Suspension Alt - Thin spot??

**Brancher** · 11-30-2013, 16:28

Hi, I've been toying with the idea of simplifying/lightafying my SLD Streamliner / Tarp rig, and so I made a 2-ft experimental dogbone to act as channel ring and extension up to the cinches. That way, I can install some prussiks on the dogbone and then attach whatever tarp directly to the dogbone instead of doing a separate hang for the tarp. Also, this would allow me to use some snakeskins (which I like) to break camp in a much faster and less eventful way.....

So I made the dogbone (just a couple of locked brummels) - see 1st pic. Problem is, the brummel loop is not a thick as my current continual loops in my hammock, and although it thickens up due to the bury, it gets thin again between the two buries - see 2nd pic.

Hmmm. I like the increased thickness of a continual loop in the channel, so I am trying to think up a way to thicken up that 7/62 amsteel. I also read here that a thin spot in a bury puts undue stress on amsteel 7/64, so I may have to rethink:

1. Anybody know a way to create a continual loop, then extend THAT into a dogbone (resulting in a thicker loop)?
2. Does a thin spot in a dogbone/whoopie/etc really create undue stress in the mechanism?
3. Should I get some 1/8 Amsteel for this specific function? Or, should I just try to make sure my buries meet in the middle (not sure how that increases strength though)?
4. Or should I not worry about it due to the fact that I do not weigh 1200 lbs?

thanks - any help is appreciated!
Br

**stevebo** · 11-30-2013, 16:53

you can run the loop thru a piece of tubing where it goes thru the channel----should make a difference in the lay!

**Brancher** · 11-30-2013, 17:01

Originally Posted by stevebo

you can run the loop thru a piece of tubing where it goes thru the channel----should make a difference in the lay!

Makes sense for the loops - thanks. clear tubing should work for that.

But what about the thin spot on the extension piece?

**Rat** · 11-30-2013, 17:07

Originally Posted by Brancher

1. Anybody know a way to create a continual loop, then extend THAT into a dogbone (resulting in a thicker loop)?
2. Does a thin spot in a dogbone/whoopie/etc really create undue stress in the mechanism?
3. Should I get some 1/8 Amsteel for this specific function? Or, should I just try to make sure my buries meet in the middle (not sure how that increases strength though)?
4. Or should I not worry about it due to the fact that I do not weigh 1200 lbs?

thanks - any help is appreciated!
Br

1) It seems like I tried this once and did find a working solution; let me do some fiddling and see if I can remember... You basically want a thick dogbone or figure eight correct?
2) A thin spot in the dogbone does not create a weak point if the bury is executed properly. It looks like you have some taper in the buried ends which is what you want; you can make the taper longer to further decrease the chance of breaking here. The weakness comes from not having the taper; the abrupt transition in the cord is what causes the failures, a taper prevents this.
3) I think 1/8" would be overkill. Again, use agood lng taper and it will be fine.
4) Trust (the splice) but verify (don't hang higher than you are willing to fall)!

**tylojuky** · 11-30-2013, 17:39

I'm unclear what problem you're trying to solve. Does the thinner cord within the channel make you worry about tearing? If that's it then just go through the channel twice.

Is the thickening of the single line between the two loops only a problem because a prussic won't slide over the hump easily? Or are you worried about the prussic gripping properly on the thinner part?

**Brancher** · 11-30-2013, 18:42

Originally Posted by Rat

1) It seems like I tried this once and did find a working solution; let me do some fiddling and see if I can remember... You basically want a thick dogbone or figure eight correct?
2) A thin spot in the dogbone does not create a weak point if the bury is executed properly. It looks like you have some taper in the buried ends which is what you want; you can make the taper longer to further decrease the chance of breaking here. The weakness comes from not having the taper; the abrupt transition in the cord is what causes the failures, a taper prevents this.
3) I think 1/8" would be overkill. Again, use agood long taper and it will be fine.
4) Trust (the splice) but verify (don't hang higher than you are willing to fall)!

Thanks. Yeah, I got taper - maybe I'll increase it on the next one and maybe try to overlap 'em a touch. The brummels are solid, and my main concern was about the overall strength of this gizmo.

Tested it a little today - and it did not flinch a bit. I like the ides of a longer taper - but there's still gonna be a small portion where the extension is only 7/64 and not '7/64 plus 7/64 inside'.....

otoh, my ridgeline whoopie is only 7/64 as well.

Thanks.

**Brancher** · 11-30-2013, 18:48

Originally Posted by tylojuky

I'm unclear what problem you're trying to solve. Does the thinner cord within the channel make you worry about tearing? If that's it then just go through the channel twice.

Is the thickening of the single line between the two loops only a problem because a prussic won't slide over the hump easily? Or are you worried about the prussic gripping properly on the thinner part?

Nah, not worried about tearing the channel - with my big loo I'll fee thru twice anyway - the weak point on that is where that McDonald brummel goes into the extension (if that's even a weakness at all...)

Not worried about the prussik at all- those things are very flexible in use. Again, there's that thin spot that I've read can be too abrupt. I think I'm gonna try a longer transition and maybe try to overlap a little.

Thanks for replying.
br