Wearing out a hammock

...... I know, the title says it all..... I spend a lot of time reading in my hammock... only in Mexico... swinging away with a little tow rope I have hooked up... and several of the strings have gone *PING* and are no longer attached.

Are there hammock repair guys? LOL Do you buy some string and weave it together like a net? Ignore it and hope you don't fall out?

Please, o sage lazier than me bums who have dealt with this before, please tell me how to handle this disastrous problem in paradise.

Merry

merry wrote:...... I know, the title says it all..... I spend a lot of time reading in my hammock... only in Mexico... swinging away with a little tow rope I have hooked up... and several of the strings have gone *PING* and are no longer attached.

Are there hammock repair guys? LOL Do you buy some string and weave it together like a net? Ignore it and hope you don't fall out?

Please, o sage lazier than me bums who have dealt with this before, please tell me how to handle this disastrous problem in paradise.

Merry

The finest Hammocks in all the world, can be found at Isla Mujeres.... when U go Scuba Diving at Cancun be sure to pick one up...

Hmm, I guess I was hoping to avoid buying a new one, I'm pretty attached to the one I have... but you can only dive a couple hours a day, so maybe I'll check it out if nothing else comes up.

Merry

Do you remember how to macrame?...or are you too young?
It's a pretty easy repair but will look like hell if the "string" isn't exactly the same. And then you have to find the string...:(
Spring for a new one Merry...on the highway just west of the El Torito plaza...can't concentrate on a good book or have a nap when you're worried about getting bodily dumped.

ferret wrote:Do you remember how to macrame?...or are you too young?

..can't concentrate on a good book or have a nap when you're worried about getting bodily dumped.

Good point, Ferret! No, I took basket-weaving, macrame was too difficult.

I'll look for some matching string to tide me through till I find a new one.

Merry

The hammocks sold here are third-rate. However, ask at one of the top stalls at Wednesday's tianguis in Ajijic, where the guy sells odd purses made out of candy wrappers. He is friends with a wandering hammock vendor who does great repair work. He may be reachable by phone: Porfirio Palacios, 01-727-365-0229.

A true maestro lives in Barra de Navidad and is easy to find as he has a shop down the street from the Cigar Store. Repaired my hammock ends with matching colour overnight, for 200 pesos.

Thanks, HelperGuy! You really are a Helper Guy.

Merry

HelperGuy wrote:The hammocks sold here are third-rate. ... A true maestro lives in Barra de Navidad and is easy to find as he has a shop down the street from the Cigar Store. Repaired my hammock ends with matching colour overnight, for 200 pesos.

OKAY. I fixed my own hammock today! It looks almost new and cost me under 30 pesos. Here's the scoop for those with sagging hammocks.

HelperGuy, at first I questioned your out-of-pocket statement about hammocks here being third rate, but when I found matching string it was marked "20 lb. test." This means it won't break until you put 20 lbs or more weight on it. Well, of course it's the combined strength of about 20 strands, so maybe 400 lbs if your weight is always perfectly evenly distributed (and you are two rather heavy perfectly flat people), but it also explains why if you push hard on one strand it breaks rather easily. So I am going to say YOU WIN, it's indeed third-rate materials even though soft and attractive.

I just kinda wove it through the wood ends matching the original pattern and then tied it off by making some new tassels. No I did not study basket weaving in college. I doubled the original number of strands to four on all of the middle strands that hold most of the weight and used up all the string in the package.

SUCCESS! DONE! ONLY 30 PESOS!

Until I can afford a "First-Rate" hammock from somewhere else.

Merry

Merry:

I have always been of the opinion that the hammocks being sold at the "tianguis" in Ajijic have been overpriced. During our last couple of trips to Tonala, I have spotted vendors selling the very nice hammocks with the wood spreader bars along Avenue Tonaltecas at quite reasonable prices. Not in shops or the temp booths but the moving vendors. Never saw them when we had our vehicle down there and now that we are flying, they are too large to take on the plane - just figures! If I remember correctly they were about 40 to 50% less than in Ajijic.

Mayans.com, I bought a couple of matrimonial size hammocks for less than 50 $ each, including prompt delivery through Estafeta,when they start to wear out I'll PM Merry to see about getting them repaired now that she's had some practice.

CheenaGringo wrote:Merry:

I have always been of the opinion that the hammocks being sold at the "tianguis" in Ajijic have been overpriced.

The "prices" are always the starting price. I haggle for everything, just to see if I can, and don't need it bad enough that I can't walk away. Walking away usually gets the best price.

Merry

merry wrote:Until I can afford a "First-Rate" hammock from somewhere else. Merry

Hammock making is quite an art. As pointed out elsewhere, mayans.com hand-manufactures superior hammocks at extremely reasonable, and delivered, prices. I've purchase four from them.

A quick look at the border on each side of the hammock helps to tell the tale: less than 12 strands is not so good; up to 18 strands is better, as those strands help to carry and distribute the weight. A much finer weave than we usually see around here is an indication of better craftsmanship. Nylon ends with cotton beds are a sure sign of quality and longevity.

I also prefer the stranded ends with a looped hook for hanging, as opposed to the less-comfortable and less-stable wood ends.

I ordered some hammocks from Mayas.Com and they never got here.

ChickenLittle wrote:I ordered some hammocks from Mayas.Com and they never got here.

Don't know if you followed up, but with me they've been extremely helpful, English on the phone, gave me price breaks, always arrived by EstaFeta within three or four days.