Hanging In Hunting Cabin - 16ft span

[WonderMonkey]

We have helped restore a junky very small old house on our hunting land we just leased. I have one side of the room (it's all open) that I'm going to hang my hammock in. The span is 16'. To create some anchor points I'm going to run a 4"x6" up each wall. That's what I'll screw my ring into. I'm only going to lightly anchor the 4x6 to the wall so I need to take care of the tension that will be created when I get into the hammock and the 4x6's will attempt to be pulled towards each other, away from the wall.

The solution is to run a pipe, 2x4, 2x6, etc. along the very top and anchor them to the 4x6's. I want a solution that will last, won't sag over time, and is cheap as possible. The span will actually only 15'4" (just a tad less, actually) once the 4x6's are factored in so I'm wondering if a 2x4 will sag, even if I put it on "edge". The 2x6 (like a floor joist) would do fine as would a gas pipe. Would a fence post that long work without sagging? Something bending and snapping would result in a bad experience.

Thoughts? Hate mail?

[Hiknhanger]

Here's something that popped into my head, and I think it'd be a cheap solution. What if you bought enough chain link railing pipe to run two times across the span. Join the two lengths in a parallel formation with radiator hose clamps every few feet. Drill holes maybe 2 inches deep in each 4x6 upright with a spade bit big enough to slide the pipe 'header' into it like a socket, with the pipes stacked one over the other instead of side by side. That would eliminate the potential sag of just one piece of pipe by clamping them together. Dumb idea?

[WonderMonkey]

Here's something that popped into my head, and I think it'd be a cheap solution. What if you bought enough chain link railing pipe to run two times across the span. Join the two lengths in a parallel formation with radiator hose clamps every few feet. Drill holes maybe 2 inches deep in each 4x6 upright with a spade bit big enough to slide the pipe 'header' into it like a socket. That would eliminate the potential sag of just one piece of pipe by clamping them together. Dumb idea?

Fair idea.

I wonder if it would still sag? I'm going to have to cost that out versus a 2x6, which I know would work, and a piece of black pipe, which would work as well. Heck a piece of square pipe would also work if I can get it from a scrap yard in that length.

This may just come down to price.

But I like your thought.

[oldgringo]

Like this?

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=24363

[WonderMonkey]

Like this?

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=24363

Yes! Very close! I'd like to see if I can do a one piece span and not do the corner braces but if I can't resolve the one piece to my satisfaction this would do very well.

Thanks!

[Hiknhanger]

Fair idea.

I wonder if it would still sag? I'm going to have to cost that out versus a 2x6, which I know would work, and a piece of black pipe, which would work as well. Heck a piece of square pipe would also work if I can get it from a scrap yard in that length.

This may just come down to price.

But I like your thought.

I would think with enough clamps that it wouldn't sag. I've never tried it to say for sure, but it seems like it would be pretty rigid. I think that smaller diameter rail pipe is pretty inexpensive too. Good luck and let us know what you ended up doing.

[WonderMonkey]

Some prices....

$23.27 = 1-3/8-in x 21-ft Uncoated 17-Gauge Galvanized Steel Top Rail

Using Hiknhanger's thought I'd need two of those for a total of $46.54. Assume I can get them cheaper somewhere but it's a starting point.

$19.76 = LDR 1"Dia. x 10'L Black Iron Pipe

That's not near long enough but Lowe's didn't have that 16'. Still I can see that if I did find a 16' length it will cost about $31.52 if the price per foot held out.

$9.27 = 2 x 6 x 20 #2 Prime Kiln Dried Southern Yellow Pine

This is so much cheaper that I'll probably go with it.

[WonderMonkey]

I would think with enough clamps that it wouldn't sag. I've never tried it to say for sure, but it seems like it would be pretty rigid. I think that smaller diameter rail pipe is pretty inexpensive too. Good luck and let us know what you ended up doing.

I certainly well and I will even take pictures!

My next argument with myself is if I can use a good quality 2x6 against the wall instead of a 4x6 post.

[zukiguy]

So you're basically building a turtlelady or turtledog stand with a monopod on each end. I would think a pair of the fence top rails would work fine. In fact, leave one whole 10' long and just cut the other to length. That way the joint isn't in the middle (less likely to bow?).

Since you're bracing this frame up against the walls I can't really see you'd need any kind of corner braces.

Can you run any kind of connector from the rail to the ceiling (chunk of 2x4, straps, etc)?? Even a little support will go a long way to basically building a truss to span the distance.

[WonderMonkey]

So you're basically building a turtlelady or turtledog stand with a monopod on each end. I would think a pair of the fence top rails would work fine. In fact, leave one whole 10' long and just cut the other to length. That way the joint isn't in the middle (less likely to bow?).

Since you're bracing this frame up against the walls I can't really see you'd need any kind of corner braces.

Can you run any kind of connector from the rail to the ceiling (chunk of 2x4, straps, etc)?? Even a little support will go a long way to basically building a truss to span the distance.

I can put straps and such on the ceiling which would certainly help. Yo udon't think that two top rails connected together would bow at the joined point, even if strapped up properly?