T-Track bending

[mentalfee]

I wil be installing some new 1.25" t-track later this year and would like to know if anyone has a [FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']patented method of putting a radius bend on one? I have done some deck work and the old mounting holes have been filled. I would like to be able to follow the coach house radius rather than installing them in a straight line. This will keep them out of the main walking path from cockpit to foredeck.[/FONT]
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[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Send your interesting ideas and methods.[/FONT]
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[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']Thanks![/FONT]

[yotphix]

Harken: Traveler Q & A

Scroll down till you see the question "How do I get a curved traveller track?"

that's the easy way for sure.

Otherwise, do you have access to a metal shop? I could help you with one there. I can't think of how you would do it without one.

[pigslo]

Draw the line on deck in pencil that you want the track to follow, drill the first hole, put the bolt through it, move the track till you see th pencil line centered in the hole, drill that hole put the bolt through (but don't fasten) and so on introducing the bend as you go. When you get to the last one, take itall apart and enlarge the holes 3/16" oversize to the bolt size. Not fill all the holes with marine tex or thichened epoxy. Now very catefully redrill the holes the bolt size and make sure you are centering the bit. Put it all back together with you choice of bedding (mine is 5200). Washers and nuts are in order this time. You are done.

[yotphix]

What pigslo suggests will certainly work if it is a gentle bend. Just be aware that you are putting a fair bit of strain on the fasteners in shear, their weakest load vector and that prebending, as i think you know, will avoid this. Since the fasteners are likely much stronger then they need to be it probably won't matter, but it is good to knowwhat the compromise is.

[sailingdog]

It would probably be wise to have a metal shop do it for you. 1.25" track is pretty tough to bend precisely without specialized tools. Also, if it is aluminum track, don't heat it... heating it will possibly cause it to lose its tempering, greatly weakening it.