Building a DIY T-Top Frame For the Center Console Project Boat #26

Part 1 of welding together our aluminum T-Top frame using ridged aluminum conduit and a spool gun.

[@leebatt7964]

You can tell a lot about a person by how well they work alone with just very basic tools. You sir are a very smart guy.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Please tell my wife! thanks for watchin and thanks for the kind words Barry

[@Dave_Dickinson]

I just live this video. Watched it 3 times so far. Learning a lot. Thank you!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks David. The T-Top has been problem free so far. Barry

[@Crewsy]

That looks like it will be a great unplanned addition to the center console boat. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Wayne I have been looking around for a used one but they just aren’t many around. Barry

[@JackArmstrong-jackdaddycustoms]

Very nice brother. Looking great. Thanks for the shout out too!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Jack and you are quite welcome!

[@dkight18]

Great video Barry, that green glow gives me nightmares, excellent work

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks DK That wonderful glow means progress! Barry

[@alijahquentin562]

Instablaster.

[@ultramagaviking1966]

you can make mandrel bends with that bender. you have to move the pipe through the bender 1" at a time the same way a rolling bender works. you can't bend it in 1 spot it will kink. it has to be in mul;tiple bends at 1" increments...

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching. I will defiantly keep it in the back of my mind for the next time I pull out the old bender. Barry

[@sionematapepe1488]

Great video. Outcome looking more factory. 👍👍👍 You got great skills.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you Sione! Kind words always welcome. Barry

[@kirkpowell6161]

Another great video!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Kirk Glad you enjoyed! Barry

[@jacobnewman4526]

Great video, you have some skill being able to do that with the tools you have. Looks great!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Jacob Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words! Barry

[@shoresharp8349]

Man your a beast Barry!! I've seen alot of t tops most guys used flat stock aluminum on the top instead of round pipe.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Buddy I have always been taught that pound per pound a tube shape gives you the most strength. Takes more time though! Barry

[@richardwolske2015]

Your vids are great ! Thank you I enjoyed everyone of them! 🇺🇸👍

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Richard, you made an old man’s day. Thank you Barry

[@richardwolske2015]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 , Barry most don’t realize it’s not about the hard work ! To do what you do you love bringing that boat back to life . The look on your face when you put her into the water now that’s money 👍😎

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

@@richardwolske2015 Lots of truth in your comment. Thanks again Barry

[@medicmcauley6729]

That looks better than 99% of store bought tops I've seen.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Medic! Better than all the cheepos for sure Barry

[@EAFISHINGNYC]

Looking great 👍 nice job

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Man!

[@marty-bc2cf]

Very impressive!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you Marty! Barry

[@jonmitch7058]

great video!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Jon, Glad you enjoyed! Barry

[@CyberCuban]

I got the exact same pipe vender, it helps a lot count how many pump you do per vend to end up with the same angle.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

CC Thanks for the Tip! Barry

[@efdalzeren2047]

great job !!!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks again Efdal! Barry

[@blindabinda1234]

That's a nice top. I think you should get into custom boat building. Lol

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks man. My attention is way to short to even think about doing this again. Barry

[@mannyangel6709]

Hi, I have a bender just like that and I build aluminum structures with it. What I did at first was to put some kind of cardboard or carton on the dye cuz of the rough edges and it worked really well until I had the dyes made of aluminum at a leath shop... excellent job!!

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you Manny and thanks for the tip! Barry

[@ericneering6357]

As uncle Skip would say slicker than old shit

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

I like Uncle Skip! Thanks for taking the time to comment and thanks for the kind words. Barry

[@incognitoyt7940]

You can load your mig welder with large alloy filler wire all you need to do is change the liner in your lead and insure your tip in your mig gun is big enough.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks for the tip. Barry

[@plamenpetkov400]

Great video and highly appreciated! Would be nice to post another video with the final result (at least for the top). Is the welded connections strong enough, because usually aluminum pipes or conduit is welded with TIG? I am not a welder and that’s why I am curious if the spool gun makes rigid connections?

