Another Diy Pylon

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Tommorow I'm starting working on my DIY Pylon, using the 2 cables to the rear and a cable and ratchet strap to the front. I'm using 1.5 inch steel tubing, as I already have it in my garage and it'd 3/16 inch thick so it will be plenty strong. It's gonna be 6feet 5 inches tall plus the hitchball as thats how long the piece I have is. I'm also gonna weld a hitch ball on top and use chain links for the cables, just like another member on the boards, but I might use a U bolt and drill holes and put it through and weld it on each side, havent decided yet.
This will not be adjustable as I have no need for it to be. I'm going to have a steel plate on the bottom that will go on the floor of the boat but will not be attached to the boat. I'd rather have this way so if I do not want the pylon, the floor mount wont be in the way for people to hit.

When done I'm going to have it bedlined at work and polish the ball on top.

Pictures of progress will be posted tmr. Any other ideas Suggestions are always welcome. This pylon will also have board racks permanently attached to it, I will make these too, cutting a patten out of steel with the plasma cutter at work.

wesgardner · Posted: Jun 10, 2005 4:04 am Post subject:

Hey Powaman,

I think you've covered all the bases and will have a great, safe pylon project. If I had welding skills, mine would have prolly used "U" bolts welded at the top as you've suggested....I used nico-press fittings rather than cable clamps but either will make a fine set-up (use two Mr. Green

at each connection). My cable was 3/16" galvanized plastic-coated from Home Depot, my forward cable was doubled (not necessarily for strength 'cause the stuff is PLENTY strong already) as this made the attachment to the ratchet strap very easy (just ran the nylon web of the ratched thru the two ends of the cable (use cable thimbles...) If you attached your base plate to a piece of 3/4" plywood , it'll be fine - believe me, when you honk down on that ratchet, things get TIGHT...

Post pics!

Wes

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Heres some pics, got the ball welded on top, I bolted it to a piece of steel then welded it to the steel and the steel to the pole. I drilled holes put the u bolts through and cut them off on the other side and weld then front and back. I hafta wait till monday to get plate for the base, as the steel place ain't open till then. I'm just gonna grind it down tmr some more and make it look very nice and use the thin bondo to smoothe out the plyon so you wont see where it was grinded.

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

icerider · Criminal Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 77 City: Saskatoon

looks kinda skeychy but thats cause its not cleaned up. nice job i guess

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Ya in the pics it looks like a$$ but in person it aint bad. I still hafta grind down around the hitch ball weld. After I weld the plate on the bottom I'm using "bondo" type stuff except its a polyester filler from work thats very fine and will fill in allt he grinding marks and will look really nice.

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

well here she is all finished. Painted it with rustoleum gloss black the industrial kind(works very well on bare metal)
the bottom plate is 1/4 inch steel and the braces are 3/16 welded on both sides of each piece.

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Total project cost-galvanised pipe 1.5 inch 3/16 inch thick- FREE(had laying around)
1 &7/8 hitch ball-FREE(had laying around)
Steel plate-5 bucks
pieces for reinforcement-free(had leftover from other projects)
u bolts- 2 dollars
Rathet strap-8 bucks
3/16 inch insulated cable-10 bucks
various cable clamps-5 bucks
Total-30 bucks

I just hafta attach the cable to the pylon and it's all done.

Our boat's outdrive was leaking and was taking to a very reputable repair guy and he pressure tested it and it had leaks all over, after looking it over he determined it had been grinded, welded and puttied in the past, basically we got skrewed by the boat repair guy who sold it to us, hes a small shop guy, we now bring it to this other guy who is very good and well known. We were gonna get a rebuilt one, but instead my dad just bought a BRAND NEW with factory warranty Mercruiser Alpha 1 up and lower section of the outdrive, so the pylon will get tested out when the outdrives here and back together.

vision135 · Posted: Jul 11, 2005 3:48 pm Post subject:

Powaman, Looks great finished!

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Thanks, it is function over form, but ended up looking pretty damn good IMO and was nice and cheap. Plus this thing is sturdy. I think I overdid the braces on the bottom place but this thing will not break.

bighitbiker3 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 386 City: Seattle

That is one of the best diy pylons ive seen.

Powaman · Outlaw Joined: 04 Jul 2004 Posts: 170 City: escanaba

Thanks, Next thing up is a board rack for it, to hold my wakeboard and wakeskate. I'm gonna make one like the companys sell, and cut out the pieces using the plasma cutter at work, so it wont look bad.