I am planning on making some simple boat railings, that will consist of a piece of stainless steel 7/8" tubing with 2 60 degree bends. How should I bend this, without spending hundreds of dollars on some hydraulic press or something else like that?

Here is the picture of what I am doing:

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a39/grantrobarts/?action=view&current=siderails.jpg

But instead of welding the middle support and the bases, I am going to be using mounting brackets with set screws.

Hi,

A couple of members made their own benders with rollers/wheels and a simple hydraulic jack a year ago (or something like that). I believe you'll find the threads if you search in the forums.

Regards,
Sven

Grant,
IMHO depending on wall thickness the bending is the easiest part of your project. I'm puzzled by your choice of attachment method. Would not welding offer a more-pleasing-to-the-eye end product ? Not to mention SAFER?? Chances are you'll never know those setscrews have loosened up until its too late and someone leans on or pulls on a rail. Just my 2 cents worth.

I would, but the existing bow rail is constructed like this, and I am trying to fabricate an OEM side rail from the 1980s. As you can see in this drawing, the bow rails use the same kind of fittings:
http://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/manual18-25/22Outrage749x493.gif

Suprisingly, the bowrail is very sturdy.

Grant a tube bender to suit 7/8 stainless steel is not a hard thing to make providing you have a lathe to make your dies to form the bend radius you require.It only needs to be hand opperated with the right amount of leverage,should you need help in a desighn let me know greg b

It is possible to bend that tube with an electrician's hickey bender. You need to pack the tube with sand to stop it collapsing and you will probably need a hickey for 3/4 rigid conduit. One for 3/4 EMT will give a tighter bend but you might break it on stainless.

done some bending on stainless using a greenlee ratcheting conduit bender most electrical rental yards have them and you may want to fill the tubes with sand to prevent collapse