Your Metal Fabrication Questions Answered

Marine welding costs vary significantly based on the scope, material, complexity, and access to the work location. A simple repair weld may take a few hours, while a full engine room refit on a superyacht can span weeks. DolFab provides free project quotes — contact us at 866-365-3221 or Info@dolfab.com with a description of your project and we'll provide an accurate estimate.

DolFab is based in Fort Lauderdale, FL and primarily serves Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties. For larger projects (superyacht refits, commercial vessels), we work at yards and marinas throughout South Florida and can travel to other locations for the right project. Call us at 866-365-3221 to discuss your location.

The easiest way to get a quote is to call us at 866-365-3221 or email Info@dolfab.com with a description of your project. For custom fabrication, photos and measurements help us give you the most accurate estimate. You can also fill out the quote request form at dolfab.com/quote. We're available Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.

ABS stands for American Bureau of Shipping, a maritime classification society that sets standards for the design, construction, and maintenance of marine vessels and offshore structures. Lloyds, ABS & USCG certification in marine welding means the welder and shop have been tested and approved to perform structural welds on classed vessels — including commercial ships, naval vessels, and offshore structures. DolFab is Lloyds, ABS & USCG certified with unlimited thickness capability, meaning we can weld any gauge of material on any classed project.

A custom T-top typically takes 2–4 weeks from design approval to delivery, depending on complexity and current shop workload. The process includes an initial measurement and design consultation, CAD layout, material procurement, fabrication, and finishing. More complex T-tops with integrated electronics trays, hardtop panels, and lighting systems may take longer.

Yes. DolFab fabricates custom aluminum, stainless steel, and steel fuel and water tanks in any size and configuration. We hold a hot permit for gas-free fuel tank work, meaning we can safely work on tanks that have held fuel. Every tank is fabricated to ABYC standards and pressure-tested before installation.

Yes. A hot permit (also called a gas-free certificate) is required to perform welding or cutting on a vessel or tank that has contained flammable fuel. DolFab holds the required certifications to perform this work safely — we conduct proper gas-free testing and follow all applicable safety protocols before beginning any hot work near fuel systems.

Rush structural repair lead times depend on the tier of the job. Tier 1 same-day emergencies (broken stanchions, cracked chain plates, failed rudder hardware) run 4–24 hours — the shop drops other work, sources material from local stock, and ships the repair in one continuous push. Tier 2 critical-path repairs (charter deadlines, mid-season windows, survey-driven fixes) run 3–5 working days with a committed completion date up front. Tier 3 haul-out window work runs 5–14 working days, sequenced into the queue without breaking another customer's timeline.

Yes. DolFab regularly coordinates on-vessel work at marinas and boatyards throughout South Florida. For most repairs and installations we handle in-shop fabrication and schedule the on-vessel leg — including weld-up of stanchion bases, hardware fit verification, and final alignment — around your boatyard timeline. For structural work we can dispatch to the marina as needed, from 20-foot center consoles up to 330-foot superyachts.

Yes. Every classification-grade weld DolFab completes ships with full survey documentation — including WPS (Weld Procedure Specification), WPQ (Welder Performance Qualification), NDT (non-destructive testing) records where required, and material traceability. Insurance surveyors and classification societies (Lloyds, ABS, USCG) accept this package as the load record for the repair or newbuild.

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding uses a continuously fed wire electrode and is faster, making it well-suited for structural welds, production work, and thicker materials. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode and provides a higher-quality, more precise weld bead — it's preferred for thin materials, aluminum, and cosmetic welds where appearance matters. On a boat, structural frames and tank bodies are typically MIG-welded, while brightwork, handrails, and stainless hardware are TIG-welded for a clean finish.

A full hull refit timeline depends heavily on the size of the vessel and the scope of metalwork involved. A 75-foot yacht refit with significant structural and cosmetic metalwork typically takes 4–8 weeks of shop time. Larger vessels or more complex scopes (engine room rebuilds, full brightwork replacement) can take several months. DolFab provides detailed project timelines at quoting.

Yes. DolFab has worked on vessels up to 330 feet, including full engine room refits, stainless brightwork replacement, custom hardware, and structural repairs. We have worked with Trinity Yachts and Denison Marine and are familiar with the quality standards and documentation requirements of mega-yacht work.

Brightwork refers to the decorative and functional metalwork on a yacht — handrails, stanchions, cleats, hatches, port frames, ladders, and custom hardware. On a superyacht, this brightwork is typically fabricated from 316L marine-grade stainless steel and polished to a mirror finish. DolFab custom-fabricates all types of brightwork to replace worn, corroded, or non-standard hardware.