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Plamen Thanks for the kind words. I might have to disagree with you on aluminum welding. Pretty welds (stack of dimes) and welding very thin metal is TIG welded by very talented individuals. But I believe the majority of aluminum welding is done with MIG machines. Strength is no a problem. Barry

[@plamenpetkov400]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 thanks for the info. Ad I said I am not a professional by any means and that’s why asked you for your opinion and experience. You inspired me with your video and now I am starting to build t-top for my boat. For the structural elements did you use 1.5” pipe or 2” conduit? I am planning to use 1.5” alum pipe grade 6063 T6 bandable, do you think it’s a good idea? I can get them for 42$ for 20’ pipe.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

@@plamenpetkov400 I used 1 1/2" pipe not 2" tube. The only tube I could find locally was crazy expensive. Sounds like you got a super deal but somebody smarter that me will have to help you with the pipe grades. I just don't know. Barry

[@plamenpetkov400]

@@barrylukebuilds7894 appreciate your help. Can’t wait to see the finished project.

[@paulwelch5570]

Where did you kind the aluminum pipe an what size did you use. Great job hope I can do that good.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

It is aluminum ridged conduit available from all electrical supply houses and maybe the Home Depot’s. 1 1/2” main tubing and 1” and 3/4 for the rest. Good luck on your project!

[@jdlexpress7548]

nice work, could you add a tilt mecaanism to an existing aluminum t-top, to be able to garage the boat for winter.? Michigan winter purpose.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks JDL! Lots of variables there. A good machine shop can do pretty much anything. But if your top requires too many changes to make it foldable it might be more cost effective to sell the one you have and buy one that has a foldable feature. Barry

[@blakegreen8401]

Very nice T top! Now that it’s been over a year how well is it holding up? I would like to make a grab bar and I am unsure if the conduit would hold its shape and not bend if I were leaning on it and pulling up on it. Thanks

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Blake Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind comment. No problem with the hardtop! Although the 3/4" conduit is soft in comparison to other types of pipes and tubes, bending a short piece by hand is pretty difficult. Keep your length reasonable, add in a curve, and I would be confidant you will have no problems. Barry

[@Sam-yw5mv]

Very nice video Barry! I am starting to build my own T top at the moment although having issues with the Aluminium kinking using the same bender you have. I am using 40mm Dia 1.6mm wall Alloy tube so might be an issue of the material being too thin. What wall thickness was your pipe and do you have any tips to stop kinking? Cheers

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Sam Sorry you are having bending issues. My guess is that the thin wall tubing you have is too ridged to bend without a mandrel. The aluminum conduit I used is very soft as it is designed to allow electricians to bend and thread it easily. It is probably not nearly as strong as what you have. Not sure what you could do except maybe heating the bending area to a few hundred degrees? Just a guess. Anyway thanks for the kind words and let us know what you worked out. Barry

[@Sam-yw5mv]

Thanks for the quick reply and info. l will have go with it pre heated see if that improves things. Alternatively I was thinking of swapping the alloy stock I have to something more suitable. Do you know roughly how thick your aluminium conduit was? Im not sure where to source that in Sydney however might try get some alloy tube with the a similar wall thickness to test out. Cheers

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

@@Sam-yw5mv don’t have a micrometer here but roughly 1/4”. Ridged aluminum conduit should be available at most any electrical supply house. Barry

[@EAFISHINGNYC]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍🎣

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! And whatever that little thing on the end is. Barry

[@jimgreen4504]

Curious why you didn't tig it with the Miller?

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

It is a DC machine. Aluminum needs an AC machine to weld. Otherwise…

[@user-wq9el6fv5n]

🙂👍

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thank you!

[@eftalzakirzeren7469]

what pipe are you using ( 6061 ? ) , if so I am very surprised that the pipe doesn't break ??

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Nope, not going to break. It might bend, but it wont break.

[@kevinvaught9373]

Excellent work! Where did you source the pipe from?

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks Kevin Rigid aluminum conduit should be a stock item at any electrical supply house Barry

[@110welding]

👌👌👌is that 6063 material ?

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Not sure the type of aluminum. But it sells nationwide as “ridged aluminum conduit “

[@spliffy4037]

How the hell do you film with a bone?

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

You might be surprised what old folks can do!

[@bilinho3800]

show

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

Thanks!

[@coop3014]

FYI, just in case you care mispronouncing the word “copasetic”. Other than that, everything’s great 👍.

[@barrylukebuilds7894]

We could add to all of the other words I murder, but … I can see by the spelling(another skill I struggle with), that you are correct, I have been saying it wrong for years. I will try to get it right next time but no guarantees. Thanks for watching and thanks for the kind words, Barry