View Full Version : Bug net woes... what did I do wrong?
Guinea Pig
08-23-2017, 21:40
Hey All, I made kabluey! My DIY hammock. I just made a bug net for it, and unfortunately, something went wrong. When I get in the hammock, the bug net is tight. It is tough to get a full diagonal in the hammock because of the bug net. So, what follows is everything I did to make the bug net. I'm just curious if my hammock has too much sag and the width (54 inches for bug netting * 2) just isn't enough, or if there's something else at play here. I'd love to post a picture at the moment, but am having some problems importing it. Suffice to say it is a biggish hammock with a biggish amount of sag (more than I think most I've seen have).
What follows is how I came up with my ridgeline length.
My hammock without whipping is 12.1 feet. After whipping, however, it is a whopping 10 feet 11 inches. Once I whipped the hammock, I took the hammock and measured from bottom of the whipping knot on one side to the bottom of the whipping knot on the other side. I then found the ridgeline length to be 109 inches (roughly 83 percent of the 10 feet 11 inches), and attached the ridgeline. This made a hammock with a lot of sag but it is incredibly comfortable, and I like it where it is at. I'm guessing most people would have found 83 percent of 12.1 feet, but I wasn't sure so I measured from the place where the ridgeline would be at.
Next, how I made the bug net:
I added roughly a 10 inch drawstring on one side, and a 3 inch one on the other. I also started off with a lot more length (although I am unsure as to the exact number at the moment, but I believe it was 116 inches). The math was as follows. 109*2+14(4 inches to deal with the drawstring closure + 10 inches for extra length for suspension for wiggle room). I got 232 and divided this by 2 which gave me the bug netting length before I did anything to it.
Once I finished the roughly 10 inch drawstring on one side, and a 3 inch one on the other, the ridgeline length was 112 inches. I measured in 22 inches from either side on the bottom and cut from that point to right below either draw string (on the top) ala fronkey style. I then added a hem on the bottom and finished.
It just didn't fit properly, and I'm sure I messed something up. I just ordered some more netting, but would like to get it right this time. I appreciate anyone who reads this long post! Thanks!
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arcana73
08-23-2017, 22:24
I think you might need to have a wider fabric, or sew more along the bottom to wrap around you. I made a fronky style bug net because I didn't like the dealing with the drawstrings on my Dutchware summer sock-which seems similar-in theory-to your bug net. There's more fabric sewn on it, some might say its for blocking out wind and retaining heat, but I think it also serves another purpose by allowing more fabric to surround the hammock. Of course I could be wrong in my guessing.
On a different note, after dealing with noseeum and its quirks, I will gladly pay someone to make a bug net for me.
GadgetUK437
08-24-2017, 00:38
Your picture and description don't make it clear, is it a Fronkey bugnet?
If so, the shockcord in the bottom hem isn't designed to close completely at the bottom, just to seal against the sides of the hammock/UQ.
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Gadget
Guinea Pig
08-24-2017, 09:34
Your picture and description don't make it clear, is it a Fronkey bugnet?
If so, the shockcord in the bottom hem isn't designed to close completely at the bottom, just to seal against the sides of the hammock/UQ.
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Gadget
Yes, it's a fronkey style with a slight change for the suspense system. (big hole on one side, and small on the other).
Guinea Pig
08-24-2017, 12:21
Alright all,
I think I may have pinpointed the issues.
1. I cut the taper after I flat-felled the main ridgeline, and sewed the suspension hems.
2. I made the suspension cinch hems a different length, which, since I cut the edges after, made the angle at which it went down to the bottom different on each side.
So, I'm thinking of trying round two. This time I will:
1. Cut the entire design out first, and sew after.
2. Make the suspension cinch hems the same length, and make it 10 inches total (5 inches per bug net piece).
3. Start with 252 inches, and cut it in half to half two sheets of 126 inches. After, I'm assuming, I finish the cinched ends (lose an inch to cinching + the roll hem), I will have roughly a bug net ridgeline of 120 inches. If my math is correct, this should mean that I will have about 5 inches of give on each side which hopefully will account for the way I gathered my ends, and will allow a more useable width (since I'll be cutting from .20*126 inches instead of .20 *118 inches on the bottom.
My question is, is there any reason I should not go this big for the bug net? I'm assuming if it is a little too big I can always use a cord and tie a knot on the suspension to shorten it a little bit (much like in the original fronkey design). Other than that, though, is there any reason it might not work/ fit my hammock if it's this big?
Thanks for all the replies so far!
Also, even with no cinch cord on my other bug net, it was too constricting.
I have made a number of fronkey style bugnets. I never tighten the cord on the bottom opening - what they say is true - the bugs don't know to fly up. I tried leaving the cord out, but find I prefer the weight of the cord to weight the bottom so it doesn't blow in light breezes and so it doesn't try to climb in the hammock with me.
If you find it too constricting then I think you should consider making the angle on the ends more vertical I.e. The bottom longer - measure in less than 22 inches. If, for example you measured in only 11 inches on each end, that would give you 4x11 =44 inches more circumference at the bottom hem ( that is just a number I made up to illustrate the math) which would go a long way towards making you feel less constrained.
