How to make your own Wakeboard Tower Accessories

TAG:  where to buy 

Published Time: -

Filetype: pdf

Filesize: 3056308

1 How to make your own Wakeboard Tower Accessories. Learn how to build Light Bars and Tower Speaker Cans. Also, where to find all the parts you need to build your project. Ebay buyers beware. Find out what to watch out for when buying tower accessories on ebay. 4 and 6 Light Bar Projects Tower Speaker Can Projects This manual consists of ways to build projects for your wakeboard tower. We include the instructions on how to build a Light Bar and Tower Speaker Cans. We put this together for the consumer to save money and to enjoy the fundamentals of making their own projects the way they want. All information and photos are copyrighted and NO part of this can be redistributed or sold without prior written permission from the owner. We are not responsible for and do not warranty any parts or projects made from this manual. 2 How to make your own Wakeboard Tower Accessories. Table of contents: First Project: Light Bar • Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 3 • Materials Needed………………………………………………………... 4 • How to build a Light Bar Step by Step………………………………… 4-6 Second Project: Speaker Cans • Introduction……………………………………………………………….. 3 • Materials Needed………………………………………………………... 7 • How to Build a Speaker Can Step by Step ………………………...… 7-8 Where to Buy your Products • Product Type..………………………..…………………………………. 9-10 • Places of Business..……………………………………………………. 9-10 • Contacts………………………………………………………………….. 9-10 Buying Tower Accessories on Ebay • What to Buy………………………………………………………………. 11-12 • What Not to Buy…………...…………………………………………….. 11-12 Brake down Costs and Time to Build • Cost per Project………………………………………………………….. 13 • Time to Build each Project…………………………………………. 13 Photos • Light Bar Products……………………………………………………….. 14 • Light Bar – Step by Step………………………………………………... 15-16 • PVC Speaker Cans……………………………………………………… 17 Check List • Check List for your Light Bar…….……………………………………... 18 3 Introduction Tired of paying a lot of money for Light Bars and Tower Speakers? So were we!
So we designed our own accessories for our tower and they look just as good as
store bought. They did not even cost as much as new store prices. In this manual you will be able to make your own Light Bar and Speaker Cans, as
well as finding the right products to make them. We spent several months
locating every part to make these products and finally got to the wholesalers that
make the products. You will be able to get all your materials at cost and have the
pleasure to build what you want; the way you want to make it. We even put together a buyer beware list for ebay. What to buy, and what not to
buy. There are so many people out there who only want to make a buck with out
putting the time and effort in what they make. There is a lot of crap on ebay.
Don’t be the one who just spent $350.00 on a pair of speakers that was all show
and no go. Another part of this manual is where to find everything. We put together a list of
venders who carry just what you need. Everything from the smallest grommet to
the aluminum bar. Listed are the contact addresses and phone numbers; even
web site addresses so you can see the products before you buy them. The best
part is you don’t need a dealers license to buy any of these products. Good luck on your projects and remember the biggest part you will need is
Patience! You will be more happy with your project when you are done. Enjoy…………… 4 How to make a Wakeboard Tower Light Bar. Materials needed for your light bar: 4 and 6 light set up Two light bars sizes are available: 1“ or 1½” thick. We use the 1” thick bar as we think it
looks better. • Clean towel to cover work area. • Aluminum Bar with 6 lights: 36” long, 3” wide, 1” high. Shorter clamp bolt is
required. • Aluminum Bar with 4 lights: 25” long, 3” wide, 1” high. Shorter clamp bolt is
required. • Two (2) Clamps from Precision Metal Works. • Shorter bolt size: 10mm 1.5 X 14mm. • Lights from Auto Champs: (4 or 6). • Grommets. • Sand paper: 1500 grit wet dry. • Mothers Polish for a mirror finish. • Never Dull. • Thread lock for clamp bolts. • Patience. After you have all your parts you can start to assemble your light bar. Step 1
Using 1500 sand paper, sand the aluminum bar lightly until it’s dull. Then apply the
polishing compound to the bar. Apply the compound until you achieve a nice finish. Step 2
Line your lights up on top of the bar to where you want them facing. Mark all holes with
a felt pen. Then use a punch on each hole to be drilled. Mark a hole in between 2 lights
for the light harness to go in to. See photo D-3 Step 3
Flip the bar over and line up the 2 clamps anywhere you want them, as long as they are
even on both sides of the bar. Mark the holes with your pen and use a punch. Step 4
On the same side as the clamps, mark a spot for the hole where your wire harness will
come out. Generally, this hole is on the drivers side of the boat.
