December 10, 2007
Woven Chair Hammock Swings
I determined that Sylvia's chair hammock swing replacement hammock must meet that kind of standard. Digging in the net house was a revelation: a hank of old menhaden netting, heavy duty nylon, woven, not knotted, in about 1-inch mesh was uncovered. Knotted hammocks tend to leave the pattern of the knots indented in the hide, so woven was the answer. Cutting it down to about 10 feet by 36 inches, I tried it, only to be completely entrapped in a cocoon of netting. It called for spreader bars. I'd first tried light-weight plastic pipe as spreaders, thinking it lighter and needing no finishing. On the first test the pipe failed miserably, collapsing under the stress. Spreader bars of one-inch oak on both ends solved the problem.