Local source for tubing

dt5150 · 04-22-2020, 09:44 AM

not the tow-behind/water sports kind.. i'm looking for stainless or aluminum bimini type tubing. 7/8" and 1". got a project in mind. i've checked lowe's website and they have some aluminum, but i think stainless might be a better choice. maybe one of the canvas shops or something?

ishoot308 · 04-22-2020, 10:08 AM

Here Ya go!...

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=1%22+al...f=nb_sb_noss_2

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=1%22+st...f=nb_sb_noss_2

dt5150 · 04-22-2020, 10:27 AM

thanks dan. i kind of wanted to test fit things in person though.

jst_4_kiks · 04-23-2020, 06:44 AM

How long do the pieces need to be?

Dave R · 04-23-2020, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dt5150

not the tow-behind/water sports kind.. i'm looking for stainless or aluminum bimini type tubing. 7/8" and 1". got a project in mind. i've checked lowe's website and they have some aluminum, but i think stainless might be a better choice. maybe one of the canvas shops or something?

How much do you need? I have some scrap 1" polished SS tubing in Raymond, but the longest pieces are probably 30"

dt5150 · 04-23-2020, 09:48 AM

off the top of my head, i'd need two short lengths of 1" at least 24" long. for 7/8", probably three 5ft. lengths would do.

the project is a hardtop overhang. the aft edge of my hardtop ends directly above my seats. any water on the roof ends up dripping down on the seats, and you if you're sitting in them. terrible design really.. so i want to make a removable extension to eliminate that problem and provide a little extra shade too.

my idea is this.. mount two 24"-ish lengths of 1" tubing horizontally to the outside edges of the hardtop, one on each side. think receiver hitch. then build the top extension itself consisting of a frame made out of the 7/8" tubing and a starboard surface on top. the 7/8" will slide into the 1" and mate up against the aft edge of the hardtop effectively extending it. i haven't come up with a good way to secure it place yet though. maybe a couple 2-piece latches, pins, or set-screws. but i'll figure that out when i get there.

DPatnaude · 04-23-2020, 11:23 AM

Not too close to the lake, but there are stores throughout New England.

https://www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=railing+fittings

Hillcountry · 04-23-2020, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dt5150

off the top of my head, i'd need two short lengths of 1" at least 24" long. for 7/8", probably three 5ft. lengths would do.

the project is a hardtop overhang. the aft edge of my hardtop ends directly above my seats. any water on the roof ends up dripping down on the seats, and you if you're sitting in them. terrible design really.. so i want to make a removable extension to eliminate that problem and provide a little extra shade too.

my idea is this.. mount two 24"-ish lengths of 1" tubing horizontally to the outside edges of the hardtop, one on each side. think receiver hitch. then build the top extension itself consisting of a frame made out of the 7/8" tubing and a starboard surface on top. the 7/8" will slide into the 1" and mate up against the aft edge of the hardtop effectively extending it. i haven't come up with a good way to secure it place yet though. maybe a couple 2-piece latches, pins, or set-screws. but i'll figure that out when i get there.

Sounds like a great idea and not difficult to implement. Sorry I can’t help with the tubing though.

dt5150 · 04-23-2020, 03:56 PM

thanks guys. let me see if i can attach a pic so you can see what i'm talking about.

an old pic, but you can see what i mean about the top/seats.

Dave R · 04-23-2020, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dt5150

off the top of my head, i'd need two short lengths of 1" at least 24" long. for 7/8", probably three 5ft. lengths would do.

the project is a hardtop overhang. the aft edge of my hardtop ends directly above my seats. any water on the roof ends up dripping down on the seats, and you if you're sitting in them. terrible design really.. so i want to make a removable extension to eliminate that problem and provide a little extra shade too.

my idea is this.. mount two 24"-ish lengths of 1" tubing horizontally to the outside edges of the hardtop, one on each side. think receiver hitch. then build the top extension itself consisting of a frame made out of the 7/8" tubing and a starboard surface on top. the 7/8" will slide into the 1" and mate up against the aft edge of the hardtop effectively extending it. i haven't come up with a good way to secure it place yet though. maybe a couple 2-piece latches, pins, or set-screws. but i'll figure that out when i get there.

You'd need it to be really straight for a telescopic design to work. The scrap I have is from a bow rail and has a gentle curve in it. Sorry, but I serioulsy doubt you could get it straight enough to use.

dt5150 · 04-23-2020, 06:18 PM

thanks dave, that's ok. i appreciate it though.

i figure if i mount the fixed pieces first, then build the frame it should come out ok. that way, i can put the frame "legs" in the mounts so they'll line up.

Dave R · 04-23-2020, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dt5150

thanks dave, that's ok. i appreciate it though.

i figure if i mount the fixed pieces first, then build the frame it should come out ok. that way, i can put the frame "legs" in the mounts so they'll line up.

