Aluminum companionway slide tracks

[USA 96]

Loooking at getting these made up. Fed up with the plastic slides. Any experience with the machine shop or advice from the fleet? thanks

96

[dave]

I went to my local metal tubing business [not just tubing] and bought the appropriate 3 sided channel in aluminum. Then I drilled the mounting holes through the top and bottom sides and then drilled the top ones out to accept the screw heads and to be able to get a countersink into the bottom holes. Some folks paint or powder coat, but both will chip and look lousy before too long. Clear aluminum stays looking that way!