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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...
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.
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 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