Custom fabricated livewell?

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Hanr3

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Its been three years since I remodeled my boat. I want more floor space for a third seat. To get the space I am going to move my livewell to the port side of the boat. To make this happen, I need to fabricate my own livewell and I am looking for sugestions on materials, methods, tips and tricks.
 
I really like the way you have it setup. Great ideas.. And that trailer. Wow!

You could always fab one up in cardboard and bring it to your local aluminum welding shop. I had my local shop make some pods for $50 piece.
 
$50 eh. That may be a great option.
I wasn't looking forward to messing with fiberglass.

Thanks for the compliment and idea.
 
check out Great Lakes Skipper... they have some great livewells at great prices... IF you can go to them and pick them up. Otherwise, you pay out the wazoo on shipping...

Depending on what size, you could always make them out of coolers, or heavy duty rubbermaid totes. I used to use the totes (sometimes they are almost too big - but if you can find the right length and width, you can cut down the top to the size that will fit for height).
 
Thanks for the suggestions.
Trouble with a pre-fabed unit is they usually have vertical walls. I need one side at and angle to match teh side of the boat.

I already have a cooler converted to a livewell and it works great. Thanks for the link, however my unit is a more permenant, actually its built into a cabinet I made for it.

Looking more and more like I need to create the wheel per say.
 
Hanr3

My livewell was built from a sheet pc. of 5052 .080 alum sheet. I had access to a sheet brake so I made the sides and bottom all 1 pc., and had the ends welded in.. Make sure to a figure out the layout of stuff before cutting, and allow for lips around the top when figuring total blank size. If You look at my build in the signature You'll see I also made it to angle up the side of the hull, but without making it too tight to get at my overflow connection. Do You know of a local metal fab shop that does small jobs? Or perhaps a local welding shop that isn't looking to get rich on every job. If there's a vocational school close by, talk to them about doing a project for You, and get a kid some credits toward his diploma. You can even sign up for a class for Yourself and use it as one of Your projects for class completion. I built mine to be permanent, so the drain goes out the bottom and under the floor to drain thru the transom, not really that hard if You think it thru. The whole thing will depend on bending the pcs. right so there's no big gaps where the ends meet the bottom and sides. I bent the main body, got the backside to lay against the hull the way I wanted it, then put a pc. of sheet up to the end and marked around the outside of the tank. When i sheared the excess of I cut off the line I marked so the corners fit even and are easier to weld around. It cost me about $55 for the whole tank job on welding, that included the lid, end caps, and drain tube , and also the alum hinges and latch I salvaged from an old Smokercraft. Hope this helps , and remember, You can do it, just take the time so it comes out right the first time. We'll all be cheering You on.
 

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novaman said:
Hanr3

My livewell was built from a sheet pc. of 5052 .080 alum sheet. I had access to a sheet brake so I made the sides and bottom all 1 pc., and had the ends welded in.. Make sure to a figure out the layout of stuff before cutting, and allow for lips around the top when figuring total blank size. If You look at my build in the signature You'll see I also made it to angle up the side of the hull, but without making it too tight to get at my overflow connection. Do You know of a local metal fab shop that does small jobs? Or perhaps a local welding shop that isn't looking to get rich on every job. If there's a vocational school close by, talk to them about doing a project for You, and get a kid some credits toward his diploma. You can even sign up for a class for Yourself and use it as one of Your projects for class completion. I built mine to be permanent, so the drain goes out the bottom and under the floor to drain thru the transom, not really that hard if You think it thru. The whole thing will depend on bending the pcs. right so there's no big gaps where the ends meet the bottom and sides. I bent the main body, got the backside to lay against the hull the way I wanted it, then put a pc. of sheet up to the end and marked around the outside of the tank. When i sheared the excess of I cut off the line I marked so the corners fit even and are easier to weld around. It cost me about $55 for the whole tank job on welding, that included the lid, end caps, and drain tube , and also the alum hinges and latch I salvaged from an old Smokercraft. Hope this helps , and remember, You can do it, just take the time so it comes out right the first time. We'll all be cheering You on.


Nice work novaman! That's a great price and about what I'm looking to do as well.
Thanks!!!
:beer:
 
Aluminum?

Kind of what I want to do with my build. Put the livewell and bait tanks on the port side. On the starboard, rod storage.

Talons
 

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