End Channel Question

**ScottO** · 10-18-2011, 08:37

So far, my hammocks have all had gathered ends. It's been nice to play with pleats so that the sides will be a little tighter than the bottom. Simply pull the ends out a little more before cinching the gathered end.

Now I'm intereste in sewing a channel into my next hammock, thinking it'll be easier to sew an integrated bug net into a sewn channel than gathered end.

My question is, does anyone modify the end channel to improve the "lay" of a hammock. I'm questioning if I should cut an arc in the end before sewing the channel. If that is unnecessary, though, I'd rather not waste my time....

Any feedback on this would be much appreciated.

**oldgringo** · 10-18-2011, 09:13

Yeah, somebody did it, with good results, but I don't remember who it was. CRAFT disease.

**UncleMJM** · 10-18-2011, 09:46

Originally Posted by oldgringo

Yeah, somebody did it, with good results, but I don't remember who it was. CRAFT disease.

I think that stuff's contagious, I know I have a case of it as well.

**HappyHiker** · 10-18-2011, 22:57

Check out Knottys thread on gathered end hammocks: http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=15205

Some were doing this very thing. IIRC 2-4" down the long side, and ~6" on the short side. Also see http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...t=stretch+side for a creative cure to the "floppy side" syndrome (also by Knotty).

**Pipsissewa** · 10-19-2011, 06:58

I remember having this discussion a couple of years ago with a fellow who wanted to curve his channels. He found that he could only curve in the LAST THREE INCHES of the channel and only a couple of inches. One might imagine a big arcing curve, but that would put WAAAAYYY too much tension on the long sides. A little modification of the channels goes a long way. I remember this guy found that just a couple of inches curve at the very ends of the channel pulled the long sides tighter. Good luck!

**hppyfngy** · 10-19-2011, 09:59

Originally Posted by Pipsissewa

I remember having this discussion a couple of years ago with a fellow who wanted to curve his channels. He found that he could only curve in the LAST THREE INCHES of the channel and only a couple of inches. One might imagine a big arcing curve, but that would put WAAAAYYY too much tension on the long sides. A little modification of the channels goes a long way. I remember this guy found that just a couple of inches curve at the very ends of the channel pulled the long sides tighter. Good luck!

It doesn't take much and personally I don't think it's worth it. Especially if you ever just sit in the hammock, like chair style. Much shortening of the side material and you have a really tight edge.

If floppy sides are what bugs you, look at that thread HappyHiker mentioned.

**Pipsissewa** · 10-19-2011, 14:05

Originally Posted by hppyfngy

It doesn't take much and personally I don't think it's worth it. Especially if you ever just sit in the hammock, like chair style. Much shortening of the side material and you have a really tight edge.

Yeah, as you might have guessed from my post, I haven't done what the OP is asking about. I just remember that fellow who did it and reported back. Now, I'm glad I didn't, because I love to sit sidewise in the hammock with a footline!

**ScottO** · 10-19-2011, 18:23

Awesome! thank you all for the feedback. It sounds like a "less is more" approach is best. Now that I can't find the cheap stuff at Walmart, I find I need to be a little more careful about experimenting.....

-Scotto