Amsteel Supported Hammock Stand

**WonderMonkey** · 07-27-2010, 22:26

First of all, stop laughing at my MS Paint image below. I MEAN IT! You are going to hurt my feelings!

Alrighty see if this would work. In the below masterpiece drawing assume the base is two 2x6's on edge that the supports are sandwiched between and is free to rotate. So maybe a carriage bolt or the like goes into one 2x6, through the support and then through the other 2x6.

What keeps the supports upright is Amsteel (steel cable, whatever). Attach the two posts at the top like a ridgeline. Then attach each post, again at the end, to the base.

Each Amsteel exerts force against it's attachment point which in turn exerts force on its neighboring connection. If there is no stretch nothing can move once it is hooked up.

I know I have done a crappy job of drawing this. When I get to work tomorrow I'll do a better drawing (on my break).

**oldgringo** · 07-28-2010, 03:41

I've been thinking along the same lines, only with small, stainless steel tubing sections that screw together. Put it all under tension, and it would work.

**Boris Losdindawoods** · 07-28-2010, 05:58

You're going to want to move the attachment points for the ends of the amsteel, but this might just be an inaccuracy in the way you drew it. In your picture the ends of the amsteel are closer together than the top ends of the supports. You want the ends of the amsteel to at least be directly below the ends of the supports. It would be better if they were pushed out beyond the ends of the supports, then you'll have less shifting as you apply weight to it.

If you apply weight to the left-side support, that weight becomes a pull on the right-side amsteel, right? You want that pull to be directly in line with the amsteel. If the amsteel ends are tucked in like you show them, then the force will be at an angle to the amsteel and the right-side support will be able to wiggle without stretching the amsteel. Wiggle on the right leads to sag on the left.

Look at the triangle formed by the right-side support, the right-side amsteel, and the base. The more open that triangle becomes, the more stable you'll be (up to the point where the amsteel becomes tangent to the arc of the support). Moving the ends of the amsteel outside the ends of the supports even a little bit should make a big difference in stability.

Also, you don't actually need a huge angle between the base and the support poles. Putting the support poles at an angle like that does make it easier to get a nice, open angle on your support lines, but it's not at all needed. With the support poles more upright, you can use shorter support poles too which means less flex.

I think I just might build one of these for my office.

Boris

**Youngblood** · 07-28-2010, 06:54

That looks familar, is this anything like what you are thinking? http://www.google.com/patents?id=T5J...page&q&f=false

**Rikall** · 07-28-2010, 07:35

Originally Posted by Youngblood

That looks familar, is this anything like what you are thinking? http://www.google.com/patents?id=T5J...page&q&f=false

****! I have been playing around with an idea similar to that for a while now. I figured that the angled support poles could be a much lighter gauge steel/aluminium and possibly 2 piece which would create highly portable stand. Ah well, back to the drawing board...

**stoikurt** · 07-28-2010, 08:52

Originally Posted by Youngblood

That looks familar, is this anything like what you are thinking? http://www.google.com/patents?id=T5J...page&q&f=false

The innovation from over a century ago is amazing. I've thought of something very similar myself.

**WonderMonkey** · 07-28-2010, 09:34

Originally Posted by Boris Losdindawoods

You're going to want to move the attachment points for the ends of the amsteel, but this might just be an inaccuracy in the way you drew it. In your picture the ends of the amsteel are closer together than the top ends of the supports. You want the ends of the amsteel to at least be directly below the ends of the supports. It would be better if they were pushed out beyond the ends of the supports, then you'll have less shifting as you apply weight to it.

If you apply weight to the left-side support, that weight becomes a pull on the right-side amsteel, right? You want that pull to be directly in line with the amsteel. If the amsteel ends are tucked in like you show them, then the force will be at an angle to the amsteel and the right-side support will be able to wiggle without stretching the amsteel. Wiggle on the right leads to sag on the left.

Look at the triangle formed by the right-side support, the right-side amsteel, and the base. The more open that triangle becomes, the more stable you'll be (up to the point where the amsteel becomes tangent to the arc of the support). Moving the ends of the amsteel outside the ends of the supports even a little bit should make a big difference in stability.

Also, you don't actually need a huge angle between the base and the support poles. Putting the support poles at an angle like that does make it easier to get a nice, open angle on your support lines, but it's not at all needed. With the support poles more upright, you can use shorter support poles too which means less flex.

I think I just might build one of these for my office.

Boris

You are correct in your thoughts. I had not actually drawn up the placements of the connections but more of the general concept. MSPaint and I are not good buddies. However you did some of my thinking for me so if I go forward with this I'll base off your thoughts and modify as necessary.

**WonderMonkey** · 07-28-2010, 09:48

Originally Posted by Youngblood

That looks familar, is this anything like what you are thinking? http://www.google.com/patents?id=T5J...page&q&f=false

Hey! Kind of like that, yes! Similar in principle.

**Boris Losdindawoods** · 07-28-2010, 09:54

I'm actually thinking I may try it using veritcal poles with amsteel lines running down to the floor plate like shrouds on a sailboat mast. I'll probably build in some spreaders too so that I can get a better angle on the connection point. I guess this means I'd better hurry up and get all of my stuff moved out of the front dining room and into my office upstairs.

Just what I needed... another project.

Boris

**WonderMonkey** · 07-28-2010, 10:00

Originally Posted by Boris Losdindawoods

I'm actually thinking I may try it using veritcal poles with amsteel lines running down to the floor plate like shrouds on a sailboat mast. I'll probably build in some spreaders too so that I can get a better angle on the connection point. I guess this means I'd better hurry up and get all of my stuff moved out of the front dining room and into my office upstairs.

Just what I needed... another project.

Boris

Would you also do a ridgeline type connection going from vertical to vertical?

I'm also concerned with it "looking cool" because I want to eventually take a design to some of my buddies who are involved with Scouting for their use. I want to be both functional and "Hey, that's cool".

The good think about verticals is that you can put hooks on them to hang other gear on. Make them about 8ft tall and now you have just created a place to hang food bags, etc.