[Rhodes22-list] Bent Stainless Steel Tubing

[Caesar Paul]

Dave,

Straightening tubes can be difficult, especially if that tube is to slide up and down in another close fitting tube.  Hammering is out of the question.

If the tube can be heated and slid up and down in a tube of similar diameter in which it is to work that could do it.  Then you would have to re-polish or re- chrome.

Some people fill the bent piece with sand when trying to straighten it to prevent kinking, which will make a bad situation worse

You may be able to force it straight enough to work well, but you know the risk.
Cutting off the bent arm in the middle, under that pop top, and replacing with a new piece may be cheaper than replacing the whole thing.  

Stan sent me a replacement last year when my rig failed, and my mast and boom fell on my raised pop top.

Caesar



________________________________
From: David Bradley <dwbrad at gmail.com>
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Mon, May 17, 2010 7:16:19 AM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Bent Stainless Steel Tubing

Thanks Art and Derek. The bend is minor, but as you say, the tolerance
is very small for the lower arm to slide freely into the upper,
u-shaped arm. I was wondering whether an auto body or welding shop
would have the equipment to straighten it.

Dave


On 5/16/10, Arthur H. Czerwonky <czerwonky at earthlink.net> wrote:
> So glad you asked, Dave.  HD has a conduit pipe bender, although use it with
> greatest caution, because the lower tube section (1" SS) is nearly a perfect
> fit with the upper section (7/8" SS), which slips inside.  Very little
> tolerance for variation from the normally straight condition.  I would
> suggest taking the top U shaped section off of the pop-top to make your work
> easier.  If it cannot re-bent, there might be options short of trying to
> have the entire top bar replaced.  Just be absolutely certain and mark the
> bend well before diving in.  I use this same bender for tubing on a bimini I
> make, but it is an exacting process.  As a reference, Ron Singerman had an
> identical, but more severe bend from when a guest leaned or fell against his
> pop-top, so it could be worse...
>
> Art
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: David Bradley <dwbrad at gmail.com>
>>Sent: May 16, 2010 7:03 PM
>>To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
>>Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Bent Stainless Steel Tubing
>>
>>Quick question for the more mechanically inclined...
>>
>>The stainless steel pop top arm in our boat has somehow been bent
>>slightly.  I removed the assembly and can see the bend in the lower
>>port section of the upper arm.  Does anyone have a suggestion as to
>>the type of place that would be able to straighten the bend?
>>
>>Not sure how this happened.  Was working fine and one day the assembly
>>just stopped working.  I don't remember anyone falling against it -
>>maybe someone tried to break into the boat when I had it locked up and
>>the pop top cinched down to the step.
>>
>>Seems like a quick fix if someone has the right equipment.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Dave
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-- 
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David Bradley
+1.206.234.3977
dwbrad at gmail.com
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