A STAND ALONE MASONRY STRUCTURE IS NEVER!!!!EVER!!! A SUITABLE SUPPORT FOR A HAMMOCK. Buying a hammock stand. Hanging a hammock SAFELY!!!-Outside or Inside, How to hang the well hung hammock. Custom hardware available in Stainless Steel.
Every hammock requires a universal hanging kit.
Reason#1: What ever system you end up using at home you will need this type of gear when you are traveling. This kit consists of
- (2) 12 ft.x1/2 in. nylon lines
- (2) tempered steel closed J hooks rated at 1200lbs EACH!!!
and is always free with every hammock.
Always allow extra space between the hammock end and the support point so you can adjust the set up to proper tension. One foot minimum, on each end, will give you good results and a refined installation.
Whenever possible leave hanging gear in place. This will facilitate a very fast and easy set up/take down. Consider buying an extra hanging kit for your camping box or road trip gear bag. You can use the lines and hooks to make the set up precise. Make it PERFECT for you as an individual. Experiment with height off the deck or slant/rake head to foot. I have found after exhaustive research, that every hammock I make CAN BE SET UP PERFECTLY AND SAFELY BY FOLLOWING THE COMMON PRACTICE OF ALWAYS! TESTING THE SET UP BEFORE USE/NO EXCEPTIONS ALLOWED/EVER. Take your time with this important process. Increase your knot tying skills, (learn that bowline) it pays dividends. It will be necessary to try a few different SETS: Hammock tension (the kayaker is set up tighter than the Cooper’s Cot) head high feet low, sun light requirements, shade patterns through the day, compass, moon, wind, star orientation. Don’t quit early in this process! This is how you personally figure it out. When you go on the road, with your extra hanging kit, you will be educated, practiced and equipped to handle it right, tidy and with knowledgeable authority. After you get the hanging kit adjusted just right, DO A CAREFUL TEST TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE IT SECURE. you can leave it in place at home (checking for wear/chaffing periodically). You will then be able to take the hammock from a simple, practical wall storage/system where it is waiting for you, clean and bright and dry: example “Cleaning” and hook it up in 8.4 seconds, that is way fast, and without tying a knot. Unhooking is just as easy and makes the long term care of your web furniture a logical procedure and provides a very convenient, simple method of maintenance.
It’s always the same old story, if we put our good toys away they will be in better condition for you to give to the next generation. Note of interest: the “Cooper’s Cot” and the “Ultra” models are made with a top service side and an under side. With the top side up the built in Hammock Gnomes/Guardians are in the proper position to watch over your slumbers. See images of two of these critters at the bottom of this page.
Not all set ups are the same.ATTACHING A HAMMOCK TO A STAND ALONE MASONRY POST/COLLUM IS A BAD,BAD IDEA.THIS TYPE OF POST IS NOT! SUITABLE FOR ANY SIDE LOAD HAMMOCK SUPPORT SET UP! Eye bolts, short lengths of chain, chaffing gear (fire hose type material to protect tree bark or painted surfaces) are used where required, depending on circumstances. The knot most often used to tie up the s-hooks is the Bowline (This poster is a 1941 war department Publication). This knot is very useful because it will not jam if properly tied. Learn it again, it IS the “king” of knots. It is a good thing to pass the hanging line twice through the eye of the hook, it reduces wear.
If you have a unique or extra difficult installation OR ANY QUESTIONS,I am available for consultation. See “Contact Us“
Many installations require metal fasteners. If this is your situation AVOID EYE SCREWS and always USE FORGED EYE BOLTS complete with washers and Nyloc nuts. With a few tools you can create simple, substantial and strong suspension systems swiftly.
Installing a Hammock inside your home, The easy way: do the bolt rigging before the dry wall phase on new construction or remodeling. The easiest way? Buy a hammock stand, set it up, done.
Factoids: When buying a Hammock Stand: ALWAYS! ask “What is the measurement between the two hammock mounting hooks?” Look for 14+ feet, just to be a little on the long side. This is important, you WILL need some extra space/inches for adjustments.
Existing structures-Very important notes! Drilling into the existing interior walls and not knowing EXACTLY!!! where the house wiring is may be the last swift installation you will ever try. Drilling holes in the plumbing can also get to be a real problem, real fast. An inside set up requires a few extra steps. I always suggest you open the wall-14″ wide-floor to ceiling (just do it! And if you think this is too much, just hire a good tradesman. It will not be a major problem for him, if he knows his salt) then add 4 more studs glued together-5- total, Fasten the new studs, top and bottom, with 3″ dry wall screws AND construction adhesive to the plates. (if you attempt to fasten to 1- 2×6 stud: the dry wall WILL! flex then crack, Each/single-2X6 stud is installed to take a top, down load. A hammock hang point will induce a SIDE LOAD. This is something you need to engineer into a proper installation) and don’t forget to pre-drill and notch the back (for the washer and nyloc nut) of center stud (approx. 60″ off the floor)(when I do this I install two bolts,48″ AND 60″/you know, more options) for a 3/8″ FORDGED EYEBOLTS with NYLOC-NUTS and flat washer. Finish this wall stud build up by installing 90 degree metal clips(Simpson Brand, galvanized clips are cheap,4 required) 2 on top and two on bottom. NOW you got it right. Put sheet rock back and just paint the new rock patch and hang a picture on it with the frame painted the same color, it will look like you have a good sense of interior decorating. This is not that big an undertaking and you will still be alive to relax in your perfect life support system. It is important to remember that to the untrained this may appear complex but to a tradesman it is not that hard to accomplish. So if you do not want to undertake the installation, hire it out, done in a day. Free consultation when you get serious, just call or Contact me.
An unplanned spill
is never a thrill
but good hanging gear
allows no fear.
Bad poetry can be good advice….trust me on this one.
Order an extra kit and set up one in the shade and you ll have it made and one in the sun and you can double your fun, control temperature tempo and tanning timing. I know what you are thinking, the poetry is getting BOGUS/BAD. True, but the free advice is still sound all around town.
Note on hammock stands: All the hammocks in the DECKHAND MANUFACTURING line are designed to fit in a hammock stand 15 ft. between hooks. If this was an international standard we would all be better off. Unfortunately this is NOT always the case. Ask before you buy.
The WRONG! way to set up 12.5 ft. of hammock is in 12.5 ft. of space. It will NEVER be right. You REALLY must have a little more space so you can tension the hammock properly and adjust the hooks correctly. You know the old farmer’s saying “You can’t put 10 pounds of _hit in a 5 pound bag”.14 inches extra space on each end is good. This applies to a two tree installation every bit as much as a hammock stand set up.
A stand, while lacking some what in ambiance, does possess the attribute of mobility between the sunny and the shady, tough to do that with a couple of trees.
Extra Hanging Kits price: $25ea. This is cheaper than you can buy the materials, which are the very best available./ NOTE!: this item is ONLY available for Deckhand Manufactured Hammocks as a “not for profit” customer service and is not sold separately unless you place the minimum order of 25 hanging kits. Parts ARE available to previous buyers.
Good Idea: order 1 extra kit (one comes free with every Deckhand hammock) so you have gear ready for that road trip.
These are two examples of our friends the Hammock Gnomes. There must be a lot of them, I never see the same one twice.
