DIY hammock stand.

[humdrum_hostage]

I want to make a hammock stand as I only have one tree in my garden and I imagined it would look a bit like the one in the link (the picture is too big to paste)

http://www.instructables.com/id/wooden-hammock/

My questions are, would 4x2's be strong enough to hold 150lb person and what can I do to make the uprights less slippy as I rather use it to not only dry my kit but also test my knot skills, rather than use hooks?

 

[rorymax]

If constructed like the one in the link then 4X2's would be plenty strong, if you can utilise the existing tree then you might consider sinking a 6" square fence post (8' long - 2' in the ground) as the other hammock support (local sawmills are the best source).

 

[mick91]

4x2 will hold that all day. As opposed to making it less slippy why not cut a rebate into the back of the post?

 

[mousey]

I made a hammock stand a while ago out of bits left in the garden when I moved. They were 50mm square section and while I'm not hugely happy with the strength [i.e. I'm not keen on the kids getting in with me / bouncing up and down in it] it has held together for a fair while [maybe nearly a year] and I have slept without fear in it numerous times - mind you I've never been too high off the ground, the saying of "never hang higher than your willing to fall" springs to mind

Oh and I'm about 12 stone 75kg ish

This is the thread I started ....
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=129148&highlight=hammock+stand


edit////

cor blimey it took me a long time to type that!

edit again...////

I thought about drilling a hole and passing a bar through the upright bit to tie the suspension to, a bit like a Samson post.

 

[dewi]

The timber is strong enough, but that is one seriously flawed design.

At the base of each end post, all the stress from the weight in the hammock is going to transfer there... unless the bolt has some sort of reinforcement, it means your body weight is being to held by what, an inch of timber each side??

What would make more sense is if the bottom cross braces were rebated and extend past the end of the uprights... that way the stress isn't all on the bolt, it is where it is supposed to be... on the cross braces.

 

[twyforge]

If you lean the uprights out at the top as opposed to having them go vertically upwards, the hammock will be able to support more weight, as more of the force will be expressed as compression rather than shear force, and dimensional lumber is far stronger longitudinally than cross-sectionally.

 

[Ch@rlie]

If you goto the hammockforum.net and or search youtube the turtlelady design is compact and fold able the concept was originally done with bambo poles many have changed the build design any use gate hinges an 2'x2' means your garden isnt taken up by a huge hammock stand.
Few years ago I built one similar in design to what your intending but leans outward as described above, its huge.
I have since moved and have held off putting it up for that reason.

 

[XRV John]

Blimey!

By coincidence I am just putting hammock posts in my garden. I am using 4" square fence posts sitting in Metpost 750mm supports with a 4" square brace at 45 degrees.

The garden slopes so the higher post is 6' long and the lower 7' long.

Have just put the first Metpost and post in

The brace will rest on a sole plate on the ground

The tent is out because it is being reproofed with Fabrisil

John

 

[mousey]

The design I like the most for collapsibility and transport would be the "two tripods and a bar across the top" design.

It can be modified to one tripod [or an A-frame anchored] and one tree...

If you search "hammock stand tripods" in google and look at the images there are a few examples.

 

[bopdude]

How far away from the house is the tree ? could you not 'just' fit a rawl bolt with an eye or hook into the wall, that's what I've done, except two bolts no tree

 

[Ch@rlie]

Mousey,
The tripod design you refer to is "turtlelady's design" I mentioned above.

 

[Ch@rlie]

Mousey,
The tripod design you refer to is "turtlelady's design" I mentioned above. The bar hangs below and and I believe is able to swing/move to maintain stability on the tripods.

Can a mod please delete my post above, my phone locked up and for some reason posted. Thanks.

 

[chas brookes]

Hi
you may be interested in George's design

~http://www.bushcraftdays.com/how-to-mk2-make-a-free-standing-hammock-stand/