Yes. DolFab is Lloyds, ABS & USCG certified and ships full documentation packages for classed work: WPS, WPQ, NDT records (visual, dye penetrant, ultrasonic, or radiographic as required), and material traceability to MTRs. Your classification society surveyor signs off against the package rather than inspecting each weld in person, which cuts handover time on multi-yard refits.

We scope and fabricate in-shop, then schedule on-vessel installation around your boatyard or marina window. Installation is included in our quote for most refit and superyacht projects and covers weld-up of stanchion bases, hardware final fit, gate hinge alignment, and verification with the yard. For hardware-only replacements we coordinate transportation directly to the yard; for installations on larger vessels we dispatch an installation crew to the marina.

DolFab warrants certified structural work for 12 months against workmanship defects. The repair ships with the same WPS / WPQ / NDT package the classification society signed off on, so any future survey or insurance question is backed by load-bearing documentation — not just a verbal promise. Warranty does not cover damage from new groundings, impact, or modification by a third party.

Yes. For refit brightwork replacement, we scan the existing geometry on-vessel or from a sample, model it in CAD, and produce a like-for-like replacement in 316L — match on tube dimensions, radius, finish grade, and mounting pattern. If standards have moved on since the original install, we'll flag the upgrade path before quoting.

DolFab operates a Flow waterjet machine with a cutting bed of 4 feet by 12 feet. It can cut steel up to 7 inches thick, as well as aluminum, stainless steel, and other metals. We work from 2D CAD files or 3D drawings and can cut custom shapes, brackets, flanges, or any profile you need.

DolFab's Adira press brake has a 180-ton capacity and can bend aluminum, stainless steel, and carbon steel sheet and plate. It handles complex multi-bend profiles for hatches, stiffeners, engine room components, and custom brackets. We work to tight tolerances and can produce custom bend angles and profiles to your specifications.

DolFab welds aluminum, stainless steel, and carbon steel. These cover the vast majority of marine fabrication applications — aluminum hulls and superstructures, stainless steel brightwork and hardware, and structural carbon steel components. We use both MIG (Metal Inert Gas) and TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) processes depending on the material and application.

Yes. DolFab can anodize aluminum to match existing colors, apply powder coat finishes, or polish stainless steel to a mirror finish. For T-tops and boat covers, we work with canvas suppliers and painters to match your hull's gelcoat or painted finish. Bring us a sample and we'll match it.

Yes. For OEM and builder production runs, we nest multiple parts across a single waterjet sheet to minimize material waste and cutting time. CAD/CAM programming is included in our waterjet cutting quotes. Standard production-run lead times run 5–10 days depending on scope and material; for stock 316L, 5086, and 6061 we can frequently compress that further.

316L marine-grade stainless steel holds up under salt exposure for years when passivation is intact. Routine maintenance is straightforward: fresh-water rinse after each trip, mild soap wash monthly, and passivation restore on any surface that has lost its chromium oxide layer (visible as surface discoloration). DolFab offers passivation and re-polish service for 316L brightwork, handrails, and hardware — drop the part at the shop or schedule an on-vessel call.

Aluminum (typically 5086 or 6061) runs about half the per-pound material cost of 316L stainless, is faster to cut and form, and is the default for hulls, superstructure, tank bodies, and structural elements where weight matters. 316L stainless costs more per pound and cuts slower but is the right call for cosmetic brightwork, hardware exposed to barefoot traffic, and any component where corrosion resistance is the deciding factor (through-hulls in saltwater, dive gear racks, stanchions on charter boats). The honest tradeoff: aluminum saves money on every structural component, stainless buys years of cosmetic life on hardware.

Yes. DolFab has an on-site 3D scanner and 3D printer. The scanner allows us to reverse-engineer parts that have no drawings — scan the part, create a CAD model, and reproduce it in metal or plastic. The 3D printer lets us create rapid prototypes and mockups to verify fitment before committing to metal fabrication. This is especially useful for one-off parts that are no longer manufactured.

A poling platform is a raised platform mounted at the stern of a flats or bay fishing boat. It elevates the angler or guide high enough to pole the boat silently through shallow water and spot fish. DolFab fabricates custom poling platforms in aluminum, color-matched to your boat, with integrated rod holders, lighting, and ladder options.

Yes. DolFab fabricates custom leaning posts for any center console or bay boat. A leaning post is a padded support structure mounted in the center of the boat, between the helm and the bow, allowing anglers to lean against it while fishing. We design each post around your boat's dimensions and can integrate rod holders, tackle storage, cooler mounts, and other features.