My 1st DIY Hammock - Work In Progress

[KG8ZY]

Hello to the DIY Forum - Just posted my 1st thread in HF over in the Introductions forum, and now ready to start on my DIY hammock. I'd like to use this thread to ask questions to the community and post updates.

Info about myself - 6 ft. - 205 lbs. I've never hung before, and have never seen any of the different hammocks in person, but I'm looking forward to my 1st hang.

I'm planning on a design based on TheXringHunt's thread on his DIY WBBB, which in turn is based on a combo of the Black Goat Gear and 1022's "WarBird". Mine will be an 11 ft. DL using 1.1 ripstop I purchased from DIY Gear Supply. I'll use TheXringHunt's 11 ft. pattern. I decided on DL instead of SL based on my size, the 1.1 oz. material, and the desire to keep the blood-suckers away.

Which brings my 1st Question - Any feedback regarding my selection of the 11 ft. length? I'm open to changing if it's the wrong size for me.

Followed by my 2nd question - In a DL WBBB clone, is the footbox / shelf piece as well as the zipper ribbon piece for the other side also DL, or are they SL? I know there's a reinforcing piece to go along with the footbox/shelf, but again am not sure whether they should be DL or SL.

Since it's been a little while since I've done any thread injection (40 yrs.), I'm going to start by taking TheXringHunt's 8 ft. pattern and make a half-size model first, to get back my formerly well honed skills. Only I'm going to make it SL - don't see a real reason for making it a DL.

Anyway, thanks for any info related to my ???'s. As I get deeper into the 'gators, I'll be back seeking more advice and showing my progress.

[KG8ZY]

Yes, I'm replying to my own post, even though no one else has seen it yet. However, I've come up with another question. TheXringHunt's patterns have curved edges for the footbox/shelf piece, based on his analysis of his hammock. I know tarp-makers will lay out catenary curves also. Any secrets to laying out these curves? I've seen a suggestion to use a string betwen points and then let it fall naturally, but doesn't that require holding the fabric up vertically? Thanks again.

[craige]

Hey and welcome.

The 11' should be fine although many who are taller than you are comfortable in a 10ft normal bb some have problems with calf ridge.

I can't offer any real advice about the your second question so I will leave that to whoever deems themselves better qualified.

Other than practice is there any reason for doing an 8ft model i.e. your child or short significant other? If not would you not ve better making something that will be of use but use the same skill set, maybe a slightly easier design full size hammock, tarp, ul backpack or even loads of complicated stuff sacks? Just a suggestion but that is a lot of material that could be put to better use.

In terms of cat cuts, grizz has some elaborate way of doing them on one of his grizz bridge vids but the easiest way ive seen is to get a large piece of flexible material with a hole in either side and a peice of rope through the eye whuch is then tensioned like a bow to the desired curve.

Hope this helps.

[Fish<><]

as far as your weight is concerned, a 1.1 will hold you. If you want to keep the skeeters away dl is the way to go.

Since I have not made a warbird clone, I cannot comment on the design, but your third question I do differently than most probably would. What I do is use my eyeballs and make it "look" right to my eyes. I recently made a cat cut hex tarp, and the most difficult thing was not laying down the pattern, rather, it was pinning those curves. My tarp doesn't look pretty up close, but it'll keep a tightish pitch and should keep me dry.

What I would do is find something circular ie an old coffee can and draw your curves that way. Much simpler than using some kind of parabolic shape on a wall, but it'll get the job done. Craige's suggestion on grizz's method will work as well, but if you don't have the materials to do it, its unrealisitic to not use something you already have that will "work".

There's my 2 cents...

[stalker42]

When i did my Cat cuts i hung the fabric on my wall.. The taped a string from corner to corner and just traced it. made a nice curve though the wifely one did giveme some off looks though.

[Catavarie]

For cat curves I use a 10 ft piece of 1/2 inch PVC that I bend to the desired curve depth and trace the shape. It's not as exact as some other methods, but it works well enough for my liking.

[KG8ZY]

I'm building the Symibird DL WBBB clone. I've got a question regarding where the footbox/shelf piece starts when sewing it to the double layers. If I start sewing at the footbox end. does it start right at the corner of the layers, or do I leave some space at the end of the layers to create the gathered end channel? How about then at the shelf end? Thanks.

[KG8ZY]

I completed my 1.1 DL, 8 ft. DIY Symingbird hammock enough to hang it for the 1st time today to see how it laid. When I first hung it, I didn't use a ridgeline. All of the tension ran through the footbox/shelf side, causing it to be very taut while the zipper side sagged. One of the attached photos shows this. When I laid in it, again without a ridgeline, again the footbox/shelf side was very taut and even seemed to close over the top. I then installed an adjustable ridgeline, and as I adjusted the ridgeline closer to 80 in. (83% of 96 in.), the ridgeline took up the tension, causing the footbox/shelf side to sag. It never sagged as much as the zipper side, but it was quite relaxed vs. no ridgeline. The other 2 photos were taken while I laid in the hammock. One is without a ridgeline and shows the very taut footbox/shelf side, while the other shows a sagging footbox/shelf side. At an 80 in. ridgeline, I was laying fairly flat, my feet into the footbox, and I was able to lay both on my back and left side.

I wanted to ask if anyone else has noticed the footbox/shelf side being taut if no ridgeline is used, or should both sides be evenly taut. Also, I used the Knotty method of whipping the ends, and wanted to ask if anyone knows whether something can be adjusted in the whipping to cause the 2 sides to sag more evenly.

Good news is I didn't hear any seams ripping, so the thread injection appears solid.

Next steps are to install the bug netting according to the Xringhunt plans for the 8 ft. Symingbird, make up some better tree straps (I used some old ones in the house), then start on the tarp.

I'd appreciate any and all comments / suggestions. I've never seen any other gathered end hammocks, much less lay in any, so I'm very much building this from scratch.