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Homemade rod tree


jth21usa

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I made one out of schedule 40 plastic and used the Scotty plastic rod Holders. I made steel plates with 6 holes 4 to hold the mounting plate to the base, then 2 in the middle, top and bottom to hold the base to the pipe and it won't spin on the pipe. I used a piece of exhaust pipe with a steel plate welded to it with 2 holes drilled to fasten it to boat and then the rod holder schedule 40 pipe slid over the pipe on the boat, then I drilled a hole through the hole mess and used a pin with a wire lock on it. I could adjust the holders as if the were mounted to the boat.

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Conduit is difficult to weld since it's usually galvanized via hot dip or electroplating, and has thin wall sections. It can be done, but you have to have the right wire (flux core MIG) combination. Don't breathe the fumes......I don't have experience welding conduit, but you can find the set-up information on many welding forums. I made 2 sets of 2" aluminum vertical trees with 3 Rod holders per side. Cut the pieces and angles I needed on a miter saw. The length of tubing cost just over $100. I use downrigger track-mount swivel bases and bought new end caps off of EBay.


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You can weld conduit easy enough. Mig is the easiest but old fashioned arc works also especially Sch40 due to the thickness. Biggest thing is like mentioned you want to ventilate good and don't breath the fumes. Also after you weld you want to paint over weld with cold galvanize or the welds will rust in no time. I worked at a fence company years back and made a few rocket launchers for boats this way. 

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Nice job. Looks great. I have a friend who is a certified welder and he welds for free as long as I prep everything. Soon I will learn how to weld aluminum. I have access to CNC machines so I can make just about anything. It's a lot of fun. I mounted my Rod holders to an old set of track mount downrigger swivel bases.


Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United

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  • 3 years later...

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