Amsteel and Woopie Slings etc

[Partickpebbles]

So following the Group buy purchase of the Amsteel, Mine was delivered yesterday, and Resnikov an I had an experimental making session!

Quite surprised how tricky the actual process is! The Amsteel sure is touch stuff, although the colour seems to come off easily... not sure who dyed the fibre!!

Have we any tips to share? My thinking is that the more 'undone' the steel becomes then it should rethread easily enough...

What do people use to thread the steel back in itself?

Thanks in advance!!

[Highbinder]

Hey,

Ive found the easiest way to splice is using an old guitar string.

The best way to finish a loose end of amsteel (such as the end of the adjustable tail on a whoopee sling) is to pull the end in on itself by tapering the last 1/2" (remove four strands), put your splicing wire in 1" from the end, out the end, over the tapered section and back in through the end. Remove the wire then milk the amsteel flat.

If you check the suspension section of hammockforums there's all the info you need to know.

Whoopie slings, soft shackes, and continuous loops are all interesting projects.

[Dangerous Dan]

I use the earth wire from 1.5mm twin and earth mains cable. Fold a 40cm section in half and wedge the Amsteel in the fold - effectively creating a 20cm copper 'needle'. Thread the copper through the centre of Amsteel and pull /gently/. The tapered end Highbinder mentions makes the whole process much easier

[SimonD]

does anyone know the fid length on 7/64????

tonight is whoopie night

[Loenja]

does anyone know the fid length on 7/64????

tonight is whoopie night

im going to retry on sunday, tonight is party night!!!

but i struggled with it yesterday

[Grebby]

does anyone know the fid length on 7/64????

tonight is whoopie night

A quick google revealed
"A "fid length" is "21 diameters" of the rope you are working on.

eg. a fid made to work 1/2" rope by convention should be 10.5 inches
(21 X 0.5) long.
eg. a fid made to work 10mm rope by convention should be 210 mm (21 X
10) long

so a fid length is not the size of the fid you are working with (in
case you're working with a too short or too long a fid; but, 21 X the
DIAMETER of the rope. "

Hope that helps.

The Samson ropes website has a pdf for the instructions for a whoopie sling
Here

[SimonD]

cheers grebby, it didnt matter in the end just tested out my new whoopies and they worked a treat!

[mountainm]

Maybe one of these Fids would come in useful? Although perhaps a touch large...
http://www.ldcsailing.com/selma-4mm-...-rope-splicing

[resnikov]

Well just made my first soft shackle using this method.

All I use at the moment is a darning needle about 2" long with a blunt round nose on it. Not that quick but it works.

[SimonD]

just finished my first whoopie. not as easy as i'd hoped but it should do the job. used some wire from 2.5mm cable

[SimonD]

whats the soft shackle used for resnikov??

[resnikov]

whats the soft shackle used for resnikov??

It can be used to replace a carabiner see this youtube vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8qKc9fUMZg

[resnikov]

[mountainm]

My Shackle, first of two - then 2 small whoopies, 2 medium whoopies and one mega whoopie to make.

[Highbinder]

Why the range in whoopie sizes? Practical reason or just for fun? I use medium length whoopie slings and also pack an amsteel extension, which was just an offcut I spliced a loop into on either end.

[mountainm]

Why the range in whoopie sizes? Practical reason or just for fun? I use medium length whoopie slings and also pack an amsteel extension, which was just an offcut I spliced a loop into on either end.

OK you asked so here goes.

I have webbing tree huggers, my intention is thus.

One large whoopie sling to act as a structural ridgline. This will allow me to adjust the sag by altering the length of the ridgline to suit
Two small whoopies to hang either end of my DD travel to the soft shackles at either end of the SRL whoopie. Thus enabling me to further finetune the hang, giving me some headroom form the ridgeline, and also alter head and foot height.
Two medium whoopies to take either end of the SRL on the soft shackles to my mallions on the tree huggers (if I have enough amsteel these may also become soft shackles). This will allow me to alter the distance from my hammock to the trees - taking into account any changes in the main SRL whoopie and compensating for that.

Clear as mud?

[Highbinder]

OK you asked so here goes.

I have webbing tree huggers, my intention is thus.

One large whoopie sling to act as a structural ridgline. This will allow me to adjust the sag by altering the length of the ridgline to suit
Two small whoopies to hang either end of my DD travel to the soft shackles at either end of the SRL whoopie. Thus enabling me to further finetune the hang, giving me some headroom form the ridgeline, and also alter head and foot height.
Two medium whoopies to take either end of the SRL on the soft shackles to my mallions on the tree huggers (if I have enough amsteel these may also become soft shackles). This will allow me to alter the distance from my hammock to the trees - taking into account any changes in the main SRL whoopie and compensating for that.

