Agri-supply Hammock Stand

[bwg]

I just bought the Agri-supply hammock stand for $60+tax, and I can report that I am very pleased with it. It appears to be the common 5-section steel stand that sells for about $100+ at various vendors, but Agri-supply seems to have the best price for this stand.

Link to stand here:

http://www.agrisupply.com/product.asp?pn=67579

It took me some time to figure how to hang a hammock to prevent bottom-out sag, and then a bit more time for hanging a tarp without sag.

Several members of the forum have this stand and report some modifications were used to get hammocks to hang well. For example:

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=13409

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=16855

I was able to hang my hammocks on the stand without any modifications by simply removing the tube end cap and moving the steel S-hook to the top of the tube. (Note I replaced the S-hooks that came with the stand so both sections of the S are open.) See first and second image for illustration. I have tested the stand with Warbonnet BB (pictured), homemade double layer hammock with ridge-line, and Hennessy hammock with bottom entry. Each of these three have a ridge-line and I think that is important for hanging on this stand without a bottom sag problem. It is important to hang these hammocks tight to help eliminate tube flex or slop prior to entry into hammock. See tautness of Warbonnet in first two images. My homemade hammock has descending rings on both ends as water breaks, and wrapping straps in those and around the S-hook make hanging the hammock, and getting it taut, much easier than hanging the BB or Hennessy. Whoopie slings probably cannot be used as normal here, but instead used as cord and wrapped/lashed around S-hook.

To mount a tarp without sag I used 1-1/4" PVC tube after drilling holes for the S-hook. I thin topped each with a t-joint. Cord from tarp passes through the t-joint, down the stand tube and attaches to a bungee cord wrapped around the bottom support tube. The bungee removes slack from the tarp once I enter the hammock. Two images show my tarp before and after I enter the hammock. Note tarp remain taut.

As others have noted, this stand is lightweight (about 40 lbs), easily assembled and disassembled, and will make for a sturdy and portable stand.

[Hassinism]

Looks great! I'll be trying this out this weekend. Thanks.

[GvilleDave]

I have a similar stand and the problem is (and your picture shows the same thing) to get the hammock up high enough you have to hang with no sag in the suspension. For optimal hang the suspension should be at about a 30 degree angle whereas this type stand forces you to tighten to an almost horizontal position. This will cause the hammock to sink more when you get in and will put alot of stress on the suspension and ridgeline IMO.

I had some extensions made for mine that raised the end supports but the tubing I used was too weak and they bent. I am going to maybe invest in a heavier pipe for those extensions or just cut my losses and get a stand that is more suited for a camping style hammock instead of a spreader bar hammock...

[oldgringo]

I had some extensions made for mine that raised the end supports but the tubing I used was too weak and they bent. I am going to maybe invest in a heavier pipe for those extensions or just cut my losses and get a stand that is more suited for a camping style hammock instead of a spreader bar hammock...

I built one of the Ed Speer style pipe stands for use inside a canvas wall tent. It was great, but fairly expensive and heavy.

I copied the design in 1.5" square tubing when I needed a stand in the back of my van...much cheaper and lighter. I'm getting ready to build another for my porch...this time I'll take pics.

[MrClean417]

I bought a Texsport Padre Island Hammock stand. It's not a single pole stand like you have listed it's a 2 poster. Its item 14285 on page four of this handy Texsport PDF catalog.

I've hung and laid in my Blackbird and while low to the ground it doesn't flex much that I noticed. That might be because there are two posts instead of just the one or the materials are thicker I don't know. I'm 270 right now. I will have to fab a way to hang a tarp on it but I think I have that sussed just have to make a trip to Home Depot tomorrow when I'm driving the truck to pick up some correctly sized PVC to cut, bend and clip to the sides. I'll post if successful. I still have the same problems as you if you try to bend a tube it will collapse on you. However, you can make a brace to hold the outer edges of the tube and with gentle heat bend the PVC tubing and let it set. At least it returns to it's previous strength. The thickness I'll need to go around the up pipe in Sch 40 should be strong enough to hold a tarp.

[chickenwing]

Great looking set up.

[bwg]

For optimal hang the suspension should be at about a 30 degree angle whereas this type stand forces you to tighten to an almost horizontal position. This will cause the hammock to sink more when you get in and will put alot of stress on the suspension and ridgeline IMO.

I've wondered about the 30 degree recommendation -- is that 30 degrees before or after getting into the hammock? My homemade tests suggests the important angle is the one that occurs once weight is applied.

When I get in the hammock the suspension is at about 30 degrees relative to the ground, and an even more favorable angle (40+ degrees) from the hammock stand supports. If the angle is calculated from supports rather than relative to the ground, then there is even less stress on suspension and supports.

Whether my initial tautness creates a problem, I don't know. Fortunately the stand has a weight recommendation of no more than 600 lbs, so that checks fine, and I use 1/8 amsteel for both ridge-line and suspension on my homemade hammock, so that should be fine too. The weak link will likely be my metal S-hooks (89 cents at Agri-supply) with a weight limit of 250 lbs, but so far they seem to be holding well. I suspect that 250 lbs rating is a low-ball safety estimate for those hooks.

I have about 5 nights and multiple daytime hours of hanging on this stand now, and will report if anything adverse occurs. I weigh 215 lbs +/- 10 lbs depending upon what I ate and drank recently and whether I've visited the bathroom.

By the way, this stand weighs about 37 lbs and is easily assembled and disassembled in less than 2 minutes -- a very car-portable stand.

[atison]

Looks like you have a structural ridge line (I may be mistaken) so sag in your suspension lines shouldn't matter. Your 30* should be set by the ridgeline.

[Miguel]

That S-hook doesn't look real secure but I can't really tell for sure. This weekend an S-hook slipped out from a similar stand while my daughter was lying in it. She landed on her tailbone on the underlying pipe. Lots of pain, xrays and an MRI followed. Just saying.

Miguel

[GvilleDave]

To clarify my concern is that by tightening down and making the suspension almost horizontal the hammock will sag a great deal after you get in regardless of having a structural ridgeline. you may be 20" off the ground before you sit down but once you sit down the hammock will be much closer to the ground. Even with a ridgeline you should hang your hammock at an angle.

In addition, the closer to horizontal you run your suspension the greater the forces become that will pull on the suspension and on the tree (or in this case the stand). By running the lines horizontal you are putting 5 to 6 times the load on the stand and your suspension. Here is a link to a chart that shows the forces applied and how the angle of the suspension greatly effects the loading:

http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/show...792&original=1