PE - issues with a rope bed ... was Bedding types

[Barclay, Peter C. MAJ]

Greetings from Master Terafan,

Lady Marguerite des Fleur asked a bunch of questions about rope beds:

>How do you like sleeping on the ropes? I am asking because I slept on a
friends beds that was a ropes bed and it was 
>really uncomfortable. and swore I would never have one.
>But there are those the would not have anything else. I am not a small
women by any means short and stocky, but smiles a >lot. :) But the ropes
felt like they was cutting
>into my hips and hurt. not sure if it because of my weight or the design or
that was how they are suppose to feel like. 


I may (or may not) be able to answer some of the questions.  I have
discovered several things about rope beds and I will try to summarize them.
My rope bed is different from Cariadoc's, and can be seen at
www.greydragon.org/furniture/ropebed.html


1) the bigger the rope, the more you will feel each place the ropes cross
(over and under).  It will feel like a lump or a knot.  I use 1/4" sisal and
have never had a problem with strength and it results in very small lumps.
A simple solution to the lumps is to unfold a piece of cardboard on top of
the ropes, and under any other padding you are using.  

2) the wider the space between ropes, the more sag the bed will seem to
have.  My ropes are about 6" apart.

3) It seems very difficult to get the ropes tight enough with only one
person.  I use someone to help me (after the bed is laced).  Each person
sits on the ground on opposite sides of the bed.  I start by bracing against
the rail with my feet and pulling the first rope as tight as I can.  I then
hold the rope on the outside of the board with my thumb, and tell my partner
to pull the next rope.  (I hold with my thumb so I can get my fingers out of
the way.)  My partner pulls the rope, and then holds with their thumb and
tells me it is OK to pull the next one.  Normally, I am able to put enough
pressure with my feet that by the 3rd or 4th rope I pull, the 2x6 rails of
the bed are starting to bow inward.  We let them bow and continue working
our way down the bed, alternating back and forth, pulling it as tight as we
can.  The bowed rails keep the bed tight, and even after two weeks at
Pennsic, I have not had to tighten the bed once.  In the picture of the bed,
you can see some bow in the side rails.  It takes about 5 minutes to tighten
the bed after it is laced.  

4) Obviously, the better the padding, the more comfy it will be.  I have
used blankets, the thick wool felt that goes under carpets, down comforters,
air mattresses, and thick foam pads.  My experience is that any padding that
would be comfortable if you were sleeping on the ground, will be equally
comfortable on my bed.  Right now we use an air mattress, with a down
comforter (for insulation) between the mattress and the sheet.  

Hope this helps.

respectfully, 

                     Terafan

Master Rhys Terafan Greydragon           barclayp at eucom.mil
University Chancellor, brewer and probably other things I can't remember...
Seneschal, Incipient Shire of Blauwasser
    


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