Ok, I think I need some help! (a bit picture heavy)

Hello guys,

I'm 'finished' with my first partly homemade hammock for a couple of days now, but I have some problems and I need some confirmations.

My hammock is pretty wide, about 66 inches, so that might explain some things.

My problems are: the edges are too 'floppy', even when I pull the edges before the whipping. If I pull the wipping, it's very uncomfortable to get in, I don't see anything when I lay in my hammock, and last but not least; then I lay flat on my back, the sides get pulled over my face.

Also, I'd like some confirmation on my tying technique. I've mad some pics to explain it (and show off some of my work :P )

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_01.jpg
Here you can see my treehugger + biner + spectra around the only tree in my backyard :P

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_04.jpg
Here you can see the 'back' of the treehugger

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_02.jpg
I used the standard 'loops' to put the spectra through here (this is pretty much the same result as gathering the ends, whipping and not pulling the sides)

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_03.jpg
The total setup; isn't the hammock hanging too low?

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_05.jpg
The inside of the hammock, legs laying on both sides of the centerline; isn't it possible to make a somewhat larger centerline?

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_06.jpg
Situation with the sides 'loose'

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_07.jpg
Situation with the side pulled up (with my left hand, which doesn't show on the pic)

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_08.jpg
Hammock total with setup 1 (using the standard loops)

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_09.jpg
Situation with the sides pulled out, using whipping. Don't pull attention to the uncut cords, this was quickly done ;)

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_10.jpg
Total setup 2 (with whipping and sides pulled out)

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_11.jpg
The side 'normal'

http://www.26fps.nl/hammock/hammock_12.jpg
From the inside, when I lay flat on my back. As you can see, the sides are almost closing around me.

So, this was a large post, but does anyone have comments, idea's, suggestions, advice etc for me? I don't like hammocking this way :D

Try adjusting the tension on your suspension setup. It looks like you might need shorter tree huggers, or just wrap them around the trees a time or two more.

Also try laying diagonally. In all the pix I see here, you're laying right down the centerline. With your feet toward the outside of one edge and your head toward the outside on the other, I think you'll find much less excess material to deal with. With the really wide material you've got, you should be able to lay pretty flat, too.

If you WANT to lay down the center and have some curve to your back (my personal choice) you don't need a hammock that wide - so you can trim some width off and save some weight.

From the pics you seem to be lying pretty straight in the hammock. Try lying diagonally, feet on one side head and shoulders to the other side.

Edit:
BB beat me to it. Gotta be quick on this site.

You may also move the whipping down a little more toward the ends of the hammock. I put my whipping just behind the seams on the end of the hammock. That will give you a few extra inches of length which will help lying diagonal.

Honestly with a hammock that wide you probably are going to get a little slack in the sides.

Hopefully Hooch will chime in and measure his eno.

I think that an eno is not a perfect rectangle. I think that the edges are shorter (probibly on the order of an inch or so per side) than the middle. I think this is what pulls the extra tension out of the sides.

This would do the same as pulling the edges out as you do in your later pictures.

Comfort is a really subjective thing. It is an ongoing thing with me to get my exactly perfect for me. I'm pretty close now.

Adjusting the sag as BB says is a lot of it. Once you get it right, adding a ridgeline would unsure you get this everytime. The trick with the sides is getting them pulled just enough. Too tight and you get shoulder squeeze, too loose and you get what you are having.

Nice hammock and even nicer backyard....a really pleasant place to hang. I see you're from the Netherlands.

Miguel

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hammock engineer

Hopefully Hooch will chime in and measure his eno.

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I did that earier today, measurements of the ENO SingleNest and DoubleNest are as follows:

ENO SingleNest
Total Width 55"
"Extension" Width 8" x 2
Main Body Width 39"

ENO DoubleNest
Total Width 80"
"Extension" Width 8.5" x 2
Main Body Width 63"

The total width measurements that I got match up on both hammocks with the measurements on ENO's website. So there ya have it, boys and girls.

Checking my measurements, both size hammocks are perfect rectangles.