See photo D-6 Step 5
Use a 3/16 drill bit for drilling the light holes, 3/16 rivets will be used to attach the lights to
the bar. See photo D-5 5 Step 6
A 7/16 drill bit is required for the clamp and the harness holes. See photos D-3 and D-6 Step 7
Now rivet your lights to the bar. Step 8
Measure your tower for your harness length. Use 14 gauge wire for the ground wire
(black), and 16 gauge wire for the white wire. For a 6 light bar set up you should cut
around 13’ of wire, one 13’ black wire & three 13’ white wires. Step 9
Each light kit comes with some wire. Use the white & black wire from the kit for inside of
the light bar. Connect each light, then feed the wire through the hole and out the mouth
of the bar. Step 10
You should have 6 black and 6 white wires hanging out. First, grab all 6 black wires and
cut about 5” from the end of the bar. Attach all 6 wires to the 14 gauge black wire
(solder if possible). See photo D-2 Step 11
You should have 6 white wires left. Separate into pairs; 2 wires for the 2 lights facing
one way, 2 for the 2 lights facing another way, etc., until you have 3 sets of wires. See
photo D-12 Step 12
Feed your 13’ harness through the harness hole on the light bar and pull it out the mouth
of the bar. Solder 2 wires onto 1 single white wire. See photo D-12 Repeat two more
times to complete the 6 light set up. Once all of the wires are connected, push the
excess back into the bar. Step 13
Flip the bar over and add your clamps. We used a magnet to insert the bolt. Then use a
wrench to tighten up. Don’t forget lock tight! See photo D-1 & D-9 Step 14
Add your end caps. Sometimes you will have to use a rubber hammer for the end caps,
they fit real snug. Step 15
After your bar is complete, grab your harness at the very end and pull. If they are not
completely the same length, cut as needed. Put all the ends of the wires into a drill and
pull tight; turn the drill on. This will give a nice twist to the harness and make it easier to
handle. See photo D-7 6 Install your new light bar. Use the instructions provided with the lights to hook up
to your boat. You will have to drill a hole in the tower for your harness. Use a
7/16 hole and for the boat as well. Below is a diagram that we use for our light
bar that came with relays. You may use this as well. The time to build a light bar depends on you. We can produce a very nice light
bar in about 4 hours. Remember to take your time and do it right. Who wants to
do it twice? You will be very happy with the way it comes out if you take your
time. Print this for a reference when installing your switches in your boat. 7 How to make Tower Speaker Cans. Tower speakers can be made so many different ways. Choose the easiest way
to build yours without paying a tremendous amount of money. We have found
that to buy the aluminum can and clamps from the same place was the best deal
out there. Aluminum Speaker Cans: Refer to our “Where to Buy Products” page for information on where to get
this set up. This is very easy. You can buy the can and the aluminum
clamps from the same person. These cans are empty so you will have to
purchase your own speakers. The beauty of this is that you can put your
favorite speaker in. Once this is done it’s ready to go. We recommend this
set up over any other type of speaker set up. Materials needed for your PVC Speaker cans: • PVC Pipe Schedule 40; 17” long • PVC End caps • Glue • Speaker Wire • Terminal ends • Speakers • Clamps PVC Can Project: Step 1
Order your pvc pipe. It will always come longer than what you need. You will
need to order 2 pvc pipes and 2 end caps. When you order the pvc pipe, it will
say 6 inch, but in reality it is a little bigger than 6.5 inch; it is 6.62 inches. This
will be the perfect size. Your end caps are long, you will have to trim them down
a bit. Step 2
Once you have your pvc pipe, end caps, glue, paint, terminal ends, clamps, and
speakers you are ready to assemble. Step 3
Cut your parts first. Most speaker cans are from 8 to 9 inches long. Cut yours
somewhere around there. Cut your end caps down so they are not so long.
Glue your end caps on. Refer to photos D13 – D16 8 Step 4
Paint your cans with Fusion pvc paint, or use auto trunk paint for that splatter
effect. This stuff sticks very well, and there are a great selection of colors. Paint
first before adding speaker, clamps, and terminals. Step 5
Drill the holes for the clamps and terminals. The clamps are generally placed
closer to the speaker end of the can to counter act the weight of the speaker.
