Question? tower material

bruteforce · Oct-31-2009, 02:14 PM

i have a friend that will build a tower for me but i dont know the best material to use can any one help with some info. any help would be greatly appreciated thanks

SICK FISH · Oct-31-2009, 02:45 PM

ALUMINUM

Fishbones · Oct-31-2009, 02:49 PM

Anodized Aluminum

bruteforce · Nov-01-2009, 11:52 AM

fishbones is that also the strongest

skipopotamous · Nov-01-2009, 05:09 PM

STAINLESS.....

Dirtguy · Nov-02-2009, 09:35 AM

Aluminum tubing. NOT anodized pipe. Like many are.

Cheaper than stainless. Stainless is great stuff and the best choice for many reasons EXCEPT cost. and weight.

DG

?? fisherman · Nov-02-2009, 09:44 AM

If you have the choice of material, then this is real easy....... with out even blinking an eye, go with Stainless!! Stainless is Brainless..... stays looking like new with very little upkeep. Aluminum on the otherhand..... looks good when new, but give it some years and the age starts showing.

The unknown fisherman

mongo75 · Nov-02-2009, 09:47 AM

SS is good, but it is alot more subceptable to cracking that aluminum

lynndeva · Nov-02-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirtguy

Aluminum tubing. NOT anodized pipe. Like many are.

Cheaper than stainless. Stainless is great stuff and the best choice for many reasons EXCEPT cost. and weight.

DG

Agree, Use Aluminum tubing with SS powder coated top, we went with more expensive Anodized Aluminum 2 years ago and we still have to scrub it down an treat it due to corrosion issues..depending on how big, stainless might bog your boat down..more gas, more wear on your motor etc..

?? fisherman · Nov-02-2009, 10:38 AM

Stainless will not be that much of a weight difference to be of any real significance. I also hear the cracking issue come up all the time, and yet look at your bow rails on most all boats..... better yet watch them flex and move with very little if any cracking issues.

I have seen numerous T-tops done in stainless that have held up fine, and the same goes for Aluminum..... then again I have seen some cracking issues on both aluminum (quite a few actually) as well as some stainless, and many times it's either from not building the Top correctly or some guy that like to play baywatch patrol and pound his boat extra hard by jumping waves.

I'm not totally against aluminum, but if I had the choice between the two without money or anything else being a factor, I know what I would be choosing.

The unknown fisherman

skipjack-20 · Nov-02-2009, 11:04 AM

all materials crack, it depends how you use them and how there made, I used to be a huge aluminum fan for the light weight and ease of fabrication, now I have worked with ss a little more i would say go with stainless if you can afford it. I stays shiny forever with very little maintenance, is very strong having a very thin wall thickness and small diameter. if you don't really maintain the aluminum it corrodes quickly and gets ugly.

Fishnut · Nov-02-2009, 11:16 AM

I used ss on my tower. It weighs very little more than the aluminum because of the fact of less wall thickness, and less dia. for as much or more strength.
I have fished it hard for the last 8 years with no cracks and very little maintenance.
Aluminum work hardens much faster then ss.