The TurtleDog stand

**Bobbinheadlodge** · 03-19-2014, 14:42

A tl stand on the other hand about $25 ea ($60 bamboo bundle) and 4 ridge poles @11. Plus cordage. Oldpappy has a good point about maintenance however.

**oldpappy** · 03-20-2014, 08:04

Your probably right on the cost. $30 is probably what I told my wife:>)
This is closing in on the 2,000 post mark.

**hppyfngy** · 03-20-2014, 09:28

Yeah, the 2x2's and the fence rail alone cost $30.

Maybe you already had all the hardware already. We'll go with that.

**Tankosl** · 03-20-2014, 18:07

I didn't price mine up........

I bought the 2x2' s but the hinges I found in my garage, the support pole used to be part of my son's bunk bed and the eye bolts were found in my shed!!!

Personally, I think part of the achievement is adapting surplus things to do the job........

**hppyfngy** · 03-20-2014, 18:28

Well done Tankosl!

**Bearion** · 03-21-2014, 14:08

This was such a great idea I had to build one. My use will be backyard and camping so I wanted a bar wide enough to use my Mamajamba Tarp, a wider stance for stability and as high as possible to get off the ground. The constraint was the pieces had to be no longer than 76” to fit my truck.

So I couldn’t use hppyfngy’s elegant solution for the legs and put the hinge as high as possible. The leg spread at 4ft feels stable and the bar at 13ft should be wide enough when the Tarp is delivered.
20140321-DSC00526-2.jpg

For the Bar, I inserted Doweling in the ends before drilling the holes for strength. The hook on the bottom should be smooth enough to not fray the Whoopies and the end caps are decorative but may be useful if I want to stake down the ends in case of wind. It supports my 220lbs with zero flex!
20140321-DSC00528-2.jpg

Really stoked how this came out and can’t wait to hang my WBBB when it’s delivered!

**hppyfngy** · 03-23-2014, 15:42

Where did you come up with that hook thingie? That's new! I like it!

**john_boy** · 03-23-2014, 17:42

Well I made my Turtledog stand this weekend, and it ended with failure. My 15' top rail bent on me, to almost 90°. It sat me gently on the ground. I think the failure was a combination of my weight, 275# and pole length. I'll try a shorter pole.

**gmcttr** · 03-23-2014, 19:13

The pole bending was likely caused by not having the attachment points of the ridgepole to tripod and hammock suspension to ridgepole very close or against one another on the ridgepole. if you space them apart, bowing and potentially failure will occur.