homemade T top

[buckeyboy]

Hey, guys and gals I'm kinda new to this forum I have posted a couple of times on the engine section. I just thought some of you may be intrested in the t top I fabricated for my sea hunt CC.
I live in RI so getting the itch to fish seeing as hunting season just ended.
If you can use a tape measure bend pipe and weld its not that hard and very inexpensive. here are some photos.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: homemade T top

very nice job. i thought this was going to be another PVC pipe can i built it.

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

yes like I said if you can weld or know someone who can. read a tape measure and use some imagination. this one is made with 1 1/2" emt electrical conduit coated with stainless steel 316 paint, and starboard for the hard top. I just looked up some photos and kinda used some ideas.
nope not a pvc job two guys can sit on top of it no problem..if I can help in any way feel free to drop me an PM. Edit: sorry but emails are not allowed, do you want a ton of spam mail?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: homemade T top

Beautiful job. To buy a new T-top is major $$ and yours looks very professional.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: homemade T top

Really nice!

-BWR

 

[erikgreen]

Re: homemade T top

Very, very nice. That looks as good as any professional top I've seen.

Any chance you can make up a little tutorial on bending and welding like you did? Get some scraps of pipe and show how to do this?

The hard stuff would probably be bending inexpensively (without a tubing bender) and prepping for the welds (notching the tubing/jigging to get the angles right).

I think a lot of folks here would attempt this if they had a good guide to the techniques, I know I'm thinking about it. I have some spare stainless pipe to use myself.

I didn't think Starboard came in chunks that would be thin enough to bend like that and not weigh a ton.

Erik

 

[BlazinKuztumz]

Re: homemade T top

Very, very nice. Once I get my tube bender and new welder set up, I'll have to see about making one for the boat I'm getting ready to restore. Any thoughts on using aluminum vs. steel? I have an aluminum spool gun, and figured aluminum would be lighter, no rust, and no coatings having to be applied. That is a damn nice job you did on that top. Making me want to hurry up and get on the restore and make my own now for sure. What size pipe did you use (wall thickness)? And for the newbies among us (namely me) what is starboard?

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

Thanks for all the positive feedback.
the most importabt thing is mounting points on the boat. to illistrate this as soon as the cover comes off I will put together a tutorial. If you can weld aluminum thats the way to go. but the emt I got for free and the coating I used will last for years.

Although I did not do this If I had to do it again tis is what I would do.
purchase some 2X3 lumber build the general frame to fit your boat for size and shape. then I would use fearing strip or thin wood for the bends this will help lots when you do your final build as you will have a template to work off of. Im not going to lie its time consuming but you will save $2000.00 to 4000.00 dollars. I will start to put together a tutorial soon. as far as cuts harbour freight has a pipe notching jig cheap that uou use a hole saw and your electric drill makes all angles and fishmouths the piping for precision welds. this is a must.

I made one other for the boat I hbad to sell because of finances here is a photo.

 

[Bondo]

Re: homemade T top

Ayuh,... Pretty Cool,... Great Job....

Any chance you(or a Mod.) could go back to your 1st post,+ Edit it to Fit the page,..??
I Really Hate Side Scrolling....
And this is 1 of My favorite topics,... If you don't fix the thread,... I ain't gonna play.....

Here's the 1 I threw together a few winters ago,....

 

[jonesg]

Re: homemade T top

What type of welding rig did you use?

I have a small mig 125 by Lincoln with the gas setup.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: homemade T top

Very nice. In the future LIMIT your posted photos to 640 x 480 which shows plenty of detail.

 

[Bard1]

Re: homemade T top

Killer!!!

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

sorry just getting use to the site no offence intended:redface:

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

Ayuh,... Pretty Cool,... Great Job....

Any chance you(or a Mod.) could go back to your 1st post,+ Edit it to Fit the page,..??
I Really Hate Side Scrolling....
And this is 1 of My favorite topics,... If you don't fix the thread,... I ain't gonna play.....

