MAKING CAN HOLDERS FOR YOUR BOAT

This was a project I did two years ago and my first foray into DIY videoing, etc. As any videographer can tell you a lot of what you shoot is either bad, not lit well, etc., et al, so a lot ends up on the 'cutting room floor.' A lot did for this video and what's here is the best; an indictment of my skills, to say the least. That said ...

I made these things because my boat came with two cup holders (it's a fishing boat) and everyone (i.e., my wife and daughter) was constantly pissing and moaning about having no place to park their cans. These cup holders will hold a can with coozy (foam insulation) tightly, and will hang just about every/anywhere (favorite spots seem to be the gunwale coaming pads, and the Bimini frame).

They've lasted two seasons so far and show no sign of packing it in. Best part is they cost about $3 - $4 each (you can spend anywhere from $10 to $50 on cupholders) and they take about 20 minutes to make when you get the hang of it.

I guess, if I make more, I'd try to go with schedule 20 PVC (not as thick as schedule 40). And I might consider painting the aluminum stock with Krylon or somesuch. And, the aforementioned ladies still want me to make ones for wine glasses. I think those'll require a slightly different design, though.

Anyway ... here's how I did it. There's a materials list and some other stuff below.

Material

¼ x ¾ x 36 aluminum bar (T [thick] x W x L)

3-inch PVC pipe. Sched 40 is plenty thick enough

Rivets or flathead bolts

Tools I Used

(all can be replaced with hand tools)

•Drill press (hand drill)

•1/8 inch bit

•Cut-off saw (hacksaw)

•Rivet gun and rivets (flathead bolts)

•Rasp/file

•Vise

Measurements

All measurements are give-or-take. If you’re making a holder exclusively for bottles, you’d probably use thinner circumference PVC. If you’re making it for wine glass, the leg going to the right angle bend would be longer, etc. For this one

Bottom leg measures 3.5 inches inside of right angle bend

PVC bottom ring at about 2-7/8 inches

PVC was cut about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in height

Length of bar stock was 6-3/4 to 7 inches from right angle bend.

Arm after loop was approx. 4-1/4 inches.

Aligning the Holes

You can also do it this way:

After drilling the first hole, put the bolt or rivet in the hole to hold the ring and bar in the proper place and then drill.