Building my own bimini
 

I think I am going to attempt to build a bimini for our boat. If I can build the frame, I have family that can sew. It will be a cargo style bimini. Should I use 7/8" aluminum tubing or 1/2 steel conduit? I was shopping at a local hardware store and I can get everything I need in the steel conduit. They sell nice rounded corners. Building my own bimini will allow me to mount it solid to the monster tower. Thoughts or suggestions? Looking for good resources to purchase the materials.

Not the design you're talking about but here's a decent article:
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/...mini/index.htm


They also sell Bimini specific hardware:
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/bimini/index.htm

They don't have tower clamps though. Diywake.com or eBay would be a good source for those.

Oh and http://www.sailrite.com/ for sunbrella, thread and other odds and ends.

I can promise you that the conduit will rust.

I'd build it with cheap conduit and a bender first. Then reproduce it with aluminum. SS would be great but I think you'd need more than your average hand conduit bender to bend it. I have an aluminum Bimini mounted to my tower and it's plenty strong.

^^^ Good idea with using conduit first.

I really wanted to make my own, hence having all of the above links and ideas available, but just had too many other things going on with the boat at the time. The wife and kids needed shade so I sucked it up and paid $700 or so for a TowerBiminis one. It's nice but too expensive.

My 800 dollar bimini is being built by Tower Bimini's as we speak. I know theirs are the best looking out there, I agree....very costly! My wife has been asking for one for 5 years now LOL. I laso have a 15mos old grandbaby now, who will def need some shade. Should be here next week. I can't wait to install it!!

Why can't I paint or powder coat the conduit to prevent rusting. Also my boat does not sit outside so I would think that helps. I would like to keep the weight down as much as possible. I am guessing steal conduit is about double the weight. we have a small boat and I have added many new items(tower, swim platform, tower speakers, amp, 2nd battery). At this rate theboat may sink. :)

7/8 stainless would be best. Conduit is quite soft but as long as no one grabs ahold of it and puts any weight on it, it'll be fine. I did a conduit one on my last boat. 7/8 stainless on my current boat but as stated earlier, you wont be bending stainless with any old bender. I had to spend $230 for the bender to do mine.

What would be the best way to mount to the tower. I need it to remove quickly> Do clamps exist the are quick release or I have seen pins that can pull to release? I fold my tower to put in garage, so the bimini needs to come off.

I really don't think this is gonna work for you given your stated expectations. Just save up and buy the cheapest one you can find.

Chad they make mounts with pins. If you need links, let me know.

If you would provide the links, that would be great. Thanks.