TACO Metals 20ft 1in 304 Stainless Steel Tube, High Polished
TACO Metals 20ft 1in 304 Stainless Steel Tube, High Polished — Product description
This is TACO Metals 20-foot stainless tube, 1-inch outside diameter in high-polished 304 stainless. It's raw stock for the boat, the kind of tube fabricators reach for when they're building a rail, a T-top frame, a grab rail, or a custom hardtop. One clean 20-foot length, ready to cut and bend to your project.
If you've ever priced out a custom rail or a T-top frame, you know it starts with good tube. This is TACO Metals S14-1065P20, a single 20-foot length of 1-inch outside-diameter 304 stainless steel with a high-polished finish. It's stock, not a finished part. You cut it, bend it, and rig it into whatever your boat needs.
The 1-inch diameter is the workhorse size for marine framing. It fits the common 1-inch rail bases, stanchion feet, clamps, and slip-fit fittings that most hardware is built around. Grab rails, bow rails, T-top legs, hardtop frames, bimini bows, radar arch uprights, rocket launcher tubes. If it's round stainless on a boat, odds are it's 1-inch tube. The 0.065-inch wall keeps it light enough to handle and weld without a lot of heat, while still holding its shape once it's bent and mounted.
Let's be straight about the material. This is 304 stainless, not 316. 304 is the more economical marine grade and it looks great, that high-polished finish is a real mirror shine. It holds up well on freshwater boats, on trailer boats that get rinsed after every trip, and anywhere the tube isn't sitting in constant salt spray. If you're building for a boat that lives in saltwater year-round, or a part that stays wet all the time, 316 resists pitting and crevice corrosion better at the fittings. For most rails, frames, and hardware that get washed down, 304 does the job and saves you money.
A few things worth knowing before you start cutting. Twenty feet is a lot of tube, so plan your transport. A lot of builders cut it into working sections before they haul it home. When you cut, use an abrasive cutoff wheel or a fine-tooth blade, then deburr and polish the cut ends so they don't snag or rust. Tape the ends and lay the tube on padded supports while you work, because that polished surface scratches easy and scratches are hard to buff out once they're in.
Bending is where people get in trouble. Don't try to hand-bend 1-inch stainless. It kinks. You want a proper tube bender, a hydraulic or rotary-draw bender with a 1-inch die, or a trip to a local fab shop that can put clean radiused bends in it for you. Dry-fit everything before you commit to a weld or a screw.
When you mount it, match your hardware to the tube. 1-inch stainless bases and fittings bed nicely against the tube, and it's smart to run stainless fittings and a good marine sealant at every joint to keep water out of the seams. On a long unsupported run the tube can vibrate underway, so add an intermediate bracket or two every few feet to stiffen it up. On lighter hulls, back up your base mounts with a backing plate so the load spreads instead of working the deck.
Once it's installed, keeping 304 looking good is simple. Rinse it with fresh water, and give it a wipe with a stainless polish or a light marine metal wax a few times a season. That polished finish sheds water and grime, but salt left to dry on the surface is what eventually starts the tea-staining you see on neglected rails. Ten minutes with a rag keeps it mirror-bright for years.
On sizing, measure twice. Lay out your rail or frame run on paper first, add up your straight sections and your bends, and leave yourself a little extra for trim cuts and mistakes. Twenty feet covers a full grab rail or bow rail on most boats with room to spare, and it's enough to build a T-top or hardtop frame in sections. If your project needs more than one length, order what you need up front so the polish and the stock batch match.
One more note on what you're getting. This is a single tube, one 20-foot stick, not a bundle or a kit. There are no fittings, bases, or bends included. That's on purpose. Everybody's project is different, so you spec your own hardware and cut the tube to suit. Think of it as the raw material for a clean, custom job rather than a pre-made part you bolt on and forget.
