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Straightening aluminum - no LBC, but lots of GAC

To: Cliff Hansen <hansenc@zianet.com>
Subject: Straightening aluminum - no LBC, but lots of GAC
From: Dave Massey <105671.471@compuserve.com>
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2004 08:27:32 -0400
Cc: triumphs@autox.team.net i35CV7pW032739
Message text written by Cliff Hansen
>I'm wondering if any of you folks are willing to offer advice on 
straightening the keel.  The bend is about 3" in the vertical direction 
(towards the inside of the boat), and about 2' on either side the keel is 
straight; so overall the bend is a very shallow V.   I've thought about 
turning the canoe upside down and pressing it upwards into a pair of 4x4s 
running the length of the bottom alongside the keel, using a hydraulic jack

to press upwards on the bulge.  A friend who salvages railroad cars has the

timber and two backhoes that we would use to hold down the ends of the 
4x4s.  He also has a 30 ton jack.  I have a section of railroad tie that we

can use to distribute the load across the bulge, so that we don't just 
punch a hole in the bottom.
<

Cliff, the important thing to remember is the aluminum is now streached and
is longer than it used to be and will never go back to its original shape. 
You might consider cutting the rib and removing a short section and finding
a weld shop to TIG it back together.  Any thoughts of returning it back to
a state of undetectable-ness will be fruitless.

Heating up aluminum to soften it won't help (like it does with steel).

Good luck

Dave





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