DIY Swivel board Racks

(kikitlo) · (kikitlo) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 04-05-2009, 6:24 PM

Well, I was finally able to test out the swivels that I made for my lightning racks. They are nothing fancy however they do lock in the open and closed position. Another thing is that I saved a butt load of $. I still need to polish them out but they work, My wife was kind enough to model for me.
http://www.wakepics.com/video/22902/my-diy-swivel-rack

(saceone) · (saceone) **Join Date: Jan 2009** 04-05-2009, 6:56 PM

good stuff!

any pics?

nice boat nice rack and great looking wife

(wakeboardin2k4)

We are gonna need a full write up on how you did this...unless your planning on mass production.

That would be a pretty cool thing to make.

Nice work

(liljohn) · (liljohn) **Join Date: May 2007** 04-06-2009, 7:32 AM

More pics and priceing would be great......

(kikitlo) · (kikitlo) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 04-06-2009, 8:10 AM

I guess I forgot to take some good pictures. I was too worried about getting video. This is actually the good thing about taking a machining class. I used scrap material from the shop so no cost to me. The hinge and locking mechanism was modeled after the little giant ladders. There is a bar that runs through a piece of tubing (Hinge) and loops back around to lock into place. The pictures are before I was done. Here is another video that demonstrates it better.
http://www.wakepics.com/video/22903/diy-wakeboard-rack-swivel-2
Upload

(joe_crawley) · (joe_crawley) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 04-06-2009, 8:47 AM

very nice

(saceone) · (saceone) **Join Date: Jan 2009** 04-06-2009, 8:53 AM

very nice indeed!!

(wake1823) · (wake1823) **Join Date: Dec 2005** 04-06-2009, 8:57 AM

is there any play in the mechanism at all?

Any "wiggle/play" in the swivel mechanism will be exp0loited by going across a rough lake/thru dopuble ups, and over tiem will cause it to fail.

(wakerider111) · (wakerider111) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 04-06-2009, 12:08 PM

Wow!

(tampawake) · (tampawake) **Join Date: Mar 2008** 04-06-2009, 1:11 PM

I love the home made stuff. That is great man. Wish I had swivels on my 02 xstar loading boards sucks.

get_sum 04-06-2009, 4:43 PM

hey.. can you send me your CAD file? I have access to a machine and scrap material, but alas, I am but a Junior Civil Engineering major and would love to have these, but just don't understand the 3D CAD yet. Thanks... lukehosman@bellsouth.net

get_sum 04-06-2009, 4:46 PM

another ?... why do you only have 1 screw mounting the base to the tower? Wouldn't that develop a moment arm at the bolt causing to to eventually slide down?

(sinkoumn) · (sinkoumn) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 04-06-2009, 6:38 PM

When you think about it, swivel board racks are one of the most simplest designs on your boat (generalization, but c'mon, anchor points/swivel point/springed lock point and that's basically it). I would love to build some of these for my tower, just don't have the correct tools at the moment

Great job on the rack man!

edit: Cory, what type of machine did you use to work the aluminum (I'm guessing that's what you made it out of)?

(Message edited by Sinkoumn on April 06, 2009)

(saltare_inverts)

I love the swivel racks you made. Make me a set, how much? Also, good job having wife help with video, made it twice as good.

(kikitlo) · (kikitlo) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 04-06-2009, 7:38 PM

Thanks for the comments guys, I appreciate it. I get my insperation from all of you on the forum.

Sinko,
I agree, after tackling this it is one of the more simpler projects. To cut the alum I used a band saw and a Vertical Mill to finish it to size. A CNC Mill would have been nice but I have just started to get instruction on that.

The only reason that it narrows at the tower mount is just to cut down on weight.

Luke as for the single mounting bolt, the Illusion x towers use dowel pins in 2 locations next to the bolt to keep from rotating. This was a mystery to me as well prior to having the illusion. I will see if I can send you the files. They are not a true 3D, only a wire drawing so it gives you the overall important features. You have to fill in the blanks in your head.

Sam, as for play there doesn't appear to be any but I haven't done a water test yet. As stated above the hinge part is actually 1/2" SS tubing press fit into place. The hinge part was reamed to ~.002" over 1/2" to allow it to move but with minimal play.

As for making more and don't plan on it just because I don't have the resources to do so. Again I made these for my self just because of the cost of manufactured swivels, I don't do this for a living. I may next winter try and make revision 2 just to clean it up now that I have the total picture worked out.

(kikitlo) · (kikitlo) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 04-06-2009, 7:51 PM

Hopefully these can explain a little more
Upload

(266crownlinebr)

I want a set, but I have a request (for your next project that is)... I have the airboom racks now, the ones that are removeable with a pin (I need those as I would take out trees going down the road if I didn't remove them). Anyway, can you make a set like what you have only with a square hole and a hole for the pin? Then I could remove them for travel. Actually, that gives me an idea...I wonder how yours will hold up driving down the road if they were swiveld into the boat. If you could make them swivel around the tower in a 180 degree angle, they may be able to lock into position so I wouldn't have to take all my stuff out of them before leaving the lake. Just some thoughts.

What class are you taking and where? That looks like a great future investment that I would like to get into.