[TowerTalk] Straightening Bent Aluminum Tube

[Rick Bullon]

>
>
>I have a used KT34XA to be installed, and the end of one of the
>elements was bent in storage. The bend is in 1/2-inch and
>a 3/8-inch tubing, and the bend is gradual. No sign of kinking in
>the tube.
>
>Is there a preferred procedure for straightening-out aluminum tubing,
>to minimize the possibility of weakening, kinking or breaking?
>
>Should I just replace these two sections of tubing?
>
>73,
>Jeff Maass       jmaass@columbus.rr.com     Located near Columbus Ohio
>          USPSA # L-1192       NROI/CRO    Amateur Radio K8ND
>     Maass' IPSC Resources Page:  http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass
>
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------Jeff
Back in the days when you could work build car engines ( pre computer 
controlled ) we use to use a simple spring device we got at the auto parts 
store to bend fuel lines and brake lines. It slipped over the tubing and you 
just bent it, the spring kept the tubing from kinking.
I don't know if you can still buy this tool but when I was a teenager 
everyone who worked on cars had one in the tool box.
73
Rick
KC5AJX
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