Cable Suspended Hammock Stand

Hi all. Here's my dilemma. I have about 10 acres of land but its all field without trees. I would like to either make or purchase a hammock stand but it would have to fall within certain criteria.

1. I need to be able to put it up and take it down as the wife doesn't want it as a permanent fixture in the yard.

2. It need's to break apart in such a way so that storage takes up a small foot print.

3. I would like to be able to set this up on different areas of my property.

Doing a few searches on the forum for hammock stands I've come across several ingenious designs. One stood out given my circumstances but for the life of me I can't seem to find it now to link to. I think it may have been posted by Warbonnet.

Anyway I drew a little sketch to give you guy's an idea of what I was thinking. Forgive me I’m no artist.

[IMG]http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/a...iegne/Side.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/a...tiegne/Top.jpg[/IMG]

The ground anchors are from American Ground Anchors. I believe someone recommended these in the thread that I can't seem to find now. These seem like a nice option because they screw in and out of the ground easily. They also have a flat head that can be screwed flush to the ground so I could remove the poles and cables and leave these in the ground.

I would have to ability to mow over the tops of them without worrying about hitting them with the mower blades.

The two poles can easily be stored vertically along the wall in the garage occupying a small footprint.

What size aluminum pole (1 1/2", 2", etc) do you think I need to safely pull this off?

To anyone who has built something similar, how has it worked out for you?

Thanks for your input guys.

Tim

This one is more of a discussion of the actual anchors used to attach it to the ground but it does go through some of the other parts as well.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=22443

I made a stand out of 6' 2x2 lumber that is very portable, goes up and down quickly and uses no tools to assemble and no loose parts to get lost or drop.

Simply cross 2 of the legs and drill a 5/16" hole thru them and use a connector nut and 2 eyelets. The connector nut is a little larger in diameter and requires boring out the joining sides of the 2x2's slightly. This gives you an anchor eye and an eye to attach your hammock. Above the intersection of the legs drill and bolt on another 2x2 that goes to the other side for a ridge pole. In the center where they meet slide a 2" pcv pipe over the intersection and add a line/rope/cable from side a to side b, this holds the unit together while you are fiddling with the anchors. I also added eyelets at the bottom of the legs with para cord to limit the spread of the legs. When finished you can trim the the excess wood and the whole thing folds together and takes up very little space. I have a few pictures of earlier prototypes that will give you some good ideas. I use this setup on canoe trips where we camp on the sandbars.

Here is a picture of the stand when collapsed and a pair of them in my canoe ready for a little fishin trip. The picture of the collapsed stand is an older pic, I have since gone to a 2 piece ridgepole. A pair of 6' 2x2 and the pvc pipe, makes for a 12' center and easier to manage.

i made one almost exactly like your drawing,
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ead.php?t=2928

i've used lawn screws, and stationry objects.
i think using long pieces of dyneema and just using trucker's hitches would probably work better, you can feel the polyester straps stretching. i used 2 1/8" dia. aluminum tele tubing. and it's overkill, i've had 2 foot ends on one pole and it handled that no problem.

i like the 4 pole design though, it allows the single stake. the largest easton poles .742 dia might be enough (http://questoutfitters.com/tent_poles.htm#TENT%20POLES) that would be convenient if they were strong enough.

Would she like it if it looked like a Arbor or Gazebo? Then you can string up the hammock whenever you feel like it and not worry about set up/take down

Captain,
What kind of weight do you expect that can hold? I see one of you is of the larger variety, I myself tip the scale at 300ish. I really like the compact portability of this thing.

Long term durability?

One suggestion that has been made in the past it to sink a large diameter pipe in the ground that ends at or slightly below grade. Ideally, the pipe would be set in concrete with an 8" layer of gravel below for drainage. If it is in concrete you could use ABS or PVC with about a 2" ID.

Then get yourself 2 removable pipes for uprights (1.5" SCHD 40 steel or aluminum), and you have a ready to use hammock stand that disappears when you are not using it. You may want to add tie-outs or a spreader bar to keep the uprights from bending together.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TFC Rick

Captain,
What kind of weight do you expect that can hold? I see one of you is of the larger variety, I myself tip the scale at 300ish. I really like the compact portability of this thing.

Long term durability?

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I am the older version, my son is the larger version. I am 220 and the boy is 250+ and we do not have any problems with the stands as long as the anchors that you use can do the job. We use 30" cable trapping anchors that have to be pounded into the ground, but since we use them in sand we just dig them out when we leave. The trick is to angle the cable back towards the stand and not away. If you angle the cable away it cuts thru the sand when you get in the hammock and becomes loose which could cause the stand to collapse one way or the other. We have been using this setup for 2 years and have not broken one yet except when I put the anchor in wrong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Harpo63

Would she like it if it looked like a Arbor or Gazebo? Then you can string up the hammock whenever you feel like it and not worry about set up/take down

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I agree... :)

FireCaptain, I really like that setup. I'm 210lbs and my 1st thought was I'm not sure 2x2's would hold me. But you're 220 and haven't had a problem so that puts that worry to bed. Your set up definitely fits my criteria.

