View Single Post
Old 17th Nov 2019, 9:06 pm   #11
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,868
Default Re: Damaged vintage variac

The fact that it bent rather than crumbled is promising. Aluminium castings of good quality can be heated and worked back into shape. I do it with propane torch, anvil and a selection of hammers and a reference straight edge. It's good to have the TIG there to do a rescue job if there is a crack.

Motorcyclists and alloy wheels on cars provide a steady source of work for those with forging and TIG welding skills. So there is likely to be a firm in your area which could help. It's quite remarkable what can be put back together given plenty of time and some experience. The sources of the skills may be OT for this forum, but their application to electronic things can be very valuable. I've repaired broken castings for amateur radio antenna rotators, made aluminium cabinetry for radio gear.

A photo of the damage would help a lot in assessing possibilities.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now