The width of the fabric is how low the netting hangs. I find the standard width hangs plenty low, and should hang low enough even with a lot of sag. The end angle inpacts the circumference around you and if you are hanging lower, the circumference is less down low. I hope this makes sense.
GadgetUK437
08-25-2017, 00:45
The 10 inch drawstring on the one side is gonna steal fabric too. The ones I made with a large hole at one end, I used Velcro to seal it up. A bit fiddlier (a zip would be neater), but it doesn't bunch up and steal material like a cinch would.
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Gadget
Guinea Pig
08-25-2017, 10:19
You both bring up great points:
Here's how I think I will make the next bug net:
1. I will continue with the 252 inch fabric (126 inch per bug net panel)
2. I will reduce the drawstring channel size to 6 inches total (3 inches per panel).
3. I will measure in 15 inches versus 22 inches to compensate for the slight angle difference because of the drawstring closure for the suspension. If I'm not mistaken, it will be a much shallower angle going from the ridgeline to the bottom if I use the cinch suspension system.
Thoughts?
I made my Fronkey-style net for a smaller hammock than what I have now -- both shorter and narrower -- and have experienced the same problem as you, using the larger hammock with it. The ridgeline still matched up but the bugnet was tight, and the open end doesn't want to stay wrapped around the hammock. (Mine is a "GoatBone" style, open at one end for easy deployment, as found here (https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/113984-GoatBone-DIY-Ultralight-Bug-Net-(RSBTR-0-5-oz-NS50-Noseeum-mesh)), and for more details, here (https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/136919-GoatBone-Ultralight-Hammock-and-Bug-Net).)
For round 2, I was also planning to cut the end angles shallower, as my scientific analysis (i.e. eyeballing) showed that that would fix it. ;) Let us know how yours goes!
Guinea Pig
08-25-2017, 22:04
I made my Fronkey-style net for a smaller hammock than what I have now -- both shorter and narrower -- and have experienced the same problem as you, using the larger hammock with it. The ridgeline still matched up but the bugnet was tight, and the open end doesn't want to stay wrapped around the hammock. (Mine is a "GoatBone" style, open at one end for easy deployment, as found here (https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/113984-GoatBone-DIY-Ultralight-Bug-Net-(RSBTR-0-5-oz-NS50-Noseeum-mesh)), and for more details, here (https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php/136919-GoatBone-Ultralight-Hammock-and-Bug-Net).)
For round 2, I was also planning to cut the end angles shallower, as my scientific analysis (i.e. eyeballing) showed that that would fix it. ;) Let us know how yours goes!
I'm so glad that you posted this!!! It looks exactly like what I'm looking for. I think I will use the same dimensions I have been thinking about for this. I.E. 15 inches inward, a 126 inch ridgeline, and perhaps still use the cinch idea (at least on the sewn side). Would you happen to know if too big a ridgeline/ bug net for a hammock would mean that it wouldn't seal up on the open side? I saw a post by someone in the other threads in which they talked about it going clean around the hammock while they were in it, but I'm assuming that's a problem with a ridgeline being too short. I'm guessing I can probably use a cord to tie inward of the ends if it is too big, but am unsure. Can't wait for the bug netting to get here...
Would you happen to know if too big a ridgeline/ bug net for a hammock would mean that it wouldn't seal up on the open side? I saw a post by someone in the other threads in which they talked about it going clean around the hammock while they were in it, but I'm assuming that's a problem with a ridgeline being too short. I'm guessing I can probably use a cord to tie inward of the ends if it is too big, but am unsure. Can't wait for the bug netting to get here...
My first bugnet was simply some long sheer curtains sewed together and draped over the ridgeline... I didn't even bother to weigh the ends down, and it was fine. (Just really bulky.) I can't picture a situation in which too big a bugnet would cause it not to seal -- the edges of the hammock are always going to contact a bugnet draped over the ridgeline.
Guinea Pig
08-30-2017, 17:09
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As promised, I have completed the bug net. I basically made the goat bone style bug net, but instead of keeping the bottom cinch through the channel continuous, I used a toggle system. The idea was that it might be even easier to install/ take off if I didn't have to put both suspensions through the loop every time, but just one. So far it seems to do the job nicely. I originally had a 128 inch ridgeline for the bug net (my hammock ridgeline is 109 inches), but it seemed just a tad too big. After a few snips here and there I was able to get it down to 119 inches. The bottom was tapered, and came out to be roughly 98 inches. I originally cut 15 inches off of both sides from the original 128 inches of fabric I worked with, and just never changed the bottom when I cut it. The extra length definitely made all of the difference. Finishhed weight is 7.18 ounces with .67 nano noseeum.
Also, I would like to throw a shout out to dutch for not only the incredible bug netting, but also the great DIY instructions for the bottomless bug net. I based the actual project around those instructions, with a few modifications to make it a goat bone style. Also, thanks to goat bone for having such an incredible idea. And, of course, thanks to Fronkey for getting me started on this whole DIY project.
This is what I did....like some of the others, I made an opening along the head end about 24". I took some smallish velcro and stitched it to the opening. Now I can slide the bug net out of the way when I don't need it... I too find the bungy at the bottom unnecessary even though I have it. I've never really cinched it up.154837