homemade T top

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

Ok you're on. Howsabout a small supplier list and what materials we need to get, is it pipe or tubing? what type of bender?

Ok I will start the list... the starboard will be the most expensive in fact it was a lot more on line than what I paid. there are many other producs that would work.

 

[BlazinKuztumz]

Re: homemade T top

Hey buckey. I know the type of material you are talking about, but where would a good place to find a large section like that be? Thanks.

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

OK I hope I do this right so I don't po the Mod's.

here are a few of the tools you will need. first is the tubing notcher I spoke of you can get one at harbour freight for 35 bucks. here is a photo.

Next you will need an electric ban saw. you can also use a pipe tubing cutter common to plumbers.

Next a 4" handy grinderlike this one.

I also climbed in the boat under the cover so I could show uou how the top is attached to the cc. same tubing notcher used with a hole drilled through solid polyprop. and secured with a sscarriage bolt

few more random shots.

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: homemade T top

What a cool boat! Great job on the top! Looks better than factory ever dreamed of!

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

What a cool boat! Great job on the top! Looks better than factory ever dreamed of!

thanks man going to add on some smart tabs and a blaster washdown pump. cant wait till spring to get her out.

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

Nice pics, I have an elec horizontal metal saw already.
Where did you source the solid propylene rod from?
Did you tap/thread the carriage bolt into the plastic?
Did you buy the electronics box or adapt something else to fit?
And those cup holders are sideways, oh they're rod holders duh.

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

Nice pics, I have an elec horizontal metal saw already.
Where did you source the solid propylene rod from?
Did you tap/thread the carriage bolt into the plastic?
Did you buy the electronics box or adapt something else to fit?
And those cup holders are sideways, oh they're rod holders duh.

I actually drilled through holes on the solid poly. then just slid the carraiage bolt threw. I made the electronics box also work had some old black poly so thats what I uesd. I wish it was white think Im going to make a nice white one..
Man is it great not having to pull off the gps radar ff just close the door lock it flip the switch off.

as far as the poly just go to www.mcmaster.com punch in polyp and it will pop up for you. making fun of my rod racks are ya

 

[Mark42]

Re: homemade T top

Wow! What great work. A real Craftsman! Very nice job.

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

Wow! What great work. A real Craftsman! Very nice job.

Are you kidding your the craftsman I looked at your projects Outstanding wormanship. Its making me want to go make somthing now. HMMM thing Ill go look for trouble.. Great work Mark.

 

[Oilguy]

Re: homemade T top

For the steel... A good source is .095 tubing like racers use for roll cages >> Should be able to pick it up at a local steel supplier.

The white board can also be gotten through Farm-tech or agri suppliers >> Farmers and ranchers use it in their stalls to make cleaning easier >> I use 1/8" material for my business >> Makes a REALLY nice creeper for those places that creepers can't be used >> Like gravel!
Car washes also use the material on their walls..

I agree with what was mentioned before about sleeving the tubing when welding it... It will keep you from blowing through it with your welder and then chasing the hole down trying to repair it. Just get one step down that will slide into the tubing and then cut a bunch of 3-4" sections. Drill a hole on both of the outer tubing peices that you are welding together >> Slip the inner in and weld up the drilled hole on one side... Then you can slip the other side over it and adjust until you have the correct angle and then weld through the drilled hole to hold the unit in place >> Then simple weld the seem up.

I built a wake board tower the exact same was with the same material... I used 2" EMT and bought a bunch of 90's and sectioned it all together >> Fantastic tower for about $250 instead of $3K

BTW..............I love this site!!

Oilguy

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

OK I went to home depot, got some 1 1/4 " EMT tube
four 90deg pre-bent corners.
Footers for the deck.
Some formica sheet which I'll glue back to back with glass between maybe.

Looked at the notching tool, its $50 now and the hole saw is $20, so I'll try grinding the fishmouth cutouts. I discovered I can do ugly cuts with the mig and clean it up with the grinder, might work. Have to see how that goes.

Do your verticals have any bends in them, they appear to just drop straight down, at a slight angle to each other. I can do slight bends , tried it already and it worked good. I find EMT is soft and easy to work with.

 

[chrishayes]

Re: homemade T top

Being an electrician, the easiest way to bend EMT is with an EMT hand bender...like this..http://images.cableorganizer.com/greenlee/benders/840-with-handle_icon.gif

It has all the degrees on it and best of all it is relatively cheap! You could go to a local electrical contractor and I bet they would give you one of theirs that has been WELL used. The nice thing is, you can bend a really long arch too with a little practice! After 10 years of doing this I can bend just about any shape, even a circle! All you need to know is the deduction for a 90 degree and simple math(it is all on a sticker ON the bender) will get you any bend you need.

Nice projectby the way! Do be careful welding EMT though. It is galvanized as it is rated for outdoor/wet locations by the NEC.

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

Yeh I figgered it was galvi, did my welding yesterday in the garden.

My tubes are 1 1/4 inch, do they make a bender for that size?

 

[chrishayes]

Re: homemade T top

Yeah Jones but my god its huge and you better have some guns on ya! It probably stands 5' tall! But yes it is out there. I have one on my site right now. I am 5'11 and 180#'s and I cant bend with it...I use the electric bender we have for that size and up

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

EMT is quite soft, I managed to put some mild bends in it yesterday.


just realized....
I have a workbench with a pipe vice on it, it holds the pipe with a chain.
I think I can cobble up a pipe notching drill jig using that, just need a way to stop the hole saw from wandering, some sort of bearing for the drill shaft.?
Maybe just a couple of wooden blocks with holes to run the shaft.
Then use a drill extension.

going home to try it.

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

It worked.!
2 plywood blocks glassed to a base, drilled 2 holes and ran a 1/4 drill blank steel rod. I just drilled a 1 inch hole thru the EMT.

 

[Mark42]

Re: homemade T top

Cool! Nothing like making your own tools for the job.

 

[Mark42]

Re: homemade T top

BTW, you mentioned using Formica for the top panel. How about two pieces with 1" foam between? A 1" square piece of pine can run the perimeter, and that will give you something to anchor an edge to. Maybe T molding like I used on the hard top windows, or just leave the wood recessed 1/8" and fill flush with thickened epoxy.

The formica can be epoxied to the foam, or use Gorilla glue.

Just something to think about.

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

BTW, you mentioned using Formica for the top panel. How about two pieces with 1" foam between? A 1" square piece of pine can run the perimeter, and that will give you something to anchor an edge to. Maybe T molding like I used on the hard top windows, or just leave the wood recessed 1/8" and fill flush with thickened epoxy.

The formica can be epoxied to the foam, or use Gorilla glue.

Just something to think about.

I was thinking more like half round wooden beading but haven't found any yet.
I have pink foam, 2 sheets of whiteboard and a qt of water base contact cement, just need the edging.

If I put slots in one side of the foam I can induce a slight bend, once the whiteboard hits it the contact cement should hold it.




"hoowee, whatdoyaknow a ceeement pond.!"

 

[chrishayes]

Re: homemade T top

EMT is quite soft, I managed to put some mild bends in it yesterday.


just realized....
I have a workbench with a pipe vice on it, it holds the pipe with a chain.
I think I can cobble up a pipe notching drill jig using that, just need a way to stop the hole saw from wandering, some sort of bearing for the drill shaft.?
Maybe just a couple of wooden blocks with holes to run the shaft.
Then use a drill extension.

going home to try it.

You are correct on being easy to bend. When I am on a job that doesnt have a bender large enough, I can usually get an offset bend in up to 4" EMT by using a truck tire for the fulcrum and the frame as a hold down!