How to Make a Rope Hammock for Camping
Camping in the wilderness can be as comfortable as staying at home if you have the know-how. Sleeping on the hard ground is never a pleasant experience, especially when you're used to a bed, but making your own hammock for camping can create a feeling of domestic comfort while enjoying nature at the same time. The process for making a personal hammock can be easily performed in a few simple steps with the right materials.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- 3 lbs. hammock cord
- Large netting shuttle
- 2 small rings 1.5" in diameter
- 30 ft. rope or twine
- Drill and bits 1/4" to 5/16"
- 2 ft long gauge stick
- 2 hardwood rods 2 1/2 ft. long
Instructions
-
Making a Rope Hammock for Camping
-
1
Cut a 3-foot piece of rope, then tie a square knot-twist the right end around the left end and pull through, then repeat and pull tight-on the ends. Hang one looped end on a hook or nail for easy access, then fill the netting shuttle with hammock cord. It should be slightly full, but do not overfill. Tie your free end of rope to the loop.
-
2
Wrap the hammock cord using the shuttle around the gauge stick once then pull the shuttle back through your beginning loop. While tightly holding the gauge stick to the shuttle cord loop, perform a half hitch-wrap the cord around the beginning cord and loop through once leaving slack-around both flanks of your beginning cord. Repeat this process for 20 loops around the gauge.
-
-
3
Remove the gauge stick and rotate the project ensuring the shuttle is now on the left side, then hold the gauge under the project. Weave the shuttled hammock cord around the gauge stick once, then through your first loop and around the loop again performing a half hitch. Repeat this through all 20 loops.
-
4
Repeat the above process for approximately 55 rows which should give you about seven feet of hammock.
-
5
Mount the hammock by drilling 20 holes through each hardwood rod measuring 1.5 inches apart and 2.25 inches from the ends. Make the end drill holes 1/4 to 5/16 inches in diameter, the remaining holes can be 3/16" to 1/4 inches in diameter.
-
6
Cut 40 long cords at least 50 inches in length, then loop your first cord through a ring and thread both pieces through the left hole on the hardwood rod. Tie an overhand knot-hold the cord parallel to the ground and cross over it to form a loop then wrap the right end through the loop and pull tight-through the top left loop in your hammock, then tie down each cord through the bar onto the loops in the net of both ends.
-
7
Braid three cords together at a length approximately 3 inches shorter than the length of the hammock for both sides, then thread one end through the far hole of the hardwood rod and secure the braid with an overhand knot. Weave the braid in and out of the side mesh on down the hammock and secure it on the opposite end through the hardwood rod then repeat this process for the other side.
-
1