The terminals is usually go behind the clamps. Step 6
Attach your clamps, and terminals for the speaker wire. Hook up speaker wire
on the inside; use good wire. Drill 4 small holes in the lip of the can for your
speaker screws. Screw the speaker down, add your speaker grill, and your
done. How to make Front / Back Speakers: Follow all steps above, but instead of adding a end cap, use a speaker. You will
have 4 speakers total; one on each end. This is a very easy set up to do. Making cuts for this size pipe can be hard. The best way is to find a shop who
can make one big cut for you instead of half cuts. One big cut will be so much
nicer when complete. 9 Where to Buy your Products. Below is a list of places you can buy all your products for the light bars and
speaker cans. Also, web sites are available to order your parts online and have
them sent right to your door. We have researched this for some time, and have
found out these are the best places to buy from with the best deals. Aluminum Speaker Cans & Clamps Precision Metal Machining
3156-A Fitzgerald Rd
Rancho Cordova, California
Phone: (916)233-4186
Web Site: www.precisionmetalmachining.com Note: Bolts are supplied, But you will need a shorter bolt
with the 1” thick bar. Aluminum Bars Online Metals.com
1138 West Ewing
Seattle, WA 98119
Phone: (800) 704-2157
Web Site: www.onlinemetals.com Bar Size: 1 ½ X 3 X 36 - or request your own length End Cap 3 X 1 ½ Reference #EC3x15 Watkins Fitness & Sports Equipment
226 - 228 South Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: 1-800-235-8341
Web Site: www.fitness-equipment.com Note: Go to accessories on web site and enter reference
number to find the product. Aluminum Bars Metal Supermarkets www.metalsupermarkets.com All orders done online, very easy to buy.
Good for 1 X 3 X 25 or 36” length. Note With the 1”
thick bar you will need to buy a shorter bolt to fit
inside. Bolt size: 10mm – 1.5 X 14mm, use with
thread lock. End Caps RER 1X3-14-20 Cap Xpress 2150 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY, 14207-1910
Phone: 1-888-CAPLUGS (227-5847)
Web Site: www.caplugs.com Note: They will send you a Free Sample of 2 end caps,
enough for one light bar. Otherwise they only sell in bulk. Bar Lights Auto Champs
200 Hempstead Tpke
West Hempstead, NY-11552
Phone: 631-434 6522
Web Site: www.eautochamps.com Note: You can view all their lights. You do not have to
use the ones we used. 10 Plastic Grommets Never Dull Ace Hardware Mothers Polish You can find this at your local auto parts store. PVC Pipe for speaker cans
Part# 26511 - 6" White PVC
Schedule 40 Pipe United States Plastic Corp
1390 Neubrecht Rd
Lima, Ohio 45801-3196
Phone: 1-800-809-4217
Web Site: www.usplastic.com Note: All parts are listed under Pipe. PVC end cap
Part # 28447 - Schedule 40; White
Cap PVC Socket Fitting United States Plastic Corp
1390 Neubrecht Rd
Lima, Ohio 45801-3196
Phone: 1-800-809-4217
Web Site: www.usplastic.com Note: You will have to trim this end cap down to about 1”
high. Speaker Can Clamps. These will not
scratch your tower. IC Fluid Power
P.O. Box 97
63 Dixie Highway
Rossford, OH 43460
Phone: 1-877-ICFLUID
Web Site: www.icfluid.com Note: These clamps only go up to 2”. http://www.hydacusa.com/valves/htpclamps.htm Link above is another source for this style. They may
have bigger sizes. Speaker Connectors Speaker Connectors can be found at your local Radio
Shack or Car Stereo store.
Clamps for PVC cans White Lake Marine
Burlington/Graham, NC
Phone: 336-221-9005
Web Site: www.whitelake.com Note: Click on the tower speaker link. It will take you to
the link to get the clamps. 11 Buying Tower Accessories on Ebay. Buying tower accessories on eBay is getting kind of confusing. Everyone says theirs are
the best, but what you don’t know is what are they really made out of. What happens if I
buy their product and one brakes, falls off, hits someone in the head, and hurts them?
Are they going to cover this? What is their warranty? Just a few questions to ask when you do buy tower accessories from ebay.
Always ask the seller a few things before you bid. Example questions to ask: 1. Are these speakers all aluminum?
