Removing dent in L-E No4 magazine ?

[Patrick Chadwick]

Yup, use the "Laidler-approved" method I described, and it's a doddle!

You only need a bar of appropriate thickness and width to fit between the stamped grooves and push the dented side out, as described previously. Lay a piece of flat brass or copper (NOT steel) over the dented area and hammer it down flat. That should do the job without damaging the bluing.

[Doco overboard]

We learned to remove dents in items you couldnt drill through or didnt want to like MC gas tanks by brazing a metal coat hanger onto a small copper or brass disk about the size of a penny and then tinning and soldering the rod/penny to the side of the tank letting it cool and then prying on the rods with vise grips to pull out the dent. I never tried it on something as small and delicate as a magazine or barrel shroud but it may work I don't know but if you can get behind it you can hammer off or on the dolly to move the metal around without stretching it. I also learned how to fit brass into rusted out bumpers before re-chroming and them turning out decent. Fill your tank with exhaust fumes from another vehicle when you have to weld on it. This practice was not to be done outside of the watchful eye of the mentor and now adays replacement parts are everywhere but we had to work with what we had then so I wouldn't think of it now. Reading this thread made me remember that. Thanks Brian

[Flying10uk]

Fill your tank with exhaust fumes from another vehicle when you have to weld on it.

I've not heard of this suggestion before but I quite see the logic in it. I've heard of people filling fuel tanks with water and having them steam cleaned before welding them but not filling them with exhaust fumes.

[Doco overboard]

Some may say to flick a match into a MC tank to swell a dent out but I seen that go bad already so don't ever try it. These are unapproved practices and I don't recommend trying them unless you want to turn a Sportster tank into a Triumph tank or worse. If the old man caught us it was a whuppin for sure unless he was around, I wouldn't think of doing anything like this now but the penny trick is a good one but labor intensive even on a large item like a body panel but it works on something you cant get behind.

[André]

Thanks friends, it worked. I found a suitable "anvil" to insert inside the magazine, under the dent, and hammered from outside until the dent was reduced and the follower could slide freely.

[Peter Laidler]

Filling a fuel tank with running exhaust gas is a commonly used thing PROVIDING that the gas is running through the tank and has been so for 10 minutes prior to welding. It's inert that way so............... Mind you, I did see on the TV news here of a couple of lads locally who were making a large barbecue thing from an old oil drum. Alas, they were cutting it in half with an angle grinder. It just shredded them when it exploded!

[22SqnRAE]

Filling a fuel tank with running exhaust gas is a commonly used thing PROVIDING that the gas is running through the tank and has been so for 10 minutes prior to welding. It's inert that way so............... Mind you, I did see on the TV news here of a couple of lads locally who were making a large barbecue thing from an old oil drum. Alas, they were cutting it in half with an angle grinder. It just shredded them when it exploded!

I guess there was a reason why some never bothered to concentrate in science classes at school.

Darwin was certainly on the money...

[browningautorifle]

I found a suitable "anvil" to insert inside the magazine,

I'm thinking a common bolt with a head just about wide enough to fit and solid enough to grab in the vise. That would work fine and be available...

[Flying10uk]

Mind you, I did see on the TV news here of a couple of lads locally who were making a large barbecue thing from an old oil drum. Alas, they were cutting it in half with an angle grinder. It just shredded them when it exploded!

It's difficult to understand why people don't just ask for advice first before they attempt something like this. Some years ago I wanted to do something similar and recognising the dangers involved I thought that I'd better get expert advice first. I concluded that the best person to ask would be a Fire Fighter and fortunately I happened to know one. The advice that he gave me was to completely brim fill it with water and leave it standing with water in for at least 2 weeks before making any attempt to cut it. He also said that the vessel should be vented as it is cut, so that no gases can build up within the vessel. I just followed his advice to the the letter because it seemed sensible and a Fire Fighter should know what he was talking about concerning this matter.

[mrclark303]

I would refer you back to Darwin's theory of evolution F10, some people are just heading for an extinction event!