How to Make a Rudimentary Hammock from Duct Tape
If you have a roll or two of duct tape, a couple pieces of wood or PVC pipe and some cordage, you can put together a rudimentary hammock in a few easy steps. The following project is not only another example of why you always want to keep a decent supply of duct tape on hand, but it’s also very practical. You can put this hammock together in as little as an hour and give yourself access to a greater degree of comfort in the field.
Basic Material:
Broom or mop handle or ½ inch diameter PVC pipe
Roll of duct tape
Saw
Cordage
Drill and bit that matches the diameter of the cordage
Two trees to anchor the hammock
Getting Started
The first step is to create the two end poles that will serve as the frame and anchor for the hammock. If you are using a broom or mop handle, cutting it in half should give you around 2½-3 feet to work with, and this is sufficient for most hammocks. If you are working with PVC pipe, try to use two segments that are 3 feet long. Sand or file down the edges after cutting.
The next step is to drill holes through each handle about an inch from the ends. If you are using PVC pipe, you can also cut out the holes with a knife or similar object. Just make sure that the holes line up and are big enough to slide the cordage through later on.
Preparing the Frame
Place the poles on the ground and space them apart according to how long you want the hammock to be. Take a strip of tape and wrap one end around one side of the poles just inside of where the hole is located. Carefully attach the strip to the same spot on the opposite pole. You may want to attach small pieces of tape to the poles in order to anchor them to the ground or floor as you are working on this step. This will ensure that each side of the hammock is the same length.
Repeat the same step on the other side of the frame. Add another set of strips that are about two inches inside of the first two. Continue adding more strips of tape until you have a series of evenly-spaced strips of tape covering the interior of the hammock. You can adjust the amount of space between each strip according to your needs and amount of tape you have available. However, you want to keep them as close to two inches apart as possible for maximum stability, support and comfort later on.
The next step is to turn over the hammock and add strips of tape atop the sticky side of the existing ones. This will reinforce the connections while preventing the tape from bunching up and sticking together when the hammock is being stored or deployed. Then, place a strip of tape as close to the inside edge of the dowels of pipe as possible. This will reinforce the connections and give the hammock additional strength.
Next, take another strip of tape and place it about 6 inches below the edge of each dowel or piece of pipe. Make sure that the strip goes from top to bottom instead of lengthwise. Repeat the process along the hammock until you have created a series of little rectangles. Flip the hammock again and add another layer of tape atop the sticky underside of the other strips.
Securing the Hammock
Next, we want to attach the rope to the frame. Feed each end of the rope into the top holes on each of the end pieces and pull it out through the bottom. Make sure that you have enough cordage to create a triangle that comes to a point about a foot outside of each of the end pieces. Tie off the ends of the cordage at this point with a secure knot. All you need to do now is wrap some more cordage around the trees that will anchor the hammock and tie them off. Connect them to the triangles that you’ve just formed and you’re good to go.
As you can see, there is a lot of room for improvisation and experimentation with this project, but this illustration gives you a general idea of how to put it together. Try it for yourself, and see how easy it is to create a rudimentary, yet durable hammock that can be repeatedly deployed and easily transported.
