One of our goals as we continue to develop Leaf Tree is to facilitate easy cleaning and replacement of “consumable” parts (ie. parts that are expected to be worn down through use). Leaf Tree Mk1 V1.0 had all its upholstery stapled directly onto the Leafs, Base, and Tree Top so we could test the practical application of the gravity cleat design in a real-world scenario. 

We were able to demonstrate the need for additional friction on the cleats as Boo, who has been testing a variety of Leaf Tree iterations since March 2023, took full advantage of the additional climbing/sitting/scratching/clawing/zooming space; and because we’re iterating in a very focused manner, we were able to design new Leafs, Trunks, and Tree Tops that could be easily interchanged or added to the original design (hence the upcoming Leaf Tree Mk1 V1.5). 

With the original Leaf Tree, Boo was particularly fond of using the V1 hammock as a spring-board—and about five weeks in, it snapped along its diameter, but the stapled cover kept it in one piece. He kept wanting to sit on it, so a second leaf was placed under it to keep it “usable.”

The inventor had been making removable covers for the Leafs, and took this opportunity to execute his design for hammock V2. The new hammock Leaf had a 14-inch outer diameter instead of the original 12-inch, a 2-inch plywood rim with a ~1/4-inch rabbeted interior lip along the top of the Leaf’s rim for the now separate hammock insert to set into. The hammock insert was made using a 39.25-inch length of 1/4-inch threaded rod (pencil rod would have been ideal, but it wasn’t in stock locally) that was bent by hand and connected at the ends using a threaded coupler to allow for the attachment/removal of the hammock cover. The cover was made using a base layer of burlap, two layers of Dream Cotton Batting, and two more layers of burlap on top. (We’re happy to share the pattern on request)

Stay tuned tomorrow to see the assembled hammock and the full Leaf Tree Mk1 V1.5!