tablecloth hammock failed - next hammock plan?

[GDM]

awilhtme13, I'm too lazy to search, but I've seen single layer figures of 300#...

New question to you all: if building a double layer tablecloth hammock, does one "need" to sew the layers together? I've read posts and watched videos, and sewing the layers together (...aside from a gap to insert a pad...) seems to be the recommended way of doing things. I'm wondering what I'll sacrifice if I just sandwich the layers together and whip the ends...

[tnvarmint]

I have used my single layer large tablecloth hammock now for about three years and I am pretty rough with it. I absolutely love the size of it. Just this past weekend, my son and I went out for an overnighter and it got down into the high 40s that night. I loved being able to wrap the entire hammock around me like a burrito and keep my body heat in. I plan on having my wife sew some velcro along the edges so that it stays in place just for that.

To answer your question though, I think it was just a bad tablecloth. As someone else said, they probably don't go through the same QC as conventional hammock materials do. As for the weight, I am 6'4" and have been up over 260 although I am currently back down into the 220s. I have been in the hammock with my wife and also with my youngest daughter and have never had any problems. I love my tablecloth hammock and will stick with them even if/when this one fails.

I was just thinking the other day I need to find where I bought my current ones. Does anyone have a link on where a good deal on them are?

[GDM]

http://www.tableclothsfactory.com/Cr...vers-s/136.htm is where I bought from.

I used the last one for ~2 years, maybe a total of 20 nights or so.. I'm 6'3", 250#, and a single layer worked fine all this time... Most of the time it was just me in the hammock, though when set up around the house or at camp, my kids or other scouts would use it (mostly gently). I guess I would have expected a defect to show up (and dump me to the ground) earlier than now.. :-)

Just bought 3 more blanks - to build both a single and a double layer hammock. Trying to figure out if I need to sew the double layers together or just sandwich them and whip them together.. thoughts, anyone?

[Snowball]

Something to think about.

Apparently many have faith in this tablecloth for hammocks but what do you know about the fabrics properties? Nothing
You do not know if the fabric is the same from one delivery to the next.
Why is it inexpensive? There can be several reasons but it could be because it can’t be used for its original purpose.
Will it hold? Maybe
Why was this thread started? Something failed.
Why is it called tablecloth and not Hammockcloth?
Have you ever had a back or neck injury? It is not fun!
How many threads can you find with similar failures where dedicated hammock fabric have been used and the person did not push the limit?
What is the limit? You don’t know.
Do Dutch, Ripstopbytheroll or similar sources know the properties of the fabric they sell? Yes they do and it makes it a better and safer choice.

The choice is yours

[GDM]

Snowball, you raise some good points, and made me think about it a bit.

I came up with a few reasons why I've been focused on the tablecloth as fabric. It is low cost, making it is easier to defend my purchases with my wife :-). In fact, most of the other options I've seen are twice as much money ($15 vs. $30+). I could build one for myself from completely raw fabric (and have in the past), but as a side project I'm walking a pile of Boy Scouts though the process of building hammocks themselves. That effort boils down to saving costs and removing the need for sewing - while obviously still using a 'safe enough' product.

I started this thread to try to figure out if the failure I had could likely be attributed to the tablecloth material, or perhaps would have failed regardless. All fabrics can fail, all hammocks can fall. Some feel as you do, that the fabric is probably the culprit. Others (with many more nights in a tablecloth compared to me) responded that it was likely some overlooked damage, a pointy object in someone's pocket, etc. I doubt I will ever actually know, but since the reaction was not "Oh yeah, they fail after a few dozen nights", some faith in my plan to use them again has been restored.

As a side note, I've also slept great in my previous tablecloth hammock. The fabric feels really nice, and I actually like the massive 90" width version, which would be difficult (impossible?) to find in any true "hammock" fabric. Another DIY project I did with raw nylon fabric was (to me) a big fail - very uncomfortable. I've thought more than once about trying a couple of Dutch's PolyD blanks, and may go that route for myself, but that would blow the economics of the Scouting project.

[Snowball]

I am aware using alternative materials is about costs. Sometimes it works and sometimes it don’t.
If the fabric fail due to “overlooked damage” a rolled hem could perhaps prevent that. It will make it stronger along the edges.

[Peppereater]

SHARP OBJECTS AND GRANET !
Just lost my table cloth
Hammock in the mountains of Idaho on a granite rock but was hanging low so no injury ,i did have to sleep on the ground for the night.we have 5 and have never had an issue untill I refused to listen to my son lol