Who's this for? Boat builders, riggers, welders, and hands-on owners doing their own rail and frame work. It's not a bolt-on accessory. It's the starting point. If you know your way around a tube bender and a drill, or you've got a fab shop lined up, this is clean, good-looking stock that finishes into hardware you'll be proud of. And it's TACO Metals, a name the rigging crowd already trusts for tube and rail.
Key Features
- 304 stainless steel construction, a proven marine-grade metal for rails and framing
- 1-inch outside diameter, the workhorse size that fits common 1-inch rail bases, clamps, and slip-fit fittings
- 0.065-inch wall thickness, light enough to handle and weld yet stiff enough to hold shape once bent
- High-polished mirror finish that matches marine rail hardware right out of the box
- 20-foot single length, enough stock for a full grab rail or bow rail with room to spare
- Round tube profile, the standard for grab rails, T-top and hardtop frames, bimini bows, and radar arch uprights
- TACO Metals stock, a tube-and-rail name boat builders and riggers already know
Why Buy from NVN Marine
- Authorized TACO Metals reseller, full manufacturer warranty
- NMEA member and ABYC certified, advice from real boat techs
- Same-day shipping before 3 PM ET on in-stock items
- NY headquarters and Fort Lauderdale flagship retail store
Technical specifications
| Title | 20 Foot Length; 1 Inch Diameter; High Polished; 304 Stainless Steel; Single |
|---|---|
| Brand | TACO Metals |
| Manufacturer Part Number | S14-1065P20 |
| UPC | 630838018290 |
| Length | 20 ft |
| Outside Diameter | 1 in |
| Wall Thickness | 0.065 in |
| Material | 304 Stainless Steel |
| Finish | High Polished |
| Shape | Round Tube |
| Quantity | Single (1 tube) |
| Product Type | Stainless Steel Tubing |
Frequently asked questions
What exactly am I getting?
A single 20-foot length of TACO Metals 304 stainless steel tube, 1-inch outside diameter with a 0.065-inch wall and a high-polished finish. It's raw stock, so there are no fittings, bases, or bends included.
What can I build with it?
It's the standard size for marine framing: grab rails, bow rails, T-top legs, hardtop frames, bimini bows, radar arch uprights, and rocket launcher tubes. Anywhere you'd use round 1-inch stainless on a boat, this is the stock.
Is 304 stainless okay for saltwater?
304 holds up well on freshwater boats and on trailer boats that get rinsed after every trip. For a boat that lives in saltwater year-round or a part that stays constantly wet, 316 resists pitting and crevice corrosion better at the fittings. For most rails and frames that get washed down, 304 does the job and costs less.
What's the wall thickness?
The wall is 0.065 inch. That's light enough to handle and weld without a lot of heat, while still holding its shape once it's bent and mounted.
Can I bend it by hand?
No. Hand-bending 1-inch stainless kinks it. Use a proper hydraulic or rotary-draw tube bender with a 1-inch die, or take it to a local fab shop that can put clean radiused bends in it for you.
How do I cut it?
Use an abrasive cutoff wheel or a fine-tooth blade, then deburr and polish the cut ends so they don't snag or start to rust. Dry-fit everything before you commit to a weld or a screw.
How do I keep the polished finish from getting scratched during install?
Tape the ends and lay the tube on padded supports while you work. The polished surface scratches easily, and scratches are hard to buff out once they're in.
Does it come cut to length or in one piece?
It ships as a single 20-foot length. Twenty feet is a lot of tube, so plan your transport. Many builders cut it into working sections before hauling it home.
What fittings and bases work with it?
The 1-inch outside diameter fits common 1-inch stainless bases and slip-fit fittings. Run stainless fittings and a good marine sealant at every joint to keep water out of the seams.
Do I need to support a long run?
Yes. On a long unsupported span the tube can vibrate underway, so add an intermediate bracket every few feet. On lighter hulls, back up your base mounts with a backing plate so the load spreads instead of working the deck.
