Hanging hammocks from flat top EMT conduit grid?

[lymerae]

Hi all,

Last year our camp designed and built a 40' by 30' flat top grid from 1" EMT conduit, using connectors and feet from YSBW. It worked out GREAT, really sturdy, deep dark shade, social, inviting, a really lovely home.

This year we have a new challenge: seating. As we are a pretty international camp, all our campers will be flying in, and we don't have much more space in our storage unit, so we're trying to figure out what we can do that will be both comfortable and practicable. Playatech furniture from plywood is of course an option, and we're planning on building some benches again, but they're not all that comfortable for lounging / napping.

What we'd really love to do is add some hammocks to our camp. They pack basically down to nothing and would be so great for napping during the day. But we don't know if our structure can support it. Did some searching but most of what I'm finding is for EMT geodesic domes, or standalone EMT hammock stand designs.

Has anyone here tried to hang hammocks diagonally across one of their 10' x 10' EMT cubes, using the center of the YSBW connector as connection points? Is this remotely feasible or a Very Bad Idea? We can try to counterbalance with extra guy lines, but we don't want our vertical EMT uprights (which are 8') to bend.

Thanks for any help / advice!

[Token]

8" is lots of length for EMT. Not structural by design.

Like you hinted in you last paragraph, buckling of the legs is a problem.

Two ways to tackle this:

1. Triangulate in two perpendicular planes at hammock attachment points and try to hang as close to ground as you can. 3 feet is ideal, 4' will likely be OK.

ASCII art version |\ /| Hammock in between. Also need perpendicular for swinging load cuz folks will swing the suckers

2. Slide the legs into a structural steel pipe whose inside diameter is snug fit to EMT outer diameter. Schedule 80 preferred, 40 might work. Gotta try it out first. Now big problem here is an 8' pipe like this is $50-60 so you could be looking at $500+ if you do all legs.

2 is stronger and simpler.

1 is a lot cheaper but fairly complex and you need the know how to figure some basic truss loads. Or test ahead of time and abuse the heck out of it in the real world. Also may need to source 45 degree fittings or swivel fittings.

Either way, bring 3-4 spares for legs and beams. Odds are if it fails, will be localized to one side/section.

[mudpuppy000]

I've seen people do tensegrity hammock stands out of 1" EMT but no, the standard right angled shade structure isn't strong enough. The simplest design for hammocks I've seen was a large central post and hammocks radiating outward from the center and attaching to the ground.

[Just_Joe]

I built this based on MFOB's comments:
viewtopic.php?p=1104577#p1104577

On playa last month, we hung a couple from our 7' high EMT structure and they didn't break anything. Granted, we weren't playing on them, just sleeping. We hung the hammocks ALONG/PARALLEL the 10' flat sections, not diagonally.

[trilobyte]

I've seen a few people try it, only to bend poles. Either build a dedicated conduit structure as Just_Joe did (though that gets expensive) or do something out of wood - that way if something fails it doesn't affect your camp's shade. We use our shade's framework to run wiring and lighting, but nothing of significant weight.

[EGAZ]

Seeing as how I am short on seating, this thread got me thinking. So did some searching for hammocks with no stand.

Further reading tells me I want the non-spreader bar type. Anyone have some links to compare to these?

Lowes

QVC.com

Jet.com

eBay -ships from China so have to order now... Looking at the ad, I am sure Ratty could sew these up with her eyes closed.... LOL

[BBadger]

I think you need to get a hydro hammock just so that you can build an EMT structure to support 500-700 pounds of weight.

[MFOB]

Seeing as how I am short on seating, this thread got me thinking. So did some searching for hammocks with no stand.

Further reading tells me I want the non-spreader bar type. Anyone have some links to compare to these?

Lowes

QVC.com

Jet.com

eBay -ships from China so have to order now... Looking at the ad, I am sure Ratty could sew these up with her eyes closed.... LOL

Most of those hammocks are shit. You can make your own for just a few bucks. The key is a gathered end hammock. Go to a fabric Store, Buy 10' or 11' of Ripstop Nylon or Polyeyster Taffeta, bunch up the end and tie a knot in it. Then larks head a piece of tough rope like Amstel 7/64ths on the end. If you got a sewing machine, roll hem the edges, and a nice 3/4" channel at both ends, fish a small rope through and pull it all together, "whip" the end of the hammock with that rope and then you can larks head a rope again. Hang em up, lounge and chill.

If your lazy, just buy a few of them, A bit more expensive than making your own, 15-80 bones on amazon, but they are well built and don't require sewing.... Some of the cheaper ones like the one below will only hold a few hundred pounds, good for 1 person. If you make them use a thicker Nylon or buy something like an ENO doublenest which hold up to 400 lbs and is a great rig, Those hammocks with all the ropes coming off of them are a nightmare and get very tangled, no reason for them at all but for people who don't know better. Now you do. Get to it. Google DIY gathered end hammocks and youll see a shit ton of info on how to make your own. Or Buy a bunch off of the Zon, I don't care, just steer clear of the shitty rope thing hammocks.
Word...
Cheap Zon Hammock
Lots O Hammocks Stand

[EGAZ]

Thanks for the reply MFOB. Just what I needed.

bbadger, One moves to UniStrut for that weight.... LOL