So I started down this DIY path primarily as a way to save money. I had never used a sewing machine, let alone thought about how gear/stuff is put together. It has been a long slow path, but I thought I would show my evolution with DIY, leading up to my final version of a WBBB clone for my wife.

I have been hankering to build a WBBB clone for a while, especially since my wife wanted my actual WBBB. In analyzing the sewing on the WBBB I figured I could take a crack at it and make one for her, if all else failed maybe the boss would give me permission to buy another WBBB.

Well she was smarter than me and made me build a few hammocks before I built hers. So I started making hammocks for my scouts and then one for my daughter and then finally hers. I thought I would show some pictures of the progress. It really has come a long ways from the first one.

First Attempt at DIY (adding a second layer to an GT Ultralight Hammock) It took a long time but I learned how to thread inject.



One of the many iterations later, a hammock for one of my scouts. He is 6' 10" tall and nothing would fit him. So I decided to go for the whole enchilada and build him a twelve footer patterned after a WBBB. Looking at the pictures now makes me cringe a bit with the number of screw ups that are apparent, but he loves it and the Sclittlefields camo fabric was great to use. I also gained a ton of respect for Brandon and also learned to sew and think about patterns. This one was built with no pattern, just me pinning it and trying to eyeball it, it is functional but not pretty by any means. It also took about 2 months of off and on work.



These three pictures show why it is necessary to put cat cuts into the bugnet before sewing it on. The pinning and cutting method leaves a few puckers and weirdness. It is still fully functional and extremely comfortable.








The next attempt was me building a hammock for my daughter. This time around I decided to build a pattern for everything and cutting exact dimensions and only sewing once. I have posted pictures of it before but one can see the difference it made. It is patterned off the revered Jerry5 style. Its pattern is what I used when I built the double layer instructions I posted previously. This one went together in one day.



After building my daughters, my wife gave me the seal of approval and released my capital acquisition request for a new sewing machine and more fabric and supplies. Per her request I went for another WBBB clone. I tried some new fabrics which I have decided I like the best so far out of all my hammocks. It is 100% Polyester taffeta lining material for the base and some nylon taffeta for the wing and shelf and footbox. I am really happy with how her's came out. It started life as an 11 footer and after hemming and sewing ends up at about 10'6". She took it for a spin in our front yard and promptly fell asleep. The sewing still has a couple of hiccups, but overall it almost looks like a real WBBB. Except for the fact that it is black with purple highlights.

It went together in about 1.5 days.

The boss passed out.


Footbox and shelf shot


Overhead shot


My wife, daughter and I took the hammocks on a camping trip but I will save that trip report for another post.

So enough showing off for me, but I would like to thank everyone for the help I got from this forum. There is no way I would have attempted any of this or got anything close to this result without all of the willing hands here.

BlackGoat