Rigging a hammock with constrictor ropes (UCR's)...

[moski]

Welcome to the dark side, moski!

I had the feeling it was a bit shady over here

I'm about 190# and allocate about 18" to the bury section, which ends up about 15" long after the static section is buried inside it.

I'm lighter than you ,but i think i still go with your lengths.

I do it all the time, but be sure to stitch in some whipping line to secure the bury. Otherwise it can come loose when there's no tension on it.

Great, let's splice some!
Any ideas what to use for the stitching?

I started out making toggles from 1/4" aluminum rod from Home Depot, but now just cannibalize some cheap (4 for $2) aluminum tent stakes. I can make 4 1-1/4" toggles from one stake.

****, that was so simple and yet so brilliant.


Thanx, for all the info and all the insperation

[Gailainne]

I must admit I had my UCR's done for me by a chandlers, by the time I had costed the rope and a splicing needle, (I opted for 3mm Dynamic sk75 Dyneema @ 1020kg BL) and postage, it was as economical to get them to do it.

We pay rather more for specialist ropes than you guys seem too, for instance the 3mm sk75 was on offer at £1.49/metre, that's $2.46/metre, cheapest I could find, the D12 and V12 are way more costly.

They are a thing of beauty though I cant wait to try them out on my DD.

I did however buy some additional sk75, so will be trying my hand at splicing with that.

Cheers

Stephen

[Frawg]

..I'm lighter than you ,but i think i still go with your lengths.

Yeah, I'm probably close to the limit.

Great, let's splice some!
Any ideas what to use for the stitching?

I use heavy polyester upholstery thread, just because it's what I have on hand. I'm sure one of the splicing pros will have a better suggestion.

Thanx, for all the info and all the insperation

Glad I could play a part in this. ZA206 hasn't been back much, but if he hadn't made the first post we wouldn't be doing this.

Be sure to post how it works for you. The UCR requires a bit more care in application, compared to the whoopie sling, so I think it would be helpful to compare notes and build collective experience.

Cheers!
Chuck

[Albert Skye]

Don't forget bamboo (easy, cheap, excellent strength to weight ratio). If you must use aluminum (and in that case, why not titanium ), I recommend tubing for larger diameter (less stressful to the rope) and reduced weight. No need to buy it new; use an old ski pole, &c. Whatever you use, test its strength.

[Frawg]

Don't forget bamboo (easy, cheap, excellent strength to weight ratio). If you must use aluminum (and in that case, why not titanium ), I recommend tubing for larger diameter (less stressful to the rope) and reduced weight. No need to buy it new; use an old ski pole, &c. Whatever you use, test its strength.

I may try some bamboo next time I get back home; got some growing in the back yard.

Aluminum is easier for this fumble-fingered non-machinist to work with a hacksaw and grinder.

Larger diameter tubing is a great idea. I have some I made from steel tubing taken from a broken chair, but I like the gestalt of the little aluminum thingies. Didn't you (or someone) mention using stainless steel tubing for the marlinspike hitches? That sounds like a good idea to me.

But mostly, I just went with what was easiest to work with of what I had on hand. I'm not really a proponent of anything in particular. Good enough is good enough. The rub lies in one's definition of 'enough'

[Albert Skye]

I may try some bamboo next time I get back home; got some growing in the back yard.

[...]

Didn't you (or someone) mention using stainless steel tubing for the marlinspike hitches? [...]

But mostly, I just went with what was easiest to work with of what I had on hand. I'm not really a proponent of anything in particular. Good enough is good enough. The rub lies in one's definition of 'enough'

I think you'd be better off with bamboo that's been dead and dried for at least a few years.

I didn't mention stainless steel (too heavy for me), and I don't use the marlinspike hitch on my hammock line (too hard on the rope).

I continue to be surprised to see what is available in the "waste" stream; certainly lots of useful materials. Old TV antennas are a good source of various diameters of aluminum tubing. Enough? ...the polishing is never done...

[TeeDee]

I use stainless steel tubing, 1/8" OD.

Thought about other materials, but I had some old stainless steel brake line tubing lying around (have no idea when or where acquired). So I just used that.

My hammock is hung from the s.s. toggles so I wanted something I could really trust without any doubts. I would hate waking up in the middle of the night for the usual trip and then wondering how much longer those toggles I'm hanging from are going to last. And yes I would do that.

The s.s. brake line tubing worked very well and so when I needed more toggles I just purchased 3' of s.s. tubing and cut what I needed.

At 0.20 oz/toggle, I can live with the weight and not have to be concerned about the capability of the toggle.

[I Splice]

I had the feeling it was a bit shady over here

Great, let's splice some!
Any ideas what to use for the stitching?

I use Whipping Twine. It's a waxed polyester thread. Marlow and Robline are two brands. Some people don't like the Robline as well as the Marlow, I don't have an opinion because I've only used the Robline and it has been fine. I'm not sure what size mine roll is. I think it is size #2.

I bought my roll at West Marine. Bead stores and leather shops may have something suitable. I find waxed dental floss too small.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...4&ci_sku=50974

I generally just whip my eye splices in Amsteel. The whipping isn't invisible like sewing but it's easy and it holds.

[moski]

I use Whipping Twine. It's a waxed polyester thread. Marlow and Robline are two brands. Some people don't like the Robline as well as the Marlow, I don't have an opinion because I've only used the Robline and it has been fine. I'm not sure what size mine roll is. I think it is size #2.

I bought my roll at West Marine. Bead stores and leather shops may have something suitable. I find waxed dental floss too small.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...4&ci_sku=50974

I generally just whip my eye splices in Amsteel. The whipping isn't invisible like sewing but it's easy and it holds.

Ehh, i got Dental floss around, i use that to repair stuff on the trail or when i am traveling.
What do you think, it's pretty strong.

*EDIT*
I'm sitting here fiddling and i wonder, is it possible to make a fixed eye on the end
by "bury it" (make a bend and put the end in core for a bit) and then apply some stiches?
Will that hold for hanging?
And if so how long do you think i need to bury it?

*EDIT 2*
What i tried to describe was apparently "Samson Splicing Instructions for a Eye Splice 12-strand Class II"
Well, well i am slowly learning this.
And i also read somewhere on the net, that others have used the the dental floss trick

[TeeDee]

Any ideas what to use for the stitching?

I started out using the strands from the same rope as I was splicing. After spending far, far too much time having to remove the stitches because I couldn't see them, I have now switched to using a contrasting thread. Anybody that has ever used black thread on black fabric and had to rip a stitch line knows what I mean.

My AS-78 is white so I use the black polyester thread I use for sewing everything. Easy to see and hence remove. It's rated at 11 lbs and pretty strong.

Since the stitching is not meant to hold the load, that's the purpose of the bury, but simply to keep the bury from working out when not loaded, I feel safe using the thread. My feelings of safety may be misplaced, but I don't think so.

I would have a problem using white Dental floss on my white AS-78. The Amsteel Blue wouldn't be any problem though. The gray amsteel would be a problem though - the white tends to disappear against the gray.