[WaveyDipole]

Yes it does have a skeleton frame and my idea was to dismantle and remove the base and sandwich it between something sturdy in a vice and gradually flatten, although I hadn't really thought about what type of metal the chassis is made from. Having read the comments, I tried scraping a little in an inconspicuous place on the bottom with a small craft scalpel and the material is soft enough to be cut, so I it is likely to be aluminium or some sort of monkey metal type alloy. I agree that such metals tend to not like the stress of being straightened, so I guess that puts a repair into a "very risky" category, and that is before one considers the alignment and possible damage to the bearings. Should the shaft or frame be distorted, I don't have a lathe or any other specialist tools or skills to machine parts to make corrections.

Thank you for the comments. They have been very helpful to me in evaluating the repair risk and making a decision in the matter. My mind is now made up to accept nothing less than a full refund.