DIY hammock TJ v1.0 [WIP]

[D-I-Ty]

I am about to pull the trigger on the materials for my first hammock. I am getting everything from DIYgearsupply (props to them for having what i need). I am going with a very basic gathered end hammock with a webbing style suspension with descending ring adjustment.

Materials are looking like
-4 yards of 1.9oz Ripstop (62" wide) - $21
-25' of 1/8" amsteel blue (mostly for experimenting) $9
-2 pairs of rings - $11.30
-20' of 1" webbing (10' each side of suspension. Long enough?) - $8
-a spool of the Guttermans tex 35 thread (I hope this is what i need i dont have much info on sewing yet) - $3.75

I also am ordering some drawcord and cordlocks to potentially make a stuffsack from the scraps. Which brings me to my next point. Dimensions:
I am 6'4" and i plan on making the hammock 10' long (leaving only 2' of material for a potential stuff sack no big). I have seen some conflicting information on hammock lengths. Do you guys think that 10' will be long enough or too long even? If not it isn't a big deal my girlfriend will get this hammock (she is about a foot shorter) and I can make adjustments on v1.1 to better fit myself.

I will update this with pictures when i get my stuff in!

Also, is there a cheaper place to buy amsteel, or cord in general? I like to support the little guy but I am a college student so funds are a bit tight.

Cheers, Tyler

[jrs62284]

Scott at DIYgearsupply is pretty fair priced. You may save a couple cents a foot by going through redden marine for amsteel (in fact I think there is an online coupon code in a post on the forum.) What you save there you will probably save just in shipping by going through Scott. I made my hammock 10ft and I was good, but I'm also 5'11. You may seriously want to consider 11ft for yourself. Also consider making it 6ft or even wider. If you want to experiment with a stuff sack, they are easy enough to make.. You may want to just use a nylon type material from walmart for 1.50 or something

[D-I-Ty]

So you think the 5' width is too narrow? I don't know what a seam the length of the hammock would do for comfort :S

forgive me i forget my manners as i was thinking seriously about the potential problems of adding width. Thank you very much for your input I appreciate any and all contributions!

[the_lorax]

Redden Marine does indeed offer a Hammock Forum discount for amsteel, etc. See this thread. I'd agree with JRS that your few cents/ft savings at Redden will almost certainly be eaten up in separate shipping vs just including it in your DIY Gear Supply order.

[Rolloff]

I'd recommend 11' for length, unless you are looking to save an ounce or so.

As for width, wide as you want. If you seem to have excess flapping around, it's a lot easier to throw a Knotty Mod in there, than it is to come up with another foot in length once cut and whipped.

The longer lengths give the better diagonal lay for me anyway, and I'm only 5'6".

[the_lorax]

So you think the 5' width is too narrow? I don't know what a seam the length of the hammock would do for comfort :S

forgive me i forget my manners as i was thinking seriously about the potential problems of adding width. Thank you very much for your input I appreciate any and all contributions!

60-64" (~5ft) isn't all that unusual a width for a hammock. You could always look into doing one of the tablecloth hammocks if you really want wider. Whatever, you're probably better to get fabric that is wider vs trying to splice on extra width. (And if you insist on doing so, add to the edges, not down the middle. extensioin+main+extension vs half+half). An extra foot or two length is probably better though.

[D-I-Ty]

60-64" (~5ft) isn't all that unusual a width for a hammock. You could always look into doing one of the tablecloth hammocks if you really want wider. Whatever, you're probably better to get fabric that is wider vs trying to splice on extra width. (And if you insist on doing so, add to the edges, not down the middle. extensioin+main+extension vs half+half). An extra foot or two length is probably better though.

The seam is something I wanted to avoid at all costs and this is exactly what i was thinking.

Thank you all so much for the contributions. For now I will go with 5x11' dimensions. Instead of making a stuff sack this go around I will use the extra foot to practice sewing. I checked out the series on sewing by ramblnrev and it was very informative but I am still very nervous about that part, more so when it comes to making a tarp sometime down the road but nervous none-the-less.

[FLRider]

5' wide seems to be the most common width for an hammock, as the majority of fabric looms are 5' wide (past that point, if I understand correctly, the torsional forces on the loom's frame go up pretty fast, requiring more expensive designs and materials).

My DIY is 11' x 5', and it's about the most comfortable hammock I've tried yet. However, I actually like a bit of flop to my head side; it provides a nice little "pocket" to rest my head in when I sleep. YMMV, though.

Hope to see the finished product!

[D-I-Ty]

It is complete! Sadly it was to dark for pictures of its virgin hang. I may get out before work tomorrow and get some pictures then. I have to say... I am a horrible thread injection tech. No stitch line is straight in this project. Doesn't seem to matter though for the time being. Next project sewing projects: bug net and a tarp.