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  1. #1
    Senior Member doctor patches's Avatar
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    A DIY project, but not what you think...

    so i'm new to hanging, just got some starter gear and i want to create a hanging spot in my backyard. i'm gonna sink some 4x4 posts into my lawn and hang between 'em. how far apart should they be? this will be for my first hang, and will become my laboratory for testing whatever gear i get going forward. i may or may not put eye bolts rated for angluar loads so i can test different hang angles, etc. any advice?

    mods, if this is in the wrong forum, please move it.

  2. #2
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    Try a minimum of 13 feet. Better to have 15 feet between the posts. I have about 14 feet between mine and it works pretty good but another foot would be nice at times.

    Eye bolts are nice but you won't have them in the "real world". Might want to put some in the posts as long as you can also hang independently of them. Also, rounding the corners of the 4x4s with a sander or router will save a lot of wear on your gear.

    Good luck!

  3. #3
    Senior Member doctor patches's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JayS View Post
    Try a minimum of 13 feet. Better to have 15 feet between the posts. I have about 14 feet between mine and it works pretty good but another foot would be nice at times.

    Eye bolts are nice but you won't have them in the "real world". Might want to put some in the posts as long as you can also hang independently of them. Also, rounding the corners of the 4x4s with a sander or router will save a lot of wear on your gear.

    Good luck!
    thanks for the quick reply.

    yeah i figured it would need to be like 15' long, and i decided to use the eye bolts in place of my slap straps, i would use them like i would a biner through the loop in the webbing, to save my gear. that way my whole system is the same, but without the straps.

    since i'm already gonna do the eye bolts, should i do two bolts so i can do a tarp as well as the actual hammock? at 15 feet, how much higher will the attachment for my suspension be above the attachment for my hammock? i watched all of shug's n00b vids, and noticed that his were offset, with the hammock attachment higher on the tree or post than his tarp attachment.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
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    The height of your suspensions (tarp & hammock) will vary depending on what you're testing or hanging. A winter tarp pitched all the way to the ground will be at a different height than a tarp pitched high with one side in porch mode. Same goes with hammocks - you may want to hang it high with a lot of sag once and low with less sag another time. And you will eventually have different tarps and hammocks, each needing to be "tested" at different heights and sags. And don't forget that you may want to try a continuous ridgeline which often needs to be pitched slightly higher than the tarp alone.

    So a couple of eye bolts are nice but may be limiting if that's the only way to hang. I'd say use the posts without bolts first. Then if you have a favorite setup that hangs nicely at a certain height, use those heights to install the bolts.

  5. #5
    JCHaywire kc7fys's Avatar
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    18' here in my yard. I started with a 12' 4x4, treated--then went back and got the 16 footer. I figured I might be using the tippy top for something someday.

  6. #6
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    make sure you put them in the ground at least 3 foot ....and the wider the hole the better and quick-crete them in good ....
    being your from NV your gorund is probly sand and not packed well...
    so keep that in mind
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  7. #7
    Senior Member KerMegan's Avatar
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    best practice is to have 1/3 length in the ground, and 2/3 above, so decide how much height you need available and multiply by 1.5 to find out what length to purchase. check very carefully for knots in the timber- they cause a weak/snap point..
    KM(who has built a shed or two in her time..)

  8. #8
    Senior Member Lonely Raven's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by KerMegan View Post
    best practice is to have 1/3 length in the ground, and 2/3 above, so decide how much height you need available and multiply by 1.5 to find out what length to purchase. check very carefully for knots in the timber- they cause a weak/snap point..
    KM(who has built a shed or two in her time..)
    That's about what I was going to say.

    Also, if you're serious about this, you might just want to look into getting a 6" X 6" post. It will cost noticeably more than the 4X4 post, but be less of a worry with knots, breakage, and pulling loose out of it's mounting.

    Go big or Go home. IMHO

  9. #9
    Senior Member doctor patches's Avatar
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    all excellent comments. yeah, i've built sheds and fences and skateboard ramps, etc...figure i know enough to get the basics of the construction, but was more curious about how much working room i'll need. i'm gonna be hitting home depot up tomorrow, so i'll be sure to post pix of my end result, and maybe even pix of the process if i have time. trying to beat the storm coming saturday, sunday and monday but maybe i'd be better off waiting until afterwards so the ground is more workable?

    btw, i'm in reno, the dirt isn't too much sand but more volcanic rock and really, REALLY dry dirt. back yard has tons of rocks, i think there was a rock bed back here before i moved in. might have to invest in a post hole digger as well...i haven't even had one single hang and this is already getting expensive!

  10. #10
    Senior Member dkperdue's Avatar
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    I would bury it the way everyone is suggesting.
    I would also go out 5 feet towards the other post with a 45 degree support between that lower leg and the support post.
    That bottom leg and the 45 degree support leg would be under the ground.
    Use treated lumber so's the bugs don't eat it for a snack.
    I tend to over engineer stuff!
    DKPerdue

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