grrrr, damn stuff. I spent last night trying to bend this infernal stuff round the outside edges of the cockpit.

Made a complete hash of it, either the bend didn't want to sit snug into the corner where it goes up round the curve or it bowed out so badly when it was bent it creased.

I'm going to pick some more up at Stoneleigh, any pointers on how to make a nice neat job of it?

Do you start at the front on the flat or at the back on top of the curve. What do you do about the side bit bowing out and how do you correct it without it looking terrible.

Definately demonstrated my lack of skill working with metal

Step by step guide much appreciated and any photos would be a help.

Cheers all
Nigel

bending ali once is fairly easy but you need to clamp it very well to stop creases and bulges. Assuming you want to bend over the top tube and down the inside, so 2 bends, clamp the sheet about 50 mm down from the top edge between 2 biggish pieces of squere faced timber - at least 40 by 40 - put it in the vice and clamp each foot or so with G cramps.
Then fold the first bend with blocks of wood and a hammer, finish off with a nice smooth faced metal working hammer before removing from clamp.
Apply the bend to your top rail, figure out how you're going to clamp it again, then fold the 2nd bend over the side of the top rail.

If a more complex shape, don't forget to anneal the ali - it work hardens very quickly. Use ordinary white toilet soap to mark all over the area to bend, then heat with a blow torch until the soap goes black. Bash away and re-soap and re-heat as necessary.

photos of what your doing would also help

from what I've seen when going round a curve a bit of the flat bit is removed if its this stuff -
Rescued attachment channel.JPG

If it's the hocky section ali as Mr whippy, I have used this to cap the chassis rail from scuttle to rear bulkhead, just done mine last week. Choose to cut in two sections, one unbent one from scuttle to where the arch curve bit starts, then one around the curve.

For the curved bit just clamped the bottom part on to the rail and bent gently by hand along the rail, at top trimmed to length then contuned to bend by hand. Found the section bowed slightly so clamped at each end, and hit with rubber hammer along the bow, now sit's perfect...

Dan

If its the outside trim cut a small notch on the inside of the metal where the flat part meets the wheel curve

That way it bends at the exact point. Then clamp it up at work front to back with a rubber mallet. But be carefull hammering on the GRP

Paul

i held mine in a large vice then under bent it
forced it into place and when fixed dressed the inner edge ill pop up a pic later on
HTH

I bought mine ready bent. Might have been part of the kit.