Here's an idea – how 'bout a hammock exchange?

[cjnelson]

Hello Fellow Hangers!

I recently had the idea for a DIY hammock exchange, and I want to see if anybody would be interested. Here's how it would work:

1. Everybody who is interested in participating would make a hammock before a pre-determined time.
2. I would then randomly match everyone's name with somebody else's name.
3. And then, everybody would send their hammock to the person whose name they got.

I think this would be a cool opportunity for everybody to show off their own unique style of hammock making, and it would be a great way to learn some new tips. This would 'kinda be a luck-of-the-draw exchange, because you may end up getting a masterpiece from an experienced hammock-maker, or you may end up with some newbie's DIY. However, I think that is what makes it 'kinda fun! If you go into this thing expecting to receive something amazing, you will probably be disappointed. But if you just want to have a good time and share some hammocks, then this will be loads of fun!
This exchange would definitely operate on the honor system, but if everybody makes a hammock as nice as the one they are hoping to receive, then this should work out just fine.
I wouldn't put any kind of price range or anything on the hammock, and I don't think it would have to include suspension, seeing how most people already have their own favorite suspension. You can spend as much time, money, and effort on this hammock as you want; my only criteria for quality is that everybody would make a hammock that they were proud of and would be willing to hang in themselves. Also, to take in account everybody's different sizes, it would probably be good if the hammock was at least like a 1.9 ripstop or double layered.
These are just my beginning thoughts for a hammock exchange. Please let me know if you are interested, and if you have any suggestions for how this could be organized better. If enough people are interested, then I will start a new thread for the official hammock exchange.

Thanks for listening, and Happy Hangin'!
Nelson

[raiffnuke]

I like it!

[Nighthauk]

I would be into it. But i will apologize to who ever gets mine because it would be one of the first few that i have made.

A couple of questions.
Are we making bug nets and SRL's, optional?
are there any Minimal requirements other than listed?

[cjnelson]

Alright! I got a few people interested!

A couple of questions.
Are we making bug nets and SRL's, optional?
are there any Minimal requirements other than listed?

Good question; I think those can be optional. I'll probably use a SRL on mine, but I don't want to make too many requirements. The main requirements would be that the hammock is strong enough and big enough to fit the average adult. You don't have to provide the suspension, but you do have provide places to attach the suspension. Two loops of amsteel should do the trick for that.
I'm hoping that people will show off whatever they are good at through their hammock, so if you have some awesome design for a hammock with a bugnet, then go ahead and make that. For example, I recently learned a cool way to do the whipping on a gathered-end, so I'll incorporate that into the hammock I make. It's often the little details that make DIY hammocks unique to different people, so that is what I'm hoping people will focus on in the hammocks they make!

[cjnelson]

Here is just a quick update of how I'm planning on matching everybody: I'll put up a list of everybody who is participating. Then, everybody will send their hammock to the name below their name, and the person at the bottom will send it to the person at the top. I think that would be the simplest way to do it.
Also, if you are reading this and you haven't decided to participate, please sign up! It will be loads of fun, and you get a new hammock out of it! All you have to do is respond to this thread saying you're interested, and then I'll post more details later.

Thanks!
-Nelson