Whoopie Sling Suspension

**Frawg** · 09-15-2009, 11:26

Originally Posted by angrysparrow

Very slight so far, but yes. Not enough to be a problem, but I'd rather the abrasion be on the huggers than on the sling.

FYI, on the off chance you might not have see it:

"When the rope is first put into service the outer filaments of the rope will quickly fuzz up (fig. 2). This is the result of these filaments breaking and this roughened surface actually forms a protective cushion and shield for the fibers underneath. This condition should stabilize, not progress.

If the surface roughness increases (fig. 3), excessive abrasion is taking place and strength is being lost. As a general rule for single braid ropes, when there is 25% or more wear from abrasion the rope should be retired from service. In other words, if 25% or more of the fiber is broken or worn away the rope should be removed from service. With 3-strand ropes, 10% or more wear is accepted as the retirement point"

-- excerpted from Samson Rope's Technical Bulletin on Rope Inspection and Retirement (a pdf file)

**angrysparrow** · 09-15-2009, 11:39

Thanks. I had seen that, but not recently.

The abrasion may very well be the initial surface fuzzing.

**Frawg** · 09-15-2009, 11:43

Originally Posted by angrysparrow

... The abrasion may very well be the initial surface fuzzing.

I've got a lot of that on mine, too.

**koaloha05** · 09-16-2009, 19:25

Made 3 sets of slings. Have the medium (~1 to 5ft of functional length) attached to the BB. My short height limits how far up the tree I can wrap the huggers which limits the tree spread. Prefer to have my hammock height set where getting into and out of the hammock is more or less effortless. So far, trees with spans between them of 11-15ft have not been hard to find. The 5ft slings have been the right length.

**stoikurt** · 10-12-2009, 16:41

Been off the site for a while. Get back on and WOW, this is a cool suspension system. Took me a couple weeks to go through the whole thread. So I've got an order in for some Amsteel and can't wait till I can make some whoopee slings and eye splices.

I was at Michael's yesterday, not by my choice but since I was there I bought a pair of 6.5mm blue aluminum knitting needles. Got home and immediately made some very light weight toggles with a plumbing tubing cutter. Of course my wife just shook her head and rolled her eyes when she saw me come to the counter with those knitting needles.

**angrysparrow** · 10-12-2009, 16:48

Good to have you back on the forum, stoikurt. I think you'll like those slings!

**Dutch** · 10-12-2009, 19:49

I made a couple slings fro my HH clone and noticed when I returned form a trip that at least on of the strands broke. It was right where the bury started nearest to the hammock. I checked that other side and it looks stressed right there. Although it may be b/c the way everything gets pulled apart. As far as the brokem strand I may have knicked it creating a teh bury or accidently went through a strand instead of between strands. Anybody else showing wear in this area?

Also I felt a little slippage. I was using a 10 inch bury and have now switched to 12. Has anyone determined the lower limit of the bury?

**SlowBro** · 10-12-2009, 20:30

Originally Posted by Dutch

I made a couple slings fro my HH clone and noticed when I returned form a trip that at least on of the strands broke. It was right where the bury started nearest to the hammock. I checked that other side and it looks stressed right there. Although it may be b/c the way everything gets pulled apart. As far as the brokem strand I may have knicked it creating a teh bury or accidently went through a strand instead of between strands. Anybody else showing wear in this area?

Also I felt a little slippage. I was using a 10 inch bury and have now switched to 12. Has anyone determined the lower limit of the bury?

Dutch, are you using 1/8" amsteel blue?

Other than some minor fuzzing I haven't seen any significant wear on my 1/8" amsteel blue lines. I am also using a 10" nominal bury (after the bury it is more like 8.5") and haven't had any slippage, even in the rain. I'm using a WBBB and about a 30 degree sag and I weigh about 155 lb, so I'm not stressing this system too much.

**Mrprez** · 10-12-2009, 21:19

Man, where have I been? 38 pages on whoopie slings? Jeez!

**Rat** · 10-12-2009, 23:11

Originally Posted by Mrprez

Man, where have I been? 38 pages on whoopie slings? Jeez!

Yea, me too...I read the whole thread last night, made my first test whoopie this morning, and made three sets for all my hammocks this evening! Kudos to ZA206 (?) for kicking all this off.