2. Are they all plastic?
3. How do these clamps hold up to tower wobble?
4. How are the clamps attached to the can?
5. Is there a warranty?
6. What happens if one brakes off when on the water and hurts someone in the boat? 7. What type of speakers are they?
8. Is this Light Bar fully wired?
9. Do I have to wire the inside of the light bar?
10. What happens if I get a melt down with the wires?
11. What type of lights are these?
12. Do you have a return policy? Here is an example: The speaker below looks good and sold for a lot of money, but it is
not the right way to build it. The ad was worded to make you think these are an
aluminum can. The seller says that this is an aluminum speaker can, but it is not. This
speaker is made out of PVC pipe, and made with a very small bracket. It has a very thin
aluminum sleeve slid over the pvc pipe. People spend over $350.00 for a pair of these
speaker cans, and he gets bad feedback with this product. Yet, people still buy them. If
it sounds to good to be true, it may not be right. Stay away from it! 12 Buying Tower Accessories on Ebay. We see a lot of people advertising products that come from the automotive world. They
call them wakeboard tower lights or wakeboard tower speakers. They can be used for
the wakeboard tower, but they are not exclusive wakeboard tower accessories. If you
look around you can find these products at your local auto parts store, or online, and get
the products for more than half of what they sell for on ebay. This is just one example,
there are still more out there. From what we see in light bars, they are good quality, but
very expensive, $300.00 to $500.00 on ebay. Follow the instructions on “How to Build a Light Bar”, and you can have your own for
around $120.00, the same type you see on ebay. What to buy:
Spend a few extra minutes on the item that is up for auction. Check the seller’s
feedback for starters. If they have good and positive feedback, that scores 1 point. After
you have done this, ask the seller questions about their product. See the list of
questions at the beginning of this ebay section. Don’t forget to ask about any type of
warranty. A good seller will stand behind their product. If everything checks out good
then you can bid. Speaker Cans: Plastic PVC cans with 2 speakers should range around $135.00 to
$225.00 depending on the speaker. Plastic PVC cans with 4 speakers should range around $200.00 to $275.00, also
depending on the speaker. Aluminum speaker cans range from $200.00 up to $1,000.00, depends on the
manufacturer and speaker. Don’t buy speaker cans that look cheesy; sets that have very small brackets and cheap
speakers. Remember you can build your own for less than $200.00. Tip: When you see a plastic pvc speaker can set up, write down the model of the
speakers and search ebay for that speaker (speaker only). Chances are, you will find
those speakers for really cheap. Light bars: A good price is around $250.00. They shouldn’t be any more than that. If
you pay more than $250.00, then you are wasting your money. If you don’t want to build
your own, don’t buy the first light bar you see. There are plenty on ebay. Good luck and don’t forget to ask questions about any product. It is your money that is
buying the product not theirs. 13 The Brake Down of Costs and Time to Build. Light Bar Prices vary with sales tax and some shipping. Cost to build: Aluminum bar: $20.00 to $25.00
Clamps: $39.00 includes shipping
Lights: $25.00 to $29.00 for 1 set
End Caps: Free to $4.00 a pair
Total 4 light set up: $113.00
Total 6 light set up: $138.00 Light Bar Time to build First Time: 3 – 4 hours Tower Speaker Cans Prices vary with sales tax and some shipping. Cost to build: Aluminum cans: (2) $140.00 with shipping,
comes with 2” & under clamps.
Speakers: $25.00 to $75.00 a set on ebay new.
Total with a good pair of Kicker speakers: $190.00 PVC Plastic Speaker Cans
PVC: $20.00
End Caps: $45.00
Clamps: $10.00
Terminals & PVC Glue: $13.00
Speakers: $25.00 to $75.00 a set on ebay new.
Total with a good pair of Kicker speakers: $138.00 Tower Speaker Cans Time to build First Time: 2 hours Remember, you can also paint the pvc any color you want, and the aluminum
you can take to your local powder coater to have any color you want. Normally, it
will cost around $10.00 to $25.00 for powder coating. It might take some time to build your project, but is fun to do. When somebody
asks you where you got that light bar or speaker cans, all you need to do is smile
and say, “I made them!” It is a good feeling. Good Luck……… 14 Light Bar Products Auto Champs Mothers & Never Dull Plastic End Caps Plastic Grommets Auto Champs Light Clamps Aluminum Bar 15 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 16 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 17 D13 D14 D15 D16 18 How to make your own Wakeboard Tower Accessories Check List. This check list below is for a 4 & 6 light set up for your light bar. Aluminum Bar Lights Clamps End Caps 2 clamp bolts 1500 sand paper Polishing Products Rivets & rivet gun Solder or Terminals Grommets Patience Before you start your project, use the check list above for a reference. It will
make your job a lot easier if you have everything in front of you before you begin. 19 How To Make your own Wakeboard Tower Accessories. If you have any questions or if need some help when you are building your project, please contact us via email with your question. We will try to help you. Wakeboarder271@verizon.net Thank You Ken Walworth This manual consists of ways to build projects for your wakeboard tower. We
include the instructions on how to build a Light Bar and Tower Speaker Cans.
We put this together for the consumer to save money and to enjoy the
fundamentals of making their own projects the way they want. All information
and photos are copyrighted and NO part of this can be redistributed or sold
without prior written permission from the owner. We are not responsible for and
do not warranty any parts or projects made from this manual. While we make
every attempt to insure this information is complete and accurate, it is impossible
to account for every scenario. Please consult with a local technician before
attempting to perform any work you are not qualified to do. Be sure to take all
necessary safety precautions. Failure to do so may result in property damage or
personal injury. END!