aluminum tube for bimini

[snowforfun4]

Hello all. Thank you for true wealth of info on the site!! I am looking for a source of 7/8" aluminum tube to make a cost effective bikini top for and old bayliner in Cincinnati. Anyone know of one? I plan to get fittings from duckworks.

 

[robert graham]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

I believe the aluminum tubing used for Bimini tops is some heavier duty/thicker walled than standard....maybe some stainless steel tubing would be better and stronger. It'll cost more but would look great and be very strong! Good Luck!

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

You can find what you need at your local welder/fabricator. Look them up online for your location or if they don't have a website use the yellow pages.

However, aluminum is expensive, as is stainless, and usually a prefab top will end up costing you less than your custom made----even with you doing the work.

Look on the auctions or craigslist for used bimini tops but act fast! They sell within hours of being posted. I got one for a 16 foot boat for only 65 bucks and there were about ten guys behind me. But the fellow honored his word and waited for me to drive up and pick it up.

 

[osukellen]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Try this

http://tacomarine.com/cat--Marine-Fabrication--marfab.html

 

[bruceb58]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Your biggest problem is going to be bending it properly. Not only do you need to bend the tubing to form the legs but you need to bend it on the top to create a small bow so that you don't get water pooling in the top. Best bet is to have a local canvas shop bend some poles for you.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Cost effective doesn't necessarily mean home-made. Like Frank, I picked up a nice Sunbrella Bimini off flEbay for $120. I doubt you could buy all the components and fabric for that.

As far as aluminum tubing for a bimini, if you don't use anodized tubing, the raw tubing will leave black marks on anything else that constantly rubs up against the tubing; bimini top, boat cover, upholstery... The Westland I bought has the main bow legs double thickness (3/4" heavy wall tube telescoped inside a 7/8" medium wall tube, or something like that) and the rest of it was a medium wall thickness tube. I don't remember the wall thicknesses, but there are several wall thicknesses of 7/8 and 3/4 aluminum tubing.

When I was looking for a bimini I found a place that had bimini kits, tubing and all the fittings, just bend it up and add your canvas. I don't remember who they were though.

Oh yeah, Bruce is right about the tubing being a pain to bend. I had to tweak the legs of my bimini inward a couple inches and a 3/4" conduit bender worked,,, OK, but it left some small marks. I wouldn't want to bend a complete bimini with one... I'd haul it to a canvas shop as Bruce suggested and pay them to do it right.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Aluminum and SS tubing is usually bent on a wheeled roller set up, not by using a conduit bender. They will work, but as mentioned, they will leave scratch marks and slight dimples in the tubing if not done perfectly.

If you buy the sticks of tubing AND they manage to show up without being damaged AND you manage to get them cut perfectly AND you get the bends correct AND you get the arc in the top bows perfect AND you get a great price on the fabric AND you get to sew it up with UV threads AND it fits perfectly.....(get what I'm saying??!!). Find the premade tops and bow system somewhere. They are at most boating stores for $200-$300 new, with storage boot. Much simpler ans it's done in a couple of hours.

 

[Maclin]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

The top in my signature pic is a $20 item from eBay, shipping was $20, $40 total and has a nice boot too. If you are patient the exact thing will come along.

 

[snowforfun4]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Thank you all for the replies. I have been out of commission for a week.....hernia repair....and was not aware of how big of a wimp I am, but I will take the advise and watch Craigslist.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

HI snow. You if you're not going to be in a marine environment very often, which is probably the case in Ohio, you can use galvanized 7/8" electrical conduit which is available in 10 ft. lengths at most LOWES/HD. You can even spryy paint it to give it a bit more protection form the weather. The trickiest bit may be finding/making a top. Although I did see a clever solution in which a guy took an old trampoline and used the fabric and doubled it over for the shade and the curved aluminum frame as the frame for his T-top/Bimini. It's not only very thick and tough, but it's UV and mold resistant. Here are some handy links to get you started. Of course, you could buy one like the other guys said, but what's the fun in that? I'm all about the DIY too. Hope these help. Keep us posted.


http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/bimini/index.htm

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/howto/bimini/index.htm

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/columns/rob/index9.htm

http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/08/columns/rob/index8.htm


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyI7cmksLjQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtO4TtPvPes

 

[snowforfun4]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

kfa4303, thanks for the great links. the Duckworks site is where I got the idea to construct a top myself. Sometimes the tinkering is the best part of having a boat. Great for father and son time!!

