A question about my first DIY Hammock

**bjudah** · 02-22-2011, 18:31

Hey everyone,

First I want to thank everyone for there posts and videos they have helped me visual some of my problems and given me tons more ideas. Let me preface this question by telling you that even though I am new to this forum I have been hammock camping for about 4 years which equals probably 70 or 80 nights in a hammock. And I have been thinking about this for about 2 years even to the extent of having a journal dedicated to my ideas. So after all that here is my question. I am trying to make a hammock with the flattest lie possible which leads me to this design possibility that I wanted to get some feedback if it would make the bottom of the hammock flatter. And please shoot me down if this has been tried before and doesn't work. Oh and this is going to be a gathered end hammock.

**Mat** · 02-22-2011, 18:44

Im not to sure? how deep are the cat cuts going to be? i think the only issue i forsee is if you make them too deep the centre of the hammock will be too tight causing back/knee discomfort... but if they are only minor it may help to increase flatness...also this will depend on the whipping and how you lay... asym or straight?
For a super flat lay a bridge hammock is the way forward see-Here

hopefully there will be somebody here whos has tried something like your design and will be able to give you a better answer.

Mat

**bjudah** · 02-22-2011, 18:50

Thanks Mat I don't how deep I am going to make them but I'm sure I will be pretty conservative about it I would hate to finish it and hate the hammock. And I am planning on laying Diagnolly (spelling).

**Mat** · 02-22-2011, 19:05

Have you maybe considered a parrallagram? Like this

as this may give you more room on the diagonal just anothere option tho as i would be realy intrested to see how your design comes to life

**bjudah** · 02-22-2011, 19:09

That is an awesome Idea and makes total sense I can't believe I didn't think of that. Now I have to rethink everything.

**Mat** · 02-22-2011, 19:25

Well don't be too hasty in scrapping your idea as you will never know the outcome untill you bring it to life!!! I have just been trawling through some threads to find something like your design and I have drawn a blank... So you could be onto something great,

**z96cobra** · 02-22-2011, 20:02

If you want a flat lay, why not make a bridge hammock?

**bjudah** · 02-22-2011, 20:06

The reason I haven't thought about a bridge hammock is that everyone I have seen seems to not lend itself to a light weight small pack setup. But maybe I'm wrong. What do you have in mind.

**Roadrunnr72** · 02-22-2011, 22:20

When I made mine, the first time, I just put a rolled hem on the end, then run a small piece of mason line through the hem. Pulled tight and tied like stated in the Gathered end thread. The sides were to "floppy" for me. So I "unsewed" (that's my new word for the day) the hem, then cut the corners off. I measured down the length about 2" and across the end about 6". I then hemmed the end again. So basically I did the opposite cut than you. Went out and hung it again and much better. I can get a nice flat lay, in my opinion. I have only used this one and an ENO single. I think that if you make it the way you have pictured, the side may be to floppy. As anything else, you can try it and let us know how it worked out. That's what I did with mine, tried something a little different and it worked.

**JohnScott** · 02-22-2011, 23:17

I've actually made a hammock that is similar to this design, except it was backwards. Where the ends of your hammock design are concave, mine was convex. It made the walls taller, but there was enough fabric in the center to act sort of like a bridge hammock. It still was perfectly flat, just a bit more so.