Bimini Eye End

[jojo]

Okay, so I'm "trying" to do an enclosure, and the eye end of the bimini frame keeps popping out. How can I make it stay? It's the kind that goes up inside the tube. There are no set screws or anything on the bimini tubing.

[Mike]

they are held in place with a crimp in the tubing at the ring around the insert .you could yse a screw or a rivet but the eye then wont swivel .
is this something you made the frame that is? youd be better off with a outside eye end

[Darren Henry]

As Mike said it needs to be crimped. Lay the fitting beside the tubing, and mark where the indent will sit on the tubing. Place the tubing on a protective surface like a carpet scrap or cardboard,insert and align the eye end, then smack your reference mark with a cold chisel on both sides.Piece of cake  ;)

[Mike]

Darren ive got the tool that puts a single dimple on either side but i only use it with nlyon eyes
Ive seen a complete ring on the tubing.  Mist be a hell of a crimp tool. Never seen this on stainless tubing.

[JuneC]

I've seen it on 3/4" and 7/8" stainless tube and I always wondered what that machine would look like.  Some serious arbor press with special dies?  No idea, but for sure, you don't want to get your finger in there.

June

[Mike]

speaking of a press june   you reminded me of when I worked at a office furniture company in my 20s there was a girl who worked in my department. one thing we did was tables with metal chrome square legs we put a insert  with threads into the legs to screw then to the aprons the inserts were put ion a numatic press to tweak the corner so they would bind into the square leg, and one day this girl was doing this and got here thumb in the way of the ram and smashed the end of her thumb it split open like a mouth on a snake and here thumb nail popped right off . she quit after that never came back

[Darren Henry]

Never seen this on stainless tubing.

OOPS! I hadn't thought of that . Here on the prairies it's rare to run into stainless tubing. The norm is 7/8" aluminum.

If you don't have a big enough hammer; plan "B" would be a s.s. screw.

[jojo]

I found a nylon fitting, and ended up hammering it in. It's pretty tight in there, and I don't think it's going anywhere. Crimping would crimp my style.
Thanks for the input.

[Mike]

id put a screw in it , you wouldn't was the top up underway and catch air and come off and injure someone and end up with a lawsuit

[Peppy]

I once had to remake a bar and use those fittings because the fitting needed to pivot when the frame was folded forward. I measured up and put an 1/8" pop rivet where that groove is in the fitting. Had to be real careful measuring, and it didn't swivel quite as freely as the mondo-crimp June's talking about but it worked. If it didn't need to pivot I'd put a rivet in it any old place and be done.

[Mike]

an easier more costly but cooler was to have it swivel and also quick release

http://shop.acconmarine.com/products/63-401-quick-release.aspx

[Peppy]

I really like those fittings Mike. They only came available to us the last year or two. They're as handy as they are spendy.

[Mike]

there just a couple hours north of me