Author Topic: Bending a flat metal tank badge  (Read 973 times)

Offline mattsz

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Bending a flat metal tank badge
« on: March 02, 2020, 10:09:59 PM »
Hi all -

I searched the archives for info, but I didn't find anything - I'm not always very creative when it comes to searches...

Anyway, I am thinking about customizing a Kawasaki fuel tank with badges for a very different model.  The badges are almost flat, but I'd like to mount them to a tank location which has quite a curve to it - which means I'd have to bend them to fit.  It appears to be made of some sort of "pot metal;" I suspect that it would break easily.  I'd have to bend them along their length, which would be ok, but also the forward corners of the center blocks (to keep them from sticking out), which would probably be more difficult.  Of course, they weren't cheap, so I'm hesitant to just wing it in case they break.

They're pretty shiny silver, but not chrome-shiny.  The black lettering is painted thinly; the red blocks seem to be filled with some kind of resinous material.  I'm assuming that if I tried to heat the badges to "soften" them enough to bend without breaking, the colors would all go wrong.  I could repaint the black and red - but probably not the silver?

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Two photo attachments - one well-lit, but low resolution.  The other is badly lit, but higher resolution for zooing in...

Offline Lobo

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #1 on: March 02, 2020, 10:41:50 PM »
Hi Mattsz,
Outta interest I just googled ‘bending’ pot metal; and generally the answers were not what you want to hear. The best thing I read was to at least get hold of the same, but scrap part to experiment with ... which made a lot of sense.
Er, good luck!

PS - if you did find a sacrificial part, one comment I read was to put relief cuts in the backside of the badge...
« Last Edit: March 02, 2020, 10:50:27 PM by Lobo »

Offline mattsz

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #2 on: March 02, 2020, 10:54:14 PM »
Hi Mattsz,
Outta interest I just googled ‘bending’ pot metal; and generally the answers were not what you want to hear. The best thing I read was to at least get hold of the same, but scrap part to experiment with ... which made a lot of sense.
Er, good luck!

PS - if you did find a sacrificial part, one comment I read was to put relief cuts in the backside of the badge...

Thanks Lobo - I kind of figured it would be a big ask!

I'm dreaming about 3D printers...

Offline taysidedragon

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2020, 10:16:55 AM »
Hi Matt, I know it's probably not the look that you were aiming for, but have you thought about getting decals made in the design of the metal badges?
They would fit the tank curves ok and give the same appearance.
Gareth

1977 CB400F
1965 T100SS

Offline mattsz

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #4 on: March 03, 2020, 10:26:51 AM »
Hi Matt, I know it's probably not the look that you were aiming for, but have you thought about getting decals made in the design of the metal badges?
They would fit the tank curves ok and give the same appearance.

Thanks!  I haven't considered that, but I will...

Offline kevski

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #5 on: March 03, 2020, 07:43:46 PM »
You could put them on a board and use a wooden rolling pin, rolling up and down along the length, using a bit of pressure you will start to bend them.

Offline Orcade-Ian

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #6 on: March 03, 2020, 09:14:48 PM »
Hi,
Both of the tank badges I got hold of for my 350/4 were in a poor state and not only bent the wrong way through being chucked in a box for years but also twisted.  I made a template of the tank curve and band sawed that shape from scraps of hardwood - both inside and outside with allowance for the badge thickness.  I then trapped the badge between the 2 blocks and gently squeezed them together in the vice, a bit at a time.  The only issue I can see with yours is that the centre rectangular piece will be more reluctant to bend than the end sections.  You might have to adjust the curve a bit tighter as even with Mazac there will be a bit of ‘springback’.

Ian

Offline mattsz

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2020, 09:43:40 PM »
Thanks guys!

Hi,
Both of the tank badges I got hold of for my 350/4 were in a poor state and not only bent the wrong way through being chucked in a box for years but also twisted.  I made a template of the tank curve and band sawed that shape from scraps of hardwood - both inside and outside with allowance for the badge thickness.  I then trapped the badge between the 2 blocks and gently squeezed them together in the vice, a bit at a time.  The only issue I can see with yours is that the centre rectangular piece will be more reluctant to bend than the end sections.  You might have to adjust the curve a bit tighter as even with Mazac there will be a bit of ‘springback’.

Ian

I know a guy who tried this - he made some cauls and also tried heat.  I don't know how quickly he clamped the badge in the cauls, but on his first attempt he broke the badge.  For the second attempt he used more heat and it bent along the length pretty well, but the corners of the square still stick out quite a bit...

Offline Orcade-Ian

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2020, 07:36:51 AM »
I avoided using heat, as some metals and alloys go ‘hot short’ when heated which makes them more liable to crack along grain boundaries.  You might need to speak to a proper metallurgist for guidance - I think we have some on here.  Forgot to say also that mine had pins on the back, so had to drill holes in the cauls to accommodate those - with plenty of clearance for when they changed shape.

Ian

Offline mattsz

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Re: Bending a flat metal tank badge
« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2020, 10:03:56 AM »
I avoided using heat, as some metals and alloys go ‘hot short’ when heated which makes them more liable to crack along grain boundaries.  You might need to speak to a proper metallurgist for guidance - I think we have some on here.  Forgot to say also that mine had pins on the back, so had to drill holes in the cauls to accommodate those - with plenty of clearance for when they changed shape.

Ian

Thanks Ian!  I'm not sure how I would figure out what metal I have, and whether it would be susceptible to breakage along "grain boundaries."  I know it's susceptible to breakage in thin spots, which is where the other guy's one broke!  I wonder how to grab the attention of some of our metallurgists - admin "SteveD CB500K0" recommended I post my question in this section...

Mine have pins too - the tank is smooth, though, so I would grind the pins flush before bending.

 

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