Thanks. I wonder if the size of the loop pulls the sides up? My experience with my DIY hammocks is that you have to do something from the sides it tighten them. But then again I have been wrong before in this thread.

There's always the option of adding some side tie outs to open up the hammock and take the slack out of the sides.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by headchange4u

There's always the option of adding some side tie outs to open up the hammock and take the slack out of the sides.

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That's exactly what I was thinking: tie outs plus laying diagonally. I want to make a super wide hammock like this as my next hammock.

What type of thread is that?

Hi Goliath, I got one of those Nomad hammocks in the BCUK group buy as well. (about $40 delivered :) )

I lie on the diagonal and don't have as much problem as you with floppy sides. I move between lying on my back diagonally and on my side foetal (again diagonally). On my side I have 'flop' along my legs which I just see as a bit of extra insulation.

I've also added a ridge line to set a consistent sag. Originally I used some carabiners to attach this but now I just have a bowline at each end and slip the bit of black rope that came with the hammock originally.

To the black rope I have also larksheaded some rings so I can use straps to attach the hammock.

The way you have set yours up seems similar to the way some people from BCUK set there hammocks up so if It keeps you of the ground more power to you.

Thanks for pointing out the obvious that I can whip the hammock as I want to. I'll have a go at roll whipping mine like I did with my 'bigheadessy' since that way has been the kindedst to my knees.

Thanks for the replies guys; I didn't have time to read it all yet, but I will later this day!

For your information: I forgot to mention that I did try laying diagonally. It was somewhat more comfortable and the excess of the sides was noticable less, but I don't think it's comfortable enough to sleep on my side a whole night long.

About the treehuggers; it's pretty long, but not long enough to wrap it around the tree twice, but I might have an idea how to accomplish that.

Well, I'm off to school! :D You guys are probably sleeping right now anyway ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Goliath

My hammock is pretty wide, about 66 inches

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by funbun

What type of thread is that?

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My DoubleNest ENO is 80" and it's a bit "floppy" on the sides as well, but I get very comfortable in it when I lay down. I think it's all in how you lay in it. I lay in an "asym" manner, getting almost totally flat in mine. I wonder how a DIY hammock that will probably be only about 58 or 59" wide at the most will lay? I really do hope I can get as comfy in it when it's made as I can in my DoubleNest. Only time will tell! BTW, my first sewing lesson is this evening! :D Lookin forward to it!!

I was going to ask the same question as Funbun, what kind of thread is that? I don't think I've seen any orange polyester, but then again I've never been to the Netherlands.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Miguel

Nice hammock and even nicer backyard....a really pleasant place to hang. I see you're from the Netherlands.

Miguel

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Thanks. Gardening is my parents passion, and sometimes I help. It's a really relaxing place in the summer, and I spend alot of time there :)

Anyway, I've read all the replies; thanks again!

I'll try some stuff that is mentioned here. I already thought about using tieouts, so I guess I'll be experimenting with that :)

About the thread: I have no idea, the hammock came from a groupbuy from another forum, so I didn't made that myself. To be honest, I don't really like the orange thread, but hey; it was cheap and pretty nice quality so I'm not complaining! I've used very, very strong thread to sew the treehuggers. You can barely break it with bare hands. If someone wants to know what kind of thread that is, I can look it up for you.

Well, I'll keep posting my results. Don't be shy to add any other comments ;)

I was trying to get a picture of the thread online but I cant get it onto my camera. What I wanted to show was the reverse of the triple stitching, there's some kind loose chainlink effect there, possibly to give some give to the stitching.

It sounds like there is a long stitch pattern. That should help the seams not to weaken the fabric too much.

you may want to try a double ring or cc buckle system so you can more easily adjust the sag while you're experimenting.

Ok, update:

I've tried several things, and I think it's just a matter of the correct sag and maybe some tieouts. I did notice that the hammock was just too large for me (I ain't a big nor heavy guy ;) )

The weather is horrible the last couple of days, and since I don't have a tarp yet, I couldn't experiment any further.