Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/317

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. SLEEPING— (f^ HAMMOCIC

��By H. S. Tallman \

THE ordinary hammock is no good to sleep in. A special fitting called a spreader improves it, but not enough for real rest. To sleep in absolute comfort, the hammock must support the sleeper without sag. The hammock described does this.

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��Make a frame hardwood bars. It should be at least 5 ft. 6 ins. long and 2 ft. 6 ins. wide over the side bars. The end bars are placed on top of the side bars, all of them being laid flat. Bore each junction for a ^^-in. carriage bolt, and make a fit, but don't put together yet. Cut two braces as shown in cross-section and fit these with 5^ in. carriage bolts. Bore '2 in. holes as shown in the side bars, and chamfer both sides of the holes, otherwise they might cut the lashings. These holes should be I in. from the outer edge of the side bars.

Cut two hanger strips of awning duck, 30 ins. wide and 3 ft. long. Sew these at one end so as to form a pocket into which a 2K-in- I'Y /S >'i- spreader bar, 30 ins. long can be slipped. See Fig 3. Hem the vertical edges if necessary. It is preferable to have no hems on these edges. Tack the other end to the end bar as shown in detail, Fig. 3, and take a full wrap so that the strained portion of the hanger covers the tacks. Nick the duck at the bolt holes with a pocket- knife, put in place on the side bars, and bolt together securely.

Four y-2 in. holes are l)ored in the spreader bar as shown in Fig. 3. The canvas or duck must be cut out opposite these holes, and buttonhole stitched, to permit threading the 5/16-in. hanger cord. Make a strong knot on one end of the cord, and thread it through the

��end hole, then through the ring, then the next hole, etc., finishing up with another knot at the last hole. Work the cords and ring until the cords are strained evenly, and lash them firmly together just under the ring.

Pockets of the duck can be sewed to the hanger at one end, for handkerchief, fan, flashlight, etc., if desired. The back curtain is 5 ft. 6 ins. long, and has a heading to pass over a 2-in. by ^ in. strip which supports it. Holes in the end of this strip permit tying it to eyelets in the back edge of the hanger. The curtain itself is tied with tape to the hangers and side bar as shown in Fig. 3. This prevents to a great measure, direct draft across the sleeper.

The hammock frame can now be hung by stout ropes or chains from screw-eyes properly placed in the fram- ing of the porch ceiling. They must be so placed that the end hangers are ver- tical or nearly so.

The stretcher is made of heavy canvas. For a person of average weight, the aw-ning duck might be made to serve, but a heavier grade is preferable. It should be 30 ins. w-ide, and have a 2-in. hem stitched down with at least two rows of stitching, all the way around. In this doubled material the eyes for lashing are cut and luittonholed with strong cotton twine. They should be located as shown in Fig. I.

A lashing is then taken with the 5/16-in. cotton cord at each hole in the side bar, five in each bar, and pulled tight, tying the knot so as to be under- neath the side bar. The end lashings

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