The TurtleDog stand

[GreatBigDave]

... the ridge pole and whether or not it is completely necessary. From what I have been reading it is meant to help keep the 2 tri-pods from collapsing in on each other and to set the distance between them. My thought was why not put a brace system built into the tri-pods so that they can be locked into place with a pin in the middle and prevent the legs from moving at all. Would this accomplish the task of stabilizing everything or am I completely out of the ball park? My other thought was to put mounting plates with stakes on the bottom of each leg so that they can be staked to the ground ...

The ridge pole is necessary for the turtle dog style stand, take it away and you have something completely different. I don't understand the pin in the middle concept so I can't comment. The stake the legs down idea would be impractical as the tripod itself would become an excellent stake-puller when you sit in the hammock. A stake that could resist that force at the perimeter of the tripod would be very difficult to retrieve.

GadgetUK put together an excellent video exploring these ideas recently. I'll try to find it and update if I do.

Found it here: https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...=1#post1768822 The entire thread explores similar ideas.

[summit7781]

I have skimmed through most of the 279 pages and see a couple people with similar questions but different approaches to it. I was going to add a fold down piece to each leg that would interlock the three legs to keep the stand open to its set spread. Then put tent stakes of one type or another on each leg and another at the point where the 3 braces meet to keep that from shifting.
I have been seeing a lot of discussion on how the ridge pole changes horizontal force to vertical force which I understand. But my thought was securing the tri-pod with stakes would keep it from pulling in horizontally.
I'm still sketching ideas at this point so I may end up with a ridge pole. Time will tell.

Again thanks for any input, you all seem like a great community and a good source of knowledge and information.

Edit:
Just saw your post with the video Dave. Thank you that explained a lot.

[mathineer]

A single pole at each end is workable if properly staked out. I have seen videos of people that did it. It wouldn't be a turtledog stand anymore, though. As I understand it, the whole point of td stand is that it is portable, free-standing, and can be used anywhere - inside, outside, in a hotel room, on concrete, etc. For that, you need the ridgepole.

mathineer

[Brains]

Just a quick question. I built one this weekend and left tripods at 6.5' and the ridge pole at 14. No problem hanging but when I was trying to set up my tarp it blew over. How do I prevent this? I read someone just put a backpack in the hammock but will that work if I leave it up while I am out?
Thanks
Brains

[jamaulwall]

The only solution I've found to the wind blowing it over is to stake my tarp down. That task can be tricky in the wind but once staked down it holds pretty well. It helps to have a tarp skin when setting up. Once my weight is in the hammock it's very stable but unweighted the stand will blow over easily.

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[Brains]

Wasn't quick enough to stake down the tarp. Was in the process when it blew over.
Thanks
Brains

[Heavy Bear]

When you get in your hammock your bodyweight is trying to pool both anchor points into the middle. In a turtle dog stand the ridge pole stops the hammock from pulling the stands inward and diverts your body weight down into the stands. In order to remove the ridge pole you would need solid anchors in the ground holding the stands in place.

Something I was just thinking about would be to make one leg of the turtle stand shorter than the other two. The two longer legs would face towards the center of the space between the stands and the single legs would point away. Drive an anchor in the ground directly below the apex of the stand. In the apex of the stand you need some type of fixed position pulley or some type of smooth fulcrum that will let a rope slide freely over it. Attach your hammock suspension to the stake, up over the pulley or fulcrum and out to your hammock. The longer legs and the solid anchor in the ground should disperse the force of the hammock down into the hammock legs.


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[orangerufus]

Well, I finally built one today. My son and I are headed to the NW Overaland Rally in June and there won't be trees to hang from there. Pretty much the same build as most I have seen. Still some fine-tuning to be done, but you get the idea. Pics posted.
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[Ledanek]

@orangerufus, did the pole already had holes or did you had to drill a hole to it? thanks

[orangerufus]

I used the recommended chain link fence top post (2 x 6'-6" sections) and drilled the holes myself. I used treated 2x2's ($4 each) for the legs and 1/4-20 hardware, except for the shoulder eyes in the ridge pole and quick links which are 5/16" for a little added strength. Definitely use shoulder eyes, which are cast and will carry more weight. The formed steel eye bolts carry much less weight. I weigh 250 pounds so I wanted the added safety factor. For my second stand I will be using a heavier hinge. The first stand is for my son who weighs 70 pounds soaking wet. An additional note: with the tarp staked out the tripod legs are firmly rooted to the ground, but I am still going to put in some spread limiting cordage through the legs and drill a hole in the bottom of the rear tripod leg for a stake. It can get rather windy here in WA and OR.