 

[kfa4303]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

I love tinkering too. I really want to give the trampoline into T-top conversion found in the link a try. I would've never though of using the trampoline as a source of aluminum tubing, but it makes perfect sense. You may also want to check around with some local sheet metal shops, window installers, and/or some local pipe fitters, or the good 'ol junkyard/dump. They may be able to direct you towards some scrap tubing. Keep us posted.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Or you could just buy it pre-made, install it, and spend that father/son time relaxing out on the boat!!

 

[bruceb58]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Or you could just buy it pre-made, install it, and spend that father/son time relaxing out on the boat!!

Totally agree. Plus it will be made right!

 

[badbowtie]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

I bought one of the cheap alum bimini from ebay with the solid rear poles so I could leave it stand up I am thinking it was like 150.00 with the solid poles and used it a couple years worked great and sold the boat with it. If you are looking somewere to get some tube I would try David Hirschberg Steel Co. 513-821-0514

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

I have a friend of mine that is the VP of sales for a tubing fabricator. I had him price up 7/8 and 1" aluminum and stainless. because he doesnt stock it, therefore doesnt buy a large amount of it, the price is as high as $12 per foot. however if his volume gets up to over 2000# (mill run), the price drops significantly. each bend is about $5 each on his CNC bender. adding it up got pricy quickly, so that direction didnt make good financial sense.

I found a complete slightly used bimini on craigslist for $125. I also hit up a boat salvage place for a complete set of bows for my canvas top for $50 (they were close enough that I could trim to fit). keep looking, you will find what your looking for.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

I must respectfully disagree. I'm pretty sure Snow & son can and will do it "right", and even if they don't it will still be better than anything you can buy off a shelf made by child labor in China. Not because it is, but because they made it together. We need to stop teaching the kidos and ourselves that the answer to everything is to just "go buy one". (If it was a matter of life and death that's one thing, but this is a bimini top after all) I find that sort of thinking to be uninspired, boring, ordinary, typical, unimaginative, unnecessary and no where near as rewarding as doing a good 'ol fashion father-son project. Truly a lost art these days unfortunately. Besides, let me guess how the pros do it. They take a tube and bend it. Am I close? Again, I think Snow and son can handle it. It may be a little uglier than the one you can buy off the shelf, but they'll have made it with their own two hands and they'll have memories for a lifetime, which is what all this fiddlin' around with boats is really all about. You can do it Snow! DIY all the way! Keep us posted.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

I must respectfully disagree. Besides, let me guess how the pros do it. They take a tube and bend it. Am I close?

Yes..they just bend it using this tool.

http://www.perfectfit.com/28536/445588/Tubing--Benders/Bendarc-Tubing-Bender.html

Like I said, if you want it so it looks right and more importantly works correctly, you use the correct tool which in this case is $500. Having someone who has one of these tools to do the work right is what's important and teaching your son that using the right tool for the right job is equally important.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Re: aliminum tube for bimini

Don't forget the triple adjustable roller set up that puts the degreed arc in the tops of the bows. That's probably not cheap either.

 

[ufm82]

Re: aluminum tube for bimini

Since you are in Cincinnati just drive up to Hern Marine on Rt 4 in Fairfield. They keep aluminum and SS tube in stock in both 7/8" and 1" diamater. Either will do just fine for a bimini. They have all the fittings you'd need as well. It's not tough to fab one up. The cover is the toughest to do but there are plenty of upholstery shops around here that can make one. I've bought sunbrella from Hern before as well.