ive heard the dd hammocks are great but has anyone made their own hammock in the spirit of bushcraft?
make your own hammock?
- Thread starter shawn
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The spirit of bushcraft is to use the materials available. I'm messing around with DD hammocks and will probably end up making some changes to them.
Making them from scratch would entail getting the synthetic material from suppliers and doing the basic sewing - I'd rather take a ready made hammock and start "hacking" around with it.
Making them from scratch would entail getting the synthetic material from suppliers and doing the basic sewing - I'd rather take a ready made hammock and start "hacking" around with it.
God bless you Shawn - you just gave me an idea
I was going to post that making a fair-weather hammock is relatively easy - the most basic being a blanket or sheet with a knot at either end - then I realised that would help me in solving the problem I have at the moment with sleeping out in a hammock at freezing temps - not the bottomside problem, but the topside problem.
I have a lovely piece of fleece-like material - 3 metres long - I could make that into a sort of top "hammock" to cover the bottom hammock, on the cocoon principle, in order to keep the heat in - still work in progress - just thinking out aloud
Anyway, a hammock is not difficult to make per se - a good one, however, needs good material.
I was going to post that making a fair-weather hammock is relatively easy - the most basic being a blanket or sheet with a knot at either end - then I realised that would help me in solving the problem I have at the moment with sleeping out in a hammock at freezing temps - not the bottomside problem, but the topside problem.
I have a lovely piece of fleece-like material - 3 metres long - I could make that into a sort of top "hammock" to cover the bottom hammock, on the cocoon principle, in order to keep the heat in - still work in progress - just thinking out aloud
Anyway, a hammock is not difficult to make per se - a good one, however, needs good material.
Every time I have looked at having a go at making my own, by the time you add up all the bits, buying in a solution works out so much cheaper. Have to also add my skills are not of the highest order. Means I would end up with a more expensive lower quaility end product. Plus most of my add-ons can be used elsewhere.
I've made my own with my explorer group. we used ripstop nylon from an online shop selling supplies for people who build kites, and paracord for whippings, and used nylon webbing strap for tree huggers. we where using blue polypropalene rope for mainlines, although I later (and at extra cost) changed to climbers accesory cord.
I think the total cost was about £10 maybe a little more, although we where buying in stuff in bulk, (100m roll of paracord can happily do ten hammocks whippings with cord left over for example) and stuff like P&P costs would have been spread out.
I love my hammock
I think the total cost was about £10 maybe a little more, although we where buying in stuff in bulk, (100m roll of paracord can happily do ten hammocks whippings with cord left over for example) and stuff like P&P costs would have been spread out.
I love my hammock
This is a reasonable place to start. Also look on his page for instructions on whipping the ends of the hammock instead of tying them in a knot. I made one this way (but hemmed the edges so it wouldn't fray) and it turned out fine. Probably spent less than $20 USD total.
http://www.imrisk.com/testhammock/testhammock.htm
http://www.imrisk.com/testhammock/testhammock.htm
try a place called hammock forums. thier a friendly bunch, and have instructions on there for several different styles of hammock, plus if you come up against a problem you can ask the forum for advice
D
DavidW
Guest
How about this for a quick tarp ?
http://www.instructables.com/id/Instant-Hammock/
The hammock hanger , maker is Tim Anderson, MIT guy of many daring and off the wall adventures. If you've never found your way to his web site before you've missed a treat. Don't recall the web site , just google Tim Anderson and out rigger canoes and it ought to get you there.
On a more serious note. Hammock Forums is the place to be
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/index.php
Also find your way to Ed Speers website , of Speer Hammocks. You can find it on the fourm. Order yourself a copy of Ed's book "Hammock Camping" , $20 or so. It has complete instructions inside on how to build his version of a hammock. You can also order a hammock kit from him , or just the raw materials. Or just follow his advice about materials to use and go find 'em yourself. Or ask around on the forum.
There are also a few how-to make a hammock video on youtube, short and sweet productions. Mostly showing proper way to gather the ends and proper knots so you don't fall and hurt yourself
Heck. you could just follow Tim's method and make one out of one of your poly tarps.
D
http://www.instructables.com/id/Instant-Hammock/
The hammock hanger , maker is Tim Anderson, MIT guy of many daring and off the wall adventures. If you've never found your way to his web site before you've missed a treat. Don't recall the web site , just google Tim Anderson and out rigger canoes and it ought to get you there.
On a more serious note. Hammock Forums is the place to be
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/index.php
Also find your way to Ed Speers website , of Speer Hammocks. You can find it on the fourm. Order yourself a copy of Ed's book "Hammock Camping" , $20 or so. It has complete instructions inside on how to build his version of a hammock. You can also order a hammock kit from him , or just the raw materials. Or just follow his advice about materials to use and go find 'em yourself. Or ask around on the forum.
There are also a few how-to make a hammock video on youtube, short and sweet productions. Mostly showing proper way to gather the ends and proper knots so you don't fall and hurt yourself
Heck. you could just follow Tim's method and make one out of one of your poly tarps.
D
Yes, it took about 1 evening figuring out the size then 2 evenings to figure out how to sew
then another to whip the ends and get the sweet spot.. it works a treat..Simon
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