That's how I'd do it. Metal work is fun. I'm in the middle of a metal project for my boat right now, as a matter of fact.

frank m. · 04-23-2020, 09:35 PM

George is closing down M&M Marine Salvage in Meredith and getting rid of everything, but there is still a good pile of ss and aluminum Bimini tubing if you get there quick. He's always been very fair with me about price.

frank m. · 04-23-2020, 09:45 PM

I bought a bunch of tubing from OnlineMetals.com recently and they had 3/4" thin-wall alum 6061-T6 tubing really cheap as I recall. Just keep in mind that shipping cost take a huge jump at 96" long. So if you can get them to cut a couple of inches off it might save you a lot of money. If you are going to bend it, you'll want a different alloy. I'm sure they can recommend.

dt5150 · 04-24-2020, 08:34 AM

i agree, i really enjoy it. welding in particular, i love making and building stuff.

side note.. i think mounting the 1" tubing to the hardtop is going to be more challenging than i anticipated. the sides of the top aren't straight so there's going to be a bit of an angle i'll have to compensate for somehow. i'll attach another pic so you can see what i mean. i've been looking for stainless mounting brackets that may work, railing hardware, but i'm having difficulty finding something i think will work, but still be sturdy enough.

another thing i'm re-thinking is the length of the 1" "receivers" mounted to the hardtop. originally i was thinking of making them 24", which is about the length from where that "<" is in the middle of the top. i'm now wondering if 12" length mounts might be stronger, it would have more support in a shorter span/length. effectively, less of a fulcrum.

and yet another thought i had was instead of having the mounts horizontally, perhaps vertically mounting them could be an option too. i don't know.. i have too many ideas floating around in my head. i just need to spend some time with it in person to iron some of this out.

that project looks to be a bit more involved than mine! what is it?

Hillcountry · 04-24-2020, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dt5150

i agree, i really enjoy it. welding in particular, i love making and building stuff.

side note.. i think mounting the 1" tubing to the hardtop is going to be more challenging than i anticipated. the sides of the top aren't straight so there's going to be a bit of an angle i'll have to compensate for somehow. i'll attach another pic so you can see what i mean. i've been looking for stainless mounting brackets that may work, railing hardware, but i'm having difficulty finding something i think will work, but still be sturdy enough.

another thing i'm re-thinking is the length of the 1" "receivers" mounted to the hardtop. originally i was thinking of making them 24", which is about the length from where that "<" is in the middle of the top. i'm now wondering if 12" length mounts might be stronger, it would have more support in a shorter span/length. effectively, less of a fulcrum.

and yet another thought i had was instead of having the mounts horizontally, perhaps vertically mounting them could be an option too. i don't know.. i have too many ideas floating around in my head. i just need to spend some time with it in person to iron some of this out.

that project looks to be a bit more involved than mine! what is it?

If you have “angles” to deal with, washers/spacers/shims are your friend!
You can find all the above in SS or nylon.

dt5150 · 04-24-2020, 09:01 AM

oh yeah, there will be some shimmage going on for sure!

Dave R · 04-24-2020, 07:21 PM

My project is a compound curved, 3/8" thick 60" long aluminum bracket to fit over the top of my transom. I will be mounting some custom aluminum davits (the white part in the photo) to it. I cut the aluminum and bent it to shape, but my 200 amp TIG would barely blemish the thick aluminum. My buddy has a HUGE Miller MIG with a 30 amp spool gun and he effortlessly welded it up for me.

My advice would be to mount the SS tubing with custom 1.5" thick HDPE brackets. HDPE is really easy to machine with wood working tools and is perfect for exposed boat parts.

Dave R · 04-25-2020, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dt5150

i agree, i really enjoy it. welding in particular, i love making and building stuff.

side note.. i think mounting the 1" tubing to the hardtop is going to be more challenging than i anticipated. the sides of the top aren't straight so there's going to be a bit of an angle i'll have to compensate for somehow. i'll attach another pic so you can see what i mean. i've been looking for stainless mounting brackets that may work, railing hardware, but i'm having difficulty finding something i think will work, but still be sturdy enough.

another thing i'm re-thinking is the length of the 1" "receivers" mounted to the hardtop. originally i was thinking of making them 24", which is about the length from where that "<" is in the middle of the top. i'm now wondering if 12" length mounts might be stronger, it would have more support in a shorter span/length. effectively, less of a fulcrum.

and yet another thought i had was instead of having the mounts horizontally, perhaps vertically mounting them could be an option too. i don't know.. i have too many ideas floating around in my head. i just need to spend some time with it in person to iron some of this out.

that project looks to be a bit more involved than mine! what is it?

