Off topic: Metal Fab - Tubing Benders

Talent abounds within the membership.....do we have any fabricators here?


I need to make some stainless rails for my boat before someone actually falls out of it.     

316 Stainless, 7/8's......pretty simple design:



Only differrence is one long rail will not work.  Need two short rails per side so they don't interfere with my downriggers. Anybody have the skills/tools? 

I have a bunch of rail fittings and some short length of 7/8" Stainless Tubing.  Wish I would have known a few weeks earlier.  I just sold ALL my 6' lengths of 7/8" Stainless Tubing (20+ pieces).  all the fittings I have left are the Taco brand Chrome Zamak stuff (best for freshwater use).  The longest lengths of the Stainless Tubing I have left is about 18".  Have lots left that will become fish whackers here in the near future.

Damn...I snooze and lose.   


Don't waste the rest on fish whackers.....cut them 4-8", fill them with lead and you have instant ling bars.

I bet I have over 100 short pieces left.  Whackers, ling bars and wind chimes in my future.

What are ling bars? And how do I make one I have tons of short lengths of 316 and 17-4 sst tube heavy and thin wall

Just a generic name for home made jig/iron.  Cut each end at a 45 degree angle, drill a hole at each end, fill with molten lead.  Cheap bottom fishing jigs.

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I need to make some stainless rails for my boat before someone actually falls out of it.     

Let me guess, Mooch? 

Let me know how much and what you need for tubing I'm a machist and do a ton of work for the canneries it has to be 304,316or 17-4 we buy a lot so I can maybe get you a smokin deal let me know

Thanks mike, I'll let you know soon. I may try and bend them myself.

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Update.  Forced my nephew into helping me on this. I like where its goin.



Rolling.



Bending. 



Fitting.




Going to roll a mello arch into the sides so they fit the countour of the boat better then finish it off in graduated steps leading up to the bow. Gonna try and finish up the bending tonight.

PS....Hobie owners.  Someone with an AI contact me about the dimensions on your rollbars. We should be able to ditch the PVC!

Sweet! What gauge tubing did you use?  I'll have to ask you some questions when I starting building a small cataraft frame.

I couldn't find tubing at the scrap yard so I went with 1/2" pipe, OD is pretty close to 7/8's.  I only wanted the 7/8's so I can just buy the fittings BW uses.  This was close enough and its gonna be cheaper for me to just fab the brackets and stanchions then pay someone to weld it all up for me. 

Give me a holler if you need to borrow the bender or the roller. 

More progress shots...got my sides rolled and the first downward bend made.



Got my second bend lined up.



After some height trimming....still not enough.  I think if I get it down another foot it'll be cool.  Also thinking about rolling a downward arch into the down sloping section. 


Not thrilled with the bow corner radius either but it'll do for now.  I may buy another length of pipe this weekend and try using one of the larger dies to get a larger radius.  You can see the stern railings back there too.  Those will need a base plate and stanchion mounted against the gunwhale so they stand vertically.

Nice job!  If you need any dimensions, I have a 1972 Whaler with all the rails still in tact.  The problem I'm having is the bow rails rattle due to fittings wallowing out.