These pages show how the new Bimini Frame was constructed and fitted to the boat. In order to make the new Main Bow, I designed and built a Tubing Roller. You can buy tubing rollers, but they are several hundred dollars.

 

This is the Tubing Roller I built. It was designed for 7/8" tubing. A link to the actual construction series is here: http://www.metalworking.com/dropbox/_2003_retired_files/ See roller.txt and the accociated jpgs. The contents of the Metalworking Dropbox are archived every 6 months to a 'retired files' section. So if you do not find roller.txt, go to the top of the page and select the most recent 'retired file'  which encompases the date 06/15/2003

This is the template I made for accurately forming the new Main Bow. It is made from 1/8" corrogated box board. The shape was derived from the contours of the Radar Arch, whose profile the Main Bow must mirror for the Bimini Top to fit to the Arch properly. The 20' length of 7/8" SS tube I got for the Main Bow can be seen chucked into the Roller.

Forming the new Main Bow on the Tubing Roller

Here are the three bows for the Bimini Frame. The new main Bow, the mid bow and the front bow. All the jaw slides and fittings have been located and attached. All mounts attached to the bows should be attached by locating the correct mounting position, and drilling through the fitting's set screw hole into the tubing. Thread the hole in the tubing for 12-24 SS pan head machine screws. Never use the fitting's set screws, as these will invariably work loose and shift, and eventually they will seize in the fitting, making them impossible to remove or tighten.

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