What odds it will snap?

[NPMR]

The new Morse control I bought for the boat won't fit, because the main frame, made of cast aluminium, that holds the cables, is flat.

The 'old' one, maybe 25 years old has seized up, but does fit, because the frame, made of the same cast aluminium and exactly the same 'profile' has been bent to clear the GRP moulding it will fit against.

The bend needed is about 7mm off the flat, simply bent in the middle of the casting, which is about 30-35cm long.

Will it snap or shall I just 'go for it'? Heat it (although that looks very dodgy indeed)?

Cost me £70 odd quid so not too keen just to let it break!

This could have been a PBO thread but this looks a bit like a 'gamble' so maybe OK on here?

 

[FullCircle]

Can you not make up some spacer plates to give the 7mm?

 

[puddock]

As stated above, I would be inclined to make up a spacer to take the profile from curve to flat.

 

[30boat]

If at all possible using spacers is a better bet but if you heat the casting with a butane(don't use oxyacetilene,too hot)torch it'll be soft enough to bend without breaking.Bear in mind that even a butane torch can melt aluminium.

 

[macd]

I suspect that the section may be too great for the piece to bend safely. However, if you decide to go for it, do not heat aluminium on a suck-it-and-see basis. Unlike steel it goes through no colour changes to indicate its temperature and is very easy to melt even with a blow lamp.

The trick is to smear a thin film of Fairy liquid over the aluminium, then heat. When the surface goes chocolate brown, stop heating at once. The ally will stay malleable for a little while after it has cooled.

 

[NickiCrutchfield]

Macd, that's my new bit of knowledge for the day. Thanks.

 

[30boat]

I suspect that the section may be too great for the piece to bend safely. However, if you decide to go for it, do not heat aluminium on a suck-it-and-see basis. Unlike steel it goes through no colour changes to indicate its temperature and is very easy to melt even with a blow lamp.

The trick is to smear a thin film of Fairy liquid over the aluminium, then heat. When the surface goes chocolate brown, stop heating at once. The ally will stay malleable for a little while after it has cooled.

That's a good one I'd forgotten about!!

 

[NPMR]

Just in case you were remotely interested, it bent OK!

A little bit more bending needed after the vice action but the last bit pulled in fine with the screws holding it. Very happy.