View Full Version : Homemade Asym Hammock with a Trapezoidal shape
I started with a piece of fabric 12'x5'. For now I am using cheap walmart cotton fabric. Below is a pic of the diagram I used.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/AsymDiagram.JPG
1. I measured down 2'4" on one side and drew a line to the opposite corner. On the opposite side a drew the same line starting in the opposite corner. This is a little hard to explain, the diagram above shows it a little clearer. I cut the fabric along the line. This gave me a trapezoid with the angles of 65 degrees and 115 degrees.
2. I measured along the top edge a length of 66". I measured over 1/3 this distance (22") from the short edge of the trapezoid. I then followed the directions Arkwater posted with the expection of knotting the ends.
Below is a pic of the foot end.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/AsymFoot1.JPG
Below is a pic of the head end.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/7/9/AsymHead1.JPG
Sorry for the self portaits, but there was no one else around. The finished product allowed me to lay realitively flat on the diagonal and was pretty comfortable. The finished distance knot to knot was about 8'. I am still new to the homemade hammocks area, so this is a work in progress. I need to make the sides a little tighter and work on my hanging (getting the sag right vs the HH).
I tried a couple different larger angles, but 75 degrees felt the best. I think angles too much smaller than that would not work out very well in terms of comfort or construction.
It uses about 10.7 square yds of fabric. 1.1 oz ripstop would give a fabric weight of 11.7oz and 1.9 oz would give 22.oz.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Arkwater
10-28-2006, 17:12
I tried a cut like that on mine after posting, but not as drastic as yours. I think I measured down 8". Looks like yours turned out a little better than mine as far as a-sym. I think it warrants a little more testing. Try using a zip tie to whip instead of knots. Easy to cut and rewhip!
Thanks for the zip tie idea, the knots get a little hard to remove. I was trying angles to 45 degrees on a 5'x2' scrap piece. Somewhere after 65 degrees it seemed too much fabric was up on the sides and not a lot of gain in asym. If you can't tell the engineer in me likes to over analyze things.
How wide is everyone else's homemade hammocks? I am thinking about trying 4' wide to save some weight.
Arkwater
10-28-2006, 17:25
tried a couple a 4' and it was just too narrow for safe sleeping. 54" is as about as narrow as I can stand.
headchange4u
10-29-2006, 14:25
You may also want to try a structural ridge line like on the HH. You could use the through the whip suspension to attach it (http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=43). It may help with the sag.
I am going to have to go to Walmart and buy some fabric to test this hammock out. :)
Thanks for the suggestion. I am going to add a ridgeline to add a ridge line to my finished hammock.
Let me know what you come up with for you version.
I am still trying to get the sag right. I am having a lot of shoulder squeeze problems. From what I understand is the main fix for this adding more sag to the hammock? I have a lot in it, but I am still getting some squeeze. Can I whip the ends differently to help this? I am also still using cheap walmart fabric. I think this is also making the problem worse. I am planning to use 1.9 oz ripstop for the finished product.
Arkwater
10-30-2006, 15:24
The best solution I've found for squeeze is more (longer) fabric. The further you can get away from the ends, the less squeeze you have. If you are still knotting the ends, untie if you can and whip. That will give you about a foot on each end.
The best solution I've found for squeeze is more (longer) fabric. The further you can get away from the ends, the less squeeze you have. If you are still knotting the ends, untie if you can and whip. That will give you about a foot on each end.
Am I using a different knot than you? All I do is tie a 1/2 hitch close to the end. I am using a strap on the inside of the knot. The knot is probibly only taking away 4 or 5 inches tops.
Arkwater
10-30-2006, 15:48
I just used an overhand knot before I started whipping. Not sure how much my knots used either, but most who use knots say to allow about 18" for the knots.
I read that too. Ed Speer's book says to take your height + 2' + 24" (for the knots)+3" for seams.
The only thing that I can come up with is that the 24" includes the length of the tapering from the wide part of the hammock to the knot.
I am measuring 8' knot to knot when I started with 12' of fabric. Taking out the removed material I am using 3.9 sq yards and using the Speer equation I would need 5.9 sq yards. I'm not sure if that is helpful but I think it is telling me that I need to start with more material. I think I need to remake a Speer style one using his dimensions, then remake the asym with the longer dimensions.
I was rethinking the sq yards, the fabric weight is not telling me anything since adding the missing material will get my 5.9 sq yards. I think I will remake it starting with 14' of fabric. The 2 extra feet of material should reduce shoulder squeeze and get me a little flater. I think that I am loosing more length that I thought with the angled ends.
Arkwater
10-30-2006, 16:21
Yea, I think if you make your short diagonal the same length as the diag. on a straight cut speer hammock you will get a lot less squeeze.
On a side note, do you think that 1.9 oz will hold my 220+ lbs self plus gear.
Arkwater
10-30-2006, 16:32
Most likely. I have some 1.9 from walley world I have used in the past and it has never shown any signs of stress. I am currently using 1.55 oz poly ripstop. I weigh 195.
Merganser
03-22-2009, 07:50
I'm new here and this is an old thread but it seems to have ended without closure. Were there any conclusions drawn from this?
I'm staring a DIY project and am leaning towards going wider than stock fabric. It would be pretty easy to add triangular edge pieces instead of rectangular ones if this would improve the asym lay.
Hammockrookie
05-28-2009, 11:37
New to the hammock forums, ( or any forum for that matter ), but am trying to make my own hammock and saw the comment of "shoulder squeeze" which is the reason for visiting this site. I originally didn't have much in the way of squeeze but then i tried to fold the ends, every inch or so, instead of just bunching it together. When i tied it up and laid down it seemed to squeeze my shoulders. I allowed some slack in the middle of the folds and this seems to help but still seems to be too much. Does any of this make sense? any suggestions or pics of how to whip properly?
Ramblinrev
05-28-2009, 12:13
Is your hammock long enuf and wide enuf? Too short or too narrow you will end up in the squeeze play.
Topplestack
06-03-2009, 16:19
I too would like to know how this turned out. This is the first and only place I have heard of actually using a trapezoid form for a hammock. I poses several new and interesting possibilities.
I made a small model of it the other day, not wanting to waste material that could be used for something else. I may just go ahead and give it a try. I do have some heavier taffeta that I don't have plans in mind for. It does seem like it would use alot more material. I did read on here that the Hennessy does actually use a retangle instead of a trapezoid.
I also wonder if simply folding the ends different would effect the should sqeeze.
Hammockrookie
06-20-2009, 10:53
not enough fabric may have been the problem. i left a little more sag and lengthened the overall length of the hammock and much better. Thanks....