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Custom aluminum fuel tank builders in NorCal?

tonyoverthere

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Anyone know of any custom aluminum fuel tank builders in NorCal? I know about IMCO but was trying to find something closer, if at all possible. Need to have aluminum replicas made to replace my fiberglass tanks. Thank you!
 

lenmann

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I looked and came up empty for my Schiada RC project, ended up at IMCO.

There are lots of fab shops up here that can bend and weld aluminum to your design, but I couldn't find anybody that could convince me that they understood baffles, pick-up sizes and locations, etc. for a boat. I didn't understand those features either so I couldn't really give them a complete design and be comfortable with the outcome. IMCO knows their stuff, and from personal experience, the drive isn't that bad.
 

tonyoverthere

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Thank you. I guess I may have to bite the bullet and make the drive. Cost of shipping freight probably doesnt make sense either, considering its two saddle tanks that are 72" long.
 

Dana757

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Imco doesn’t need the tanks. Just send them a sketch. At least that what I did.
 

LOBOATOMY

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I used HSH Marine in Havasu. Had mine (24x11x72) shipped to Kentucky for $300.
Good quality, on time (2 week turnaround), very reasonable pricing and a 10% Military Discount. Also, USCG Certified.
Here is their web
 

lenmann

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Imco doesn’t need the tanks. Just send them a sketch. At least that what I did.
Absolutely correct. I worked with Brad at IMCO ([email protected]) and sent him CAD files of the exterior dimensions I wanted and they took care of the tank specific details that I didn't really understand. In working with him, he said they can and do work with everything from CAD solid models to pencil sketches on bar napkins.

Not sure what your application is but if your tanks are gunwale mounted and you have existing holes in the gunwales for the fuel fills it could be challenging to accurately describe to IMCO where to place the fill tubes in the new tanks so they line up with the existing holes. On my tanks I had IMCO omit the fills. Once I mounted the tanks in the hull I was able to drill the fill holes accurately in the tanks, through the existing gunwale hole, and weld the fills here locally.

If you have belly tanks, well, ignore the second paragraph above.
 

jmeads

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I was in the same situation when I lived in Nor Cal and had to go to LHC for my family ski boat re do. I used Brain at Tank It. Worked out well for my needs.
 
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