Clear as mud?

No I get you. Not sure the short adjustable lengths attached to the ends of the hammocks but before the ridgeline are needed. Surely with the minimum bury length required for the whoopieslings must make the minimum tree distance larger, and mean you have to place your straps higher to achieve the same angles a shorter oal hammock.

If they're there just to adjust hammock height you can achieve the same by raising the straps on the trees once youve got the angles you want.
Post a pic when you next set it up! Let me see the merits of 'double adjustivity'

You can also make a continuous loop lanyard if you're that way inclined.

Maybe we should try and organise a group buy of dynaglide. Amsteel is overkill for structural ridgelines, and the thinner cord is awesome for soft shackles for your tarp.

[mountainm]

No I get you. Not sure the short adjustable lengths attached to the ends of the hammocks but before the ridgeline are needed. Surely with the minimum bury length required for the whoopieslings must make the minimum tree distance larger, and mean you have to place your straps higher to achieve the same angles a shorter oal hammock.

If they're there just to adjust hammock height you can achieve the same by raising the straps on the trees once youve got the angles you want.
Post a pic when you next set it up! Let me see the merits of 'double adjustivity'

You can also make a continuous loop lanyard if you're that way inclined.

Maybe we should try and organise a group buy of dynaglide. Amsteel is overkill for structural ridgelines, and the thinner cord is awesome for soft shackles for your tarp.

I find raising the straps quite a time consuming and fiddly process once all is in place. But the blue whoopies are also their to give a bit of headroom between hammock and SRL - so you can put the mosinet up etc.

[Shewie]

I'm with HB on the small whoopies, I think you've found a solution for a problem that doesn't really exist. I think there's temptation to tweak a bit too much when you've got 200ft of Amsteel to use up, I know I have

Maybe we should try and organise a group buy of dynaglide. Amsteel is overkill for structural ridgelines, and the thinner cord is awesome for soft shackles for your tarp.

I picked up a spool of Arborist throw line on ebay which is nice stuff, I like it so much I ended up using it for guys as well on my Ogee

I need to dig out my BB tonight and see how Brandon does his ridgeline, I'm pretty sure is fairly simple, fixed at one length to give the most comfortable hang possible. You know if it's too slack or too tight and can adjust as necessary.

If you aim to get that magic 30deg angle for a start, with a fixed ridgeline you can then shorten or lengthen the whoopies to take up any slack or give some release. If the trees are wider than about five paces I know I have to reach higher up with the straps, if it's a tight squeeze between the trees then I know it's going to be low and quite taught.

[mountainm]

I'm with HB on the small whoopies, I think you've found a solution for a problem that doesn't really exist. I think there's temptation to tweak a bit too much when you've got 200ft of Amsteel to use up, I know I have

only one way to find out.... for the sake of making two small whoopies I thought it was worth the experiment.

[mountainm]

OK, so who's going to be the first flash git with an Amsteel "paracord style" bracelet then?

[Dangerous Dan]

OK, so who's going to be the first flash git with an Amsteel "paracord style" bracelet then?

Or Amsteel coloured wrists for that matter

[resnikov]

Or Amsteel coloured wrists for that matter

Yeah the dye is cr@p. My "black" soft shackles are now grey

Partickpebbles you need to offer them your services to fix it and then get bigger discounts on Amsteel!

[mountainm]

The silver seems pretty colour fast so far.

[resnikov]

The silver seems pretty colour fast so far.

Think that may be the base colour.

[Partickpebbles]

Think that may be the base colour.

It is I reckon. Will bring a piece of the original to our lab and get them to look at it!

[mountainm]

It is I reckon. Will bring a piece of the original to our lab and get them to look at it!

I wonder if the dye should've been added at point of fibre manufacture - and they've cut corners and tried to dye it afterwords?

[Partickpebbles]

I wonder if the dye should've been added at point of fibre manufacture - and they've cut corners and tried to dye it afterwords?

Thats what I'd like to find out. I think its likely to have been done that way.

[Partickpebbles]

Well very kindly, Resnikov dropped off my amsteel from the group buy, in the form of 2 fantastic woopie slings and other bits for the hammock..... he is far more patient than me, and the finish is fantastic! Pics will follow!

[resnikov]

Found my darning needle wasnt very good with the amsteel. It did work well with some dynemma I use before.
Had a look around my house for something to use and struck upon the idea of using a single core from a cat5 cable.
Took about 1 meter of cat5 and opened it up and got rid of the out sheath. The unbundled the 4 twisted pairs, then unbundled on the twisted pairs.
Then took the single core and folded it in half. I put a piece of electrical tape around the folded end about 1 cm from the top of it. This has worked surprisingly well.