I've probably got some straight 12" sections of SS tubing tubing you can have. My advice in the previous post about using HDPE was to essentially make solid plastic clamps in this style: view-source:https://theclampco.com/products/1-4-...3&currency=USD but with the bottom angle cut to fit the slope(s) of the hard top. Hold it down/clamp it with 1/4"-20 316SS flat head through bolts counter-sunk into the top. An 1/8" round-over on the exposed edges will make it look totally professional.

dt5150 · 04-26-2020, 07:18 PM

thanks for the offer and advice dave. much appreciated! i may end up going that route, but for now i've got everything ordered. for mounting/support, i'm going to try some 1-hole stainless conduit straps. i'd prefer 2-hole mounts, but the upper hole would require me to drill through the side of the roof, which isn't a hug deal, but i would have to remove the headliner to be able to secure the bolt with a nut/washer from the inside. and to remove the headliner, i'd have to remove my electronics box with all the electronics/wiring etc. it's just a huge can o' worms i'd rather not open if i can avoid it. i'm going to try the straps first and see how they do. if they don't provide enough support, i'll have to come up with a plan B, but i think they'll do. as long as i don't do chin ups on the thing it should hold it just fine.

i pulled the boat out today and brought it home. i'm doing this top extenstion as well as installing an ez-steer setup on my kicker motor. right now, the kicker is steered by it's own dedicated steering cable, and i've always had trouble getting enough left turn out of it. it's been adjusted 3 times and it still won't turn left as much as it should. 2 marinas tinkered with it and so did i, but i think it's as good as it can get. it just isn't enough. i can't turn left into any kind of wind while trolling, and that just doesn't work.

8gv · 04-26-2020, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave R

That's how I'd do it. Metal work is fun. I'm in the middle of a metal project for my boat right now, as a matter of fact.

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...1&d=1587682150

Looking at the, um, facilities in the back left corner, may I suggest a little less chili for the shop crew?

Dave R · 04-26-2020, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8gv

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...1&d=1587682150

Looking at the, um, facilities in the back left corner, may I suggest a little less chili for the shop crew?

There are so many of those outside the shop they use a drone to count inventory. They are a huge part of the business.

dt5150 · 04-30-2020, 04:19 PM

my plan for using starboard for the overhang has changed. apparently, i have a sheet shipped to me costs more than the sheet itself. and to order one from a local place is just as expensive, $600!! uh.. no. so, i'm going to give plan B a try. i bought a 4x8 sheet of 3/8" pvc at lowes for $79. we'll see how that works out.

04-22-2020, 09:44 AM	#1
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	Local source for tubing not the tow-behind/water sports kind.. i'm looking for stainless or aluminum bimini type tubing. 7/8" and 1". got a project in mind. i've checked lowe's website and they have some aluminum, but i think stainless might be a better choice. maybe one of the canvas shops or something?

04-22-2020, 10:08 AM	#2
ishoot308 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Gilford, NH / Welch Island Posts: 6,367 Thanks: 2,422 Thanked 5,349 Times in 2,093 Posts	Amazon Here Ya go!... https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=1%22+al...f=nb_sb_noss_2 https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=1%22+st...f=nb_sb_noss_2 __________________ It's Always Sunny On Welch Island!!

04-23-2020, 06:44 AM	#4
jst_4_kiks Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Laconia NH Posts: 130 Thanks: 25 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	How long do the pieces need to be? __________________ Marine Technician - Learning Something New Every Day PM with any questions about marine repair

04-23-2020, 11:23 AM	#7
DPatnaude Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Hopkinton, MA / Moultonborough, NH Posts: 55 Thanks: 1 Thanked 15 Times in 11 Posts	West Marine Not too close to the lake, but there are stores throughout New England. https://www.westmarine.com/search?Ntt=railing+fittings

04-23-2020, 03:56 PM	#9
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	thanks guys. let me see if i can attach a pic so you can see what i'm talking about. an old pic, but you can see what i mean about the top/seats. Attached Images

04-22-2020, 10:27 AM	#3
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	thanks dan. i kind of wanted to test fit things in person though.

04-23-2020, 09:48 AM	#6
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	off the top of my head, i'd need two short lengths of 1" at least 24" long. for 7/8", probably three 5ft. lengths would do. the project is a hardtop overhang. the aft edge of my hardtop ends directly above my seats. any water on the roof ends up dripping down on the seats, and you if you're sitting in them. terrible design really.. so i want to make a removable extension to eliminate that problem and provide a little extra shade too. my idea is this.. mount two 24"-ish lengths of 1" tubing horizontally to the outside edges of the hardtop, one on each side. think receiver hitch. then build the top extension itself consisting of a frame made out of the 7/8" tubing and a starboard surface on top. the 7/8" will slide into the 1" and mate up against the aft edge of the hardtop effectively extending it. i haven't come up with a good way to secure it place yet though. maybe a couple 2-piece latches, pins, or set-screws. but i'll figure that out when i get there.

