The TurtleDog stand

**PappyAmos** · 05-02-2013, 20:43

Originally Posted by hppyfngy

By the way, please say hi to your dad, Grandpappy Amos.

HFG

Ya that's the long form - we told the grand kids (4 and 2) they could call me that - too long for them. So I became . . . PappyAmos.

**Miguel** · 05-03-2013, 09:16

Originally Posted by catalyst

Finally built a stand and tested it out last night in Joshua Tree National Park. Set up was a little bit of a pain with the rocks everywhere and doing it in the dark, but it worked great once up. Temps got down to 25 degrees (around 16 with windchill) though and I had been too lazy to set up my tarp...brrrrrrrrrrrr! Thanks to hppyfngy for putting up with all my questions about the build!

Joshua Tree...the only place I ever had to go to the ground. That was before the Turtledog stand. That is one fine picture.

MIguel

**Miguel** · 05-03-2013, 10:45

I'm considering making my Turtledog stand out of 1" square aluminum tubing. At Home Depot they give the wall thickness of the tubing at 1/20".

Thick enough?

Miguel

**Pretbek** · 05-03-2013, 11:41

Originally Posted by Miguel

I'm considering making my Turtledog stand out of 1" square aluminum tubing. At Home Depot they give the wall thickness of the tubing at 1/20".

Thick enough?

Miguel

Without doing any calculations, that sounds too slender and too weak. Only 1" square and poles of regular length (6'-7') make them very prone to bending (curving along the full length). The 0.05" wall thickness is not very strong so after the bending they are likely to kink.

**Miguel** · 05-03-2013, 13:06

Originally Posted by Pretbek

Without doing any calculations, that sounds too slender and too weak. Only 1" square and poles of regular length (6'-7') make them very prone to bending (curving along the full length). The 0.05" wall thickness is not very strong so after the bending they are likely to kink.

Hmmmm....maybe I misread. Are the aluminum stands being made out of two inch square and NOT one inch?

**dkurfiss** · 05-03-2013, 17:45

Originally Posted by dkurfiss

I have a question. When I get into my HH while it is on the TD stand, the top ridge pole bows upward a good amount. That is normal correct? I have never had a failure but thought I read some place in this thread (now I can't find it) that bowing of the top ridge pole is not normal?

Took a couple of shots of the stand with and without me in it. I think it does a pretty good job of showing how much bow there is in the top ridge poll. First two pictures are of empty hammock, last two are with me in it.

(also gave me a good excuse for sleeping in it tonight since it is all set up any who

**Roadrunnr72** · 05-03-2013, 18:16

With your hammock suspension out at the end, and the strap for the ridgepole in, your going to have the bending. My hammock suspension is right next to the ridgepole suspension and there is no bending in the pole. I think most folks have abandoned the idea of using those end caps to hang from, for this very reason. Personally, I didn't like the looks of them, and didn't trust the strength. I do have them on my stand, but use them for the tarp tie outs.....RR

**Roadrunnr72** · 05-03-2013, 18:28

Here is a pic of my suspension. The black amsteel continuous loop is for the ridgepole, and the yellow amsteel is the hammock suspension. And the smaller line is the zing-it for the tarp.....RR

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**DivaB** · 05-03-2013, 18:55

Ok, I get what roadrunner72 is saying. As long as all the force is dead centered on the suspensions ends, and centered inside the triangle, then you should be pretty good to go. Even for us larger framed gals. Man, can you believe I haven't gotten around to mine yet. I have everything sitting here for 3 full set ups. I was sort-of hoping it would have evolved a bit more by now, but it looks to be solid as all get out still. (I like that one that Papa smurf had made though too).

**hppyfngy** · 05-03-2013, 19:51

Originally Posted by dkurfiss

Took a couple of shots of the stand with and without me in it. I think it does a pretty good job of showing how much bow there is in the top ridge poll. First two pictures are of empty hammock, last two are with me in it.

(also gave me a good excuse for sleeping in it tonight since it is all set up any who

I think that bow is excessive. You can do one of a couple of things. Arrange it so the suspension is as near the end caps as possible:

Or, and I agree with RR on this, abandon the end caps for suspension of the hammock and use another method. I've gotten a lot of mileage lately out of this arrangement, but there are other ways to skin this critter.

I have not had problems with the end caps, but I agree with others that the pot metal they're made of isn't the most reliable thing you could be hanging from.

RR's arrangement is very slick and efficient too.

Looks great overall though.

Looks like you opened up the angles on the tripods too. Lots of people might be interested in how you did yours.

Cheers!
HFG