (which still frustrates me), but no point in doing the one without the other. I have all the supplies for a better bridge, just need more time...

I always seem to find one little thing here, one little thing there that I would change. DIY allows you to make it just the way you want it...until you find something to change again. New Project!

[bdbart]

I started when I stumbled across HF and considered how easy it would be to make a hammock, I just figured if other people were doing it.... then I should try it too. It seemed so easy and I thought I could save a little money by making gear myself. I have since made 5 hammocks, which definitely cost more than any 'store' bought one. This addiction has led me to create 3 tarps....Why? I should only need one..right? After a couple of hammocks and tarps, I ventured into stoves, alcohol and wood. I couldn't justify keeping so many stoves, so I started giving them away to friends. I have now entered into the world of 'packs'... so far...6....and one more in the making...for now. I have made a gravity filter, whoopie's, nacrabiners, bug net (for a friend), numerous stuff sacks (I have more sacks than I have stuff...So I guess I need to make more stuff to occupy all my sacks)

...sidenote

[James102]

Hi all I DIY all of my and my friends hammocking stuff I have today's made 5 tarps and hammocks with stuff bags and I'm in the process of casting aluminium rings for mine. I have also just finish casting a spork which I plan to anodise along with the rings. I enjoy DIY hammocking it gives you something more out of it and if I goes wrong you can fix it.

[hang loose]

The only hammock/hammock accessory I have made so far are whoopie slings, which I love, but hammocks are next on the horizon, and then I'm sure under quilts. I love that there is a network of folks on this forum that have been doing these projects and have posted such fantastic videos, and advice for all to see and learn from. I believe in making these things myself because they are so darn expensive retail, plus I think it is satisfying to see, and use something I have made with my own two hands. I'm not knocking, at all, the folks who make quality products and sell them for profits. We all have to make a living. And I am sure that most of the product talked about on this forum are high quaility products. My living and background have always had a lot to do with my hands. I've got a Masters in Pottery. I have made a living framing houses, installing hard wood floors, I knit my own hats and socks. I'd love to have a Black Bird or a Switchback but I know that I would also love to make them both as well. Thank you to the members of the forum who have shared their knowledge and experience. I, for one, will be tapping as much of that information as I can.
One last thought, abbreviations without an earlier spelled out reference are super annoying. Hang Loose!

[mountain_man_mike]

I am a DIY guy. I have spent under $200 for all my gear and it stacks up to some who have spent thousands, but to me the real value are the lessons I've learned and relationships I've developed along the way. I expanded that to our cooking merit badge at camp this year and had the class make mozarella from scratch (DIY mozarella). The photo initially had some folks thinking thoughts "outside the kitchen"... the texture was not quite what I was going for, but the flavor was fantastic and it really made the pizza baked on the grill taste delicious.

[wwk10]

After spending a week or so learning about hammock in general, the DIY forum is where I spend most of my time. I haven't made much, but all of what I have made is thanks to people on this forum.

[Aardvark]

As a Toyota engineer, we are always trying to think outside the box.... if it was easy and standardized, we wouldn't show any sense of innovation. The DIY aspect of Hammocks has given me a new outlet, I always want to "Kaizen" (Japanese for continuous improvement) what others are doing, and step up utility and function. Also have taken what I have learned here and applied it at work.... we have someone looking into Amsteel now as a lightweight cordage.

When you look at all the folks here that are DIYing their brains out, you see leaps and bounds of innovation (kudos to Dutch's unobtainiam and suspensionless hammock suspension R&D). I thouroughly enjoy reading and being able to contribute to the forums!