I took the plunge, and whipped up my first hammock. Turned out fairly well, only broke three needles in my sewing machine. And put half my thread in the trash. I now realize why we call these topics threads. After a little research here and online sewing center, picked up the right needles and set the timing and tension of bobbin , BIG improvement!!! Lesson to all reading here, get the right needle for fabric, especially strapping. Go SLOW. Worked so much better. Wish my leadfoot didnt get in the way. I needed a cruise control on that sewing machine pedal. OK, for my hammock I went for a double layer Warbonnet look, I love the looks of brandons hammock. Big in width, 64" x 9'-6" long, extremely comfortable, slept in last night. Almost flat, with lots of kickin' and floppin' space, I could definetely put a shelf in this hammock. Dropped in my ccf pad from walmart with room to spare in the double layer pocket. Now for the tarp, 11 x 8, with 10 tie-out points, not including center tie points. Very roomy, with space for changing, cooking or hiding from the Mrs. Threw a ridgeline on the hammock for mosquito net support and to dangle flashlights from. Made the ridgeline removable, just wasnt sure I would use it all the time, so tied it for quick release. My mosquito net also ties to ends of hammock, with little 5/16 washers with a rubberband, balled up the fabric,sinched it tight to the ridgeline with rubberband, and tucked washer through last loop in rubberband. Holds good, it was windy today, so added more weight to mosquito net, rock and rubberband style, using fabric to hold rock, rubberband to hold it all together. I'm planning on up grading the rubberband to small hairties, as soon as my daughter is not looking. Thinking hairtie with a button.. For line supporting tarp I had a 100' of pretty blue poly, with mason's line in bright yellow at the tie-outs. Stakes were old 5/16 x 5 bolts I had laying around, held good and the price was right. FREE. I know, gram-weenies are rolling their eyes, but hey I was in a hurry to hang. I'll pick up some real stakes from Goin' Gear soon. All my strapping on the tarp was salvaged from an old backpack, sorry kids, but purple dinosuars are out of fashion. Fabric for hammock and tarp was 1.1 olive green ripstop, $1.00/yard from Walmart. I used 15 yards total, double layer hammock and tarp. Mosquito netting was white chiffony looking stuff with a tight weave 4yards at .75/yd. and I have enough of that left over to make a veil for the next wedding
Took a couple of old mesh bags I had laying around, I am a packrat, and stuffed everything into two bags. Tarp is the size of a big softball, and hammock ended up a little bigger.
All together it took me about 10 hours to build, engineer, measure and sew. With a trip to Walmart for needles and beer. not bad..
Stuff I salvaged and stole.
Strapping
Stuff Sacks
Masons line
Reinforcing patches for tarp(fabric from old dome tent)
Tent Stakes
Rubberbands and 5/16 washers
Pretty blue string
Things I had to buy.
Fabric $15.00
Thread to match fabric $5.oo for two spools
Chiffony looking mosquito net $3.oo
blue ccf pad $5.88
Needles $8.00, I bought a bunch. Future projects pending.
2 cute little biners, Who can resist baby biners. $1.75
Beer, Busch light 12 pack, $10.00 w/ deposit
Grizzly chewing tobacco, 1 can, (I am addicted) $2.35
Marital counseling $75.00/hr, wife thinks I'm crazy...
All that god awful rigging in the pictures is to accomadate my gargantuous trees, and distance. I will not pack the 3" strap, but I didnt worry about it breaking either.
All done and real happy
What to call it, hmmm, GARGOYLEBIRD, pat.pending?
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