Kestrel Clone

[Talvarez527]

Sup everyone. First time posting here, and I feel at home already.. you guys are amazing with your diy capabilities. As a new homeowner, I am broke but ambitious!

I am wanting to make a kestrel clone. My uncle has a sailrite that he is willing to let me use to do my sewing for the webbing.

Fortunately, I have been given a Singer 9020 T by a friend for free and it works perfectly. I understand this is not an industrial machine, however it pierces my 2 inch webbing (recycling a tree harness that I never used from a hang on) with apparent ease. I picked up some 40wt poly thread and denim needles.

My plan is to use this thread to build the 500d cordura hammock out, then potentially ?bar tack? All the webbing joints into place, test fit, and do all final stitching on the sailrite. Does this seem viable?

Ps I took an existing 3 ply joint on the harness and tested the machines ability to penetrate and it truly went with ease.

Let me know what you guys think. Again, all final stitching will be with proper thread on a proper machine. Am I way off the bar with this idea?

Appreciate the insight and excited to get this project going.

 

[DelaWhere_Arrow]

Watching.

 

[Talvarez527]

See attatched.

This is a Singer 9020T machine.

Utilizing a denim needle (100/16) and Coats & Clark 40wt 100% polyester thread.

After tinkering with the machine last night, I was able to get a feel for it. I am new to sewing, albeit quite handy..(self proclaimed.)

Pictures are todays two box stitches. The one closer to the fold at the end is two plies, which was able to free hang me from my pull-up bar. I then decided to test the machine and see if I could fold the double over on itself and see three plies. It did it with ease, or so it seems. I again put the loop on the pull up bar and if held myself and my 120lb gf free hanging. Together we weigh 400lb…

Again, as I originally stated, when I see up the harness I will be going back to all the joints and sewing it with a sailrite utilizing a much heavier polyester thread.

But I am excited to see that this machine can punch through three layers of seatbelt. I believe this motor is a servo motor, as I am able to control the speed very delicately. With that being said, these stitches were all executed going slow, without a pressed foot. Just the needle and me pushing it through relatively consistently. I am hopeful when my presser foot comes in tomorrow it will compress the layers more uniformly and allow me to utilize the auto feeding capabilities and the controllable stitch length that comes with that capability.

I am planning on updating this thread as I go, and I am starting to think this machine which is apparently a 90’s era machine will be cpapable of many projects involving webbing.

Let me know what you all think.

Tom

 

[Talvarez527]

https://imgur.com/a/53b9Pqx

Photos related to above post.. forgot about image size on these forums.

Tom

 

[dalton916]

DIY Kestrel Clone

DIY Kestrel Clone

I’m new here but have been a DIYer for several years. I’ve done everything from lightweight mountain shelters to packs. I’m new to the saddle hunting world and this will be my first one. I think the Kestrel is what I would like to try. Here lies the problem though. “Hi, my name is Carl and I am...

r.tapatalk.com

 

[Talvarez527]

DIY Kestrel Clone

DIY Kestrel Clone

I’m new here but have been a DIYer for several years. I’ve done everything from lightweight mountain shelters to packs. I’m new to the saddle hunting world and this will be my first one. I think the Kestrel is what I would like to try. Here lies the problem though. “Hi, my name is Carl and I am...

r.tapatalk.com

I’m familiar, seeing as it’s an older thread, and I wanted to make a build thread, I am going to continue this here.. if that’s ok. Appreciate any feedback as I go along.

 

[dalton916]

That’s cool, I read it as looking for help. My bad.

 

[Talvarez527]

That’s cool, I read it as looking for help. My bad.

All good,

I’ve read through that thread so many times taken so many screenshots.. I’m hoping I can pull this off.

Also curious if anyone knows anything about this machine.

 

[dalton916]

I would suggest you search the newer models of the Aero Hunter saddles, especially after the flex.

Pay close attention to what folks that are familiar with the Kestrel say they wish AH had done or not done on the new saddles then decide whether you want to incorporate them into your build.

 

[Talvarez527]

https://imgur.com/a/lD3adH6

I went alittle overkill on the vertical stitching. Intended on doing three rows on center, ended up doing three off center so I had to even it out.. looks kinda cool I guess. Tomorrow I will be taking it all over to my uncles sailrite where we will be adding the edge banding, main frame, linesman/Molly and attachment points to my body. Super excited photos to follow.

 

[BackSpasm]

https://imgur.com/a/lD3adH6

I went alittle overkill on the vertical stitching. Intended on doing three rows on center, ended up doing three off center so I had to even it out.. looks kinda cool I guess. Tomorrow I will be taking it all over to my uncles sailrite where we will be adding the edge banding, main frame, linesman/Molly and attachment points to my body. Super excited photos to follow.