04-23-2020, 06:18 PM	#11
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	thanks dave, that's ok. i appreciate it though. i figure if i mount the fixed pieces first, then build the frame it should come out ok. that way, i can put the frame "legs" in the mounts so they'll line up.

04-23-2020, 09:35 PM	#13
frank m. Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 81 Thanks: 4 Thanked 27 Times in 7 Posts	George is closing down M&M Marine Salvage in Meredith and getting rid of everything, but there is still a good pile of ss and aluminum Bimini tubing if you get there quick. He's always been very fair with me about price.

04-23-2020, 09:45 PM	#14
frank m. Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 81 Thanks: 4 Thanked 27 Times in 7 Posts	I bought a bunch of tubing from OnlineMetals.com recently and they had 3/4" thin-wall alum 6061-T6 tubing really cheap as I recall. Just keep in mind that shipping cost take a huge jump at 96" long. So if you can get them to cut a couple of inches off it might save you a lot of money. If you are going to bend it, you'll want a different alloy. I'm sure they can recommend.

04-24-2020, 08:34 AM	#15
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	i agree, i really enjoy it. welding in particular, i love making and building stuff. side note.. i think mounting the 1" tubing to the hardtop is going to be more challenging than i anticipated. the sides of the top aren't straight so there's going to be a bit of an angle i'll have to compensate for somehow. i'll attach another pic so you can see what i mean. i've been looking for stainless mounting brackets that may work, railing hardware, but i'm having difficulty finding something i think will work, but still be sturdy enough. another thing i'm re-thinking is the length of the 1" "receivers" mounted to the hardtop. originally i was thinking of making them 24", which is about the length from where that "<" is in the middle of the top. i'm now wondering if 12" length mounts might be stronger, it would have more support in a shorter span/length. effectively, less of a fulcrum. and yet another thought i had was instead of having the mounts horizontally, perhaps vertically mounting them could be an option too. i don't know.. i have too many ideas floating around in my head. i just need to spend some time with it in person to iron some of this out. that project looks to be a bit more involved than mine! what is it? Attached Images

04-24-2020, 09:01 AM	#17
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	oh yeah, there will be some shimmage going on for sure!

The Following User Says Thank You to dt5150 For This Useful Post:
Hillcountry (04-24-2020)

04-24-2020, 07:21 PM	#18
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,985 Thanks: 246 Thanked 744 Times in 444 Posts	My project is a compound curved, 3/8" thick 60" long aluminum bracket to fit over the top of my transom. I will be mounting some custom aluminum davits (the white part in the photo) to it. I cut the aluminum and bent it to shape, but my 200 amp TIG would barely blemish the thick aluminum. My buddy has a HUGE Miller MIG with a 30 amp spool gun and he effortlessly welded it up for me. My advice would be to mount the SS tubing with custom 1.5" thick HDPE brackets. HDPE is really easy to machine with wood working tools and is perfect for exposed boat parts.

04-26-2020, 07:18 PM	#20
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	thanks for the offer and advice dave. much appreciated! i may end up going that route, but for now i've got everything ordered. for mounting/support, i'm going to try some 1-hole stainless conduit straps. i'd prefer 2-hole mounts, but the upper hole would require me to drill through the side of the roof, which isn't a hug deal, but i would have to remove the headliner to be able to secure the bolt with a nut/washer from the inside. and to remove the headliner, i'd have to remove my electronics box with all the electronics/wiring etc. it's just a huge can o' worms i'd rather not open if i can avoid it. i'm going to try the straps first and see how they do. if they don't provide enough support, i'll have to come up with a plan B, but i think they'll do. as long as i don't do chin ups on the thing it should hold it just fine. i pulled the boat out today and brought it home. i'm doing this top extenstion as well as installing an ez-steer setup on my kicker motor. right now, the kicker is steered by it's own dedicated steering cable, and i've always had trouble getting enough left turn out of it. it's been adjusted 3 times and it still won't turn left as much as it should. 2 marinas tinkered with it and so did i, but i think it's as good as it can get. it just isn't enough. i can't turn left into any kind of wind while trolling, and that just doesn't work.

04-30-2020, 04:19 PM	#23
dt5150 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 401 Thanks: 4 Thanked 107 Times in 72 Posts	my plan for using starboard for the overhang has changed. apparently, i have a sheet shipped to me costs more than the sheet itself. and to order one from a local place is just as expensive, $600!! uh.. no. so, i'm going to give plan B a try. i bought a 4x8 sheet of 3/8" pvc at lowes for $79. we'll see how that works out.