Here's the 1 I threw together a few winters ago,....

looks warm and cozy graet job . not sure it would stand up to Ocean?> whats it made out of ? looks a lake boat?? all open Ocean.. here 2-4 20kt real common. great sail concept

 

[BlazinKuztumz]

Re: homemade T top

What type of welding rig did you use?

I have a small mig 125 by Lincoln with the gas setup.

Not trying to answer for him, but a 125 mig w/gas would do the job just fine, as long as it's a mild-steel you are welding on, and the wall thickness of the tube you are using isn't over 1/4".

 

[erikgreen]

Re: homemade T top

I'd like to see a demo of how to make a top like that using steel, preferably commonly available steel, like conduit or tubing.

The problem with aluminum is that even if you have the welding gear for it, you need a ton of practice to make things strong and look good. It can be done of course, but if you have the gear and skill to weld aluminum you probably don't need a tutorial here

I personally have a 200A Tig rig set up for aluminum, and it's hard to weld tubing, even more than regular plate, because of the shape.

I think a how-to on using commonly available parts to weld up a nice steel frame T-top would be very popular here.

Erik

 

[Bondo]

Re: homemade T top

looks warm and cozy graet job . not sure it would stand up to Ocean?> whats it made out of ? looks a lake boat?? all open Ocean.. here 2-4 20kt real common. great sail concept

Ayuh,...

While I run it every other year or so off the coast of Maine,..
I live,+ boat on Lake Ontario... And, Yes the Wind blows Everyday...
And,.. Yes again,.. It is 1 'ell of a Sail...

I built it about 6" higher than the original design because of the length of the Scrap I was using worked out that way,..
And, I have several rather Tall friends who're on the boat regularly,+ I store fishing rods overhead...

It's made of Whatever scrap I had, or could scrouge up,... Conduit, Hospital Bed parts,+ Railroad crossing barriers...

The original Ideas behind it was,..
1 to get Out of the Sun,.. I work in it Everyday,+ Don't want to be in it during my weekends..
2 is to be able to stay somewhat Warm when fall/ spring fishing...

I built this with a Snap-On/ Century DC, 24V mig welder,... It worked OK, but the spool is in the machine,+ I had to use the stiffer filler wire because it wouldn't push the softer wire thru the whip...

I've since moved on to a Ready-Welder, set up at 24V, DC... Being a Spoolgun welder, I can run whatever filler I care too,...
I Absolutely Love this thing,.. Simple, Portable,+ it welds a 'ell of a bead, whether 1/4" plate, or Thinwall tubing...

I also built aluminum conduit Bunkheads to replace all the cabin bulkheads that were Rotten Wood...

'ell,... I've even done Hull repairs with it on .060 hull skin..


Btw,...

Bob,... Thanks for Fixin' this thread,.....

 

[buckeyboy]

Re: homemade T top

I use a stick welder and a tig welder tight seams are the trick..
mig will also do fine. I did some practice peices first to adjust heat.

 

[Dualie]

Re: homemade T top

Hey Buckeyboy and everyone else!

I am interested in seeing the photos but don't see a link nor something to click on.

I have been interested in creating one for my rig over the past couple of years now. Would like to use OD 1.90 alumin. for ocean use only.

Would you mind reposting them?

Otherwise, thanks for all the info here!

-Dualie

 

[Bondo]

Re: homemade T top

and a tig welder tight seams are the trick..
mig will also do fine.

Ayuh,...

I went,+ bought the original Ye Ole Joint Jigger before the Chinese started building them for Nothin'.....
I too think that the tightest possible joints are necessary,...
And Clean material,... Gotta have a SSteel Brush,...

With the Mig,...
I find I can butter a bead in,+ grind it back out to a nice radis,... then sand, brush,+ clear coat...

I'm getting ready to start another bimini for the boat in the background of my picture,...
It'll be based on Spun Aluminum Street Light overhanging Arms...
They've got some Sweet curves,.. Gonna look Great for the vertical legs,...
The rest will be Conduit,+ Hospital Bed parts,.....