Harpo, I like where your heads at. That was my 1st thought. Like you I was thinking a simple arbor. I talked to the wife and she started getting all excited. You could build a big arbor and we could put a patio underneath it, then you could make one of those old school fire places, and on and on and on.

So I had to put the kibosh on that. Any minor project like this will turn into an expensive extravagant ordeal. Sticking to something I can put up and take down that doesn't look like a lot of work went into it will work out best.

Thanks Warbonnet, I'll check that out after work tonight

In the even there are no trees that is how I pitch on the ground. I use my trecking poles as the verticals. Flip them upside down and poke them through the eye rings at the bunched ends of my hammock then tie it out. works really well, if you sleep on the ground...

Firecaptain, thanks for the post it has given me some tips for my attempt which has a canoe pole at either end and in consequence three tie-outs at each end! The 2x2 size is an eye opener - I figured on much larger dimensions - and will definately pinch your idea.
How do you join the ridge line at its centre, inside the pvc pipe?
Alan

one. no poles or trees to hang from. easily fixed.

two. you own 10 acres that your wife won't let you use as you see fit. easily fixed
:lol::lol::lol::lol:

Plant some trees! You won't believe how quickly 10 years can go by. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Humpback

Firecaptain, thanks for the post it has given me some tips for my attempt which has a canoe pole at either end and in consequence three tie-outs at each end! The 2x2 size is an eye opener - I figured on much larger dimensions - and will definately pinch your idea.
How do you join the ridge line at its centre, inside the pvc pipe?
Alan

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The ridgepole is (2) 6' 2x2 that do not connect in the middle, the pvc pipe just hold the ends, that is why it has a slight bow in the middle.. I have a line connected from each set of legs under the ridgepole that keeps tension inward (see the last pic in my first post). The rachet straps keep the outward tension. All I do is....set the anchors approx 30 ft apart, setup up the a-frame ends, lift up the center 2x2s, slide pvc over, attach line from side a to side b, attach racket straps, tension, done. It takes about 5 minutes including setting the anchors, in sand.

Warbonnetguy, I looked at the pictures of your setup and that's exactly what I was trying to illustrate. Is the aluminum teletubing 3 pieces? If you don't mind me asking, did you get this on line or local?

The dyneema does sound like a better route than the ratchet straps to eliminate stretch.

The Easton .742 pole may be adequate for my 210lb body but I think I'll stick with the overkill just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for your time

I am working on a design just like this. I used 1" 6061-t6 aluminum square tube. The tube holds fine, but the stakes do not with my 240#.

My stakes in average topsoil will not hold!! Frustrated. Is anyone successful using stakes??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by james90755

I am working on a design just like this. I used 1" 6061-t6 aluminum square tube. The tube holds fine, but the stakes do not with my 240#.

My stakes in average topsoil will not hold!! Frustrated. Is anyone successful using stakes??

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There has been success with Super Stakes, here's a link...

http://www.minntrapprod.com/catalog/...th=509_293_503

Here are a couple videos my a member here named XexorZ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URlnQWULzG8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mrt75..._order&list=UL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by james90755

I am working on a design just like this. I used 1" 6061-t6 aluminum square tube. The tube holds fine, but the stakes do not with my 240#.

My stakes in average topsoil will not hold!! Frustrated. Is anyone successful using stakes??

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I live by a river...think: sandbox.;) I use 30"x3/8" rebar pins that I buy at the local lumberyard. Drive them in 'till your lawnmower will clear and put some flagging tape on them so you can find them, and you're done.

If you want to pull them out, a prussic loop and a long pole for leverage usually does the trick. If not, drive 'em flush, and walk away...they're cheap.

I made one just like you pictured. I used 2x4s and 3/8" rope. I could have used something like amsteel, but I wasn't worried about weight.My stand.

I just noticed also that you have your upright poles straight. If you angle them as I did, your load will be more on the poles and less on the rope/suspension.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sk8rs_dad

One suggestion that has been made in the past it to sink a large diameter pipe in the ground that ends at or slightly below grade. Ideally, the pipe would be set in concrete with an 8" layer of gravel below for drainage. If it is in concrete you could use ABS or PVC with about a 2" ID.

Then get yourself 2 removable pipes for uprights (1.5" SCHD 40 steel or aluminum), and you have a ready to use hammock stand that disappears when you are not using it. You may want to add tie-outs or a spreader bar to keep the uprights from bending together.

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I placed three 4X4s around my backyard fire ring in a triangle. I really like the PVC in concrete with removable pole idea. I may end up pullin up my 4X4s and doin the PVC/pole thing. In retrospect I used 10ft 4X4s but wished I used 8ft 6X6s. I only put them a little over 2ft deep, so far so good but deeper is better.

I might have to try this one out, now to find the anchors.