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Just finished building my tower for 82 nautique, it is a somewhat of a fct inspired tower.
Anyways, I am wanting to paint the tower to match the custom color that I am painting the boat. What do I need to do to prepare the aluminum for paint? It actually has a coat of dirt and oxidation, from the tubing sitting out in the scrapyard that I bought it from.
Also when we bent the tower, we managed to get a few small rippes in a couple of the pieces, could I put a small amount of bondo in there to get a super smooth finish?
I have a total of about $100.00 in the tower including the stainless steel bolts and nuts. What do you think? Should have pics of it mounted on boat soon. Also what kind of paint? I am not going to powdercoat due to cost and time.
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Jason, the tower looks great! You definitely scored for only $100.
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ill gave you 110$ to make me one like that and i will mount it by myself dont worry 
nah, seriously really nice tower man, you got it !
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You would be better off to powder coat but if paint is the only option I would recommend using scotch brite to clean the whole tower with and then prime it with poly primer and use a eurothane paint. The tower looks great how did you bend the aluminum? Did you use a mandrel bender?
P.S. nice job if you only have a hundred bucks into this thats great when I build mine I had a few hundred 200.00 for pipe and 150.00 for having it bent.
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I'm impressed.
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I was able to pick up 45' of 1 7/8", Aluminum tubing with .125 wall for $65 at a scrapyard.
Then I took it to a friend's machine shop and had it bent and welded. The stainless steel hardware was about $35. I will have some updated pics of the boat on the tower, once I get painted.
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ferrarispider95 wrote:I will have some updated pics of the boat on the tower, once I get painted.
hahahaha...that should be interesting to see!!
seriously though....sweet job on the tower. so you saying that it only cost extreme tower(the company that makes most boat towers) only $100 or so bucks to make a tower? Thats 15x's less expensive than what u can get it on a new boat.
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I got a deal on tubing, but lots of other considerations go into making a tower for the consumer. I could not speculate on what it cost, but they are not making that kinda of margin!
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Anyone handy with photoshop, I have 8.0 or 9.0 on my computer, but really dont know how to do a lot of stuff with it.
Can someone photoshop, the blue stripe, and make the tower blue, and then do one with a black tower/ blue stripe on boat. Also maybe the tower as is and the boat with a blue stripe. Thanks
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definatly one of the nicest DIY towers i have ever seen, great job!
(Message edited by wakinbakin on June 14, 2005)
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I agree nicest and cheapest. Maybe you should start making and selling them for $200 to $500, you could proably make some sick money.
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looks great, nice job!
TBH, I'd just polish it then clearcoat it with a few layers of a really good quality celulose spray paint.
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Very nice job!
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Here you go. I personally would polish it.
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I would polish it too, but if not, the blue looks way better than the black
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Awsome job, just added this post to diytower. Since the boat is white & the tower finish is not defined yet . . . you have a ton of options on how the boat could end up looking.
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your dog looks exactly like mine.
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looks great man i think you will give boss a run for thier money
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have you got a chance to test it out yet
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