Looking good, kestrel clone was my first saddle I made or used. Do think about using a different lineman’s loop style though if you can. The small little loops on the kestrel are definitely less than ideal

 

[Talvarez527]

Turns out I sewed the flat seems and not the curved ones on originally, so I recut my pieces and did it correctly. In hindsight now I get a backrest. Pics to follow

 

[Talvarez527]

Looking good, kestrel clone was my first saddle I made or used. Do think about using a different lineman’s loop style though if you can. The small little loops on the kestrel are definitely less than ideal

I have decided I will be utilizing the tethered phantom design. Also, looking to do the comfort channel style for the bridge loops. I have quarter inch ball bearings.. you think too small?

 

[BackSpasm]

I have decided I will be utilizing the tethered phantom design. Also, looking to do the comfort channel style for the bridge loops. I have quarter inch ball bearings.. you think too small?

Yea I do. Also the comfort channels are overrated and not worth your diy time in my opinion. Better to just install and Amstel bridge with prusiks on the bridge loops. My comfort channels (much like on the actual phantom) needed repair enough that I just removed them. Tethrd actually will recommend superglue as a fix to this but I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze for diy

 

[gcr0003]

I have decided I will be utilizing the tethered phantom design. Also, looking to do the comfort channel style for the bridge loops. I have quarter inch ball bearings.. you think too small?

No one in the history of DIY saddles has chose to make a phantom over a Aerohunter. Please reconsider!

I’m only slightly kidding. Make whatever you want.

I differ from @BackSpasm I mostly use tether climbing methods I.e. one sticking or 2TC so I don’t use lineman’s loops much at all. I prefer the smaller profile loops.

I would agree with @BackSpasm the comfort channels are overrated. The same thing can be achieved with a girth hitch or prussic style connect to your bridge loops and they will both hold in place much better than comfort channels.

Fun build, I have another saddle to build for a friend I need to get on! Keep the pictures coming.

 

[Talvarez527]

Yea I do. Also the comfort channels are overrated and not worth your diy time in my opinion. Better to just install and Amstel bridge with prusiks on the bridge loops. My comfort channels (much like on the actual phantom) needed repair enough that I just removed them. Tethrd actually will recommend superglue as a fix to this but I don’t think the juice is worth the squeeze for diy

Thats kinda what i was figuring. I am thinking of doing a sewn eye girth hitch webbing bridge with a slide adjuster.. i dont mind stepping into a bridge and I think for the size it will have enough bite. Plus sewing webbing much more doable and less bulk that knots on any rope... and cheaper. 30C a foot at REI for climb rated webbing.

 

[Talvarez527]

No one in the history of DIY saddles has chose to make a phantom over a Aerohunter. Please reconsider!

I’m only slightly kidding. Make whatever you want.

I differ from @BackSpasm I mostly use tether climbing methods I.e. one sticking or 2TC so I don’t use lineman’s loops much at all. I prefer the smaller profile loops.

I would agree with @BackSpasm the comfort channels are overrated. The same thing can be achieved with a girth hitch or prussic style connect to your bridge loops and they will both hold in place much better than comfort channels.

Fun build, I have another saddle to build for a friend I need to get on! Keep the pictures coming.

A major reason for doing the linesmen style like the phantom for me was that it looked stronger, I have 15ft of webbing to work with, and it would give me more molly on the bottom. Though, I also 1 stick and dont even use the linemen loops. So maybe I will stick with the Aero design and just add a strip of molly down below anyways. And in retrospect, the aero design is much easier to install.

 

[gcr0003]

A major reason for doing the linesmen style like the phantom for me was that it looked stronger, I have 15ft of webbing to work with, and it would give me more molly on the bottom. Though, I also 1 stick and dont even use the linemen loops. So maybe I will stick with the Aero design and just add a strip of molly down below anyways. And in retrospect, the aero design is much easier to install.

To clarify, there is nothing wrong with routing of the lineman’s in that manner. Just don’t fool with those balls. The flex 2.0 and other newer AH saddles had their lineman’s routed that way. That’s all I was saying haha!

 

[Talvarez527]

Im open to all options, and seeing as the sew up is in about 4 hrs I am running through last minute thoughts. I am also noticing that the second row of molly in the OG kestrel is what ties in the leg straps. IDK why but I feel like having load bearing on the cordura like that seems like a tear point. Any thoughts on where to anchor the leg straps instead?

EDIT: The phantom seems to tie it into the lower main frame... thoughts?

 

[gcr0003]

Im open to all options, and seeing as the sew up is in about 4 hrs I am running through last minute thoughts. I am also noticing that the second row of molly in the OG kestrel is what ties in the leg straps. IDK why but I feel like having load bearing on the cordura like that seems like a tear point. Any thoughts on where to anchor the leg straps instead?

EDIT: The phantom seems to tie it into the lower main frame... thoughts?

I think if your machines can do the layers then running the 1inch webbing for the lineman’s loops over the chasis routing it the same way as the bridge is a safe way to go. The one thing that you’ll want to do is make is a tad shorter than the bridge so it distinguishes the two from one another.