How to straighten sprayer boom (box metal)

[243ackley]

I have a 200 gallon agg spray sprayer and I bent one of the booms yesterday. It is bent about 20-25 degrees. It is too strong to bend it back without using heat of a bending machine.

the sprayer has a chain that on each boom that connects to the tip and the fram to keep it from sagging while you are using it. The way the boom bent the chain catches the top of one of the sprayer bodies and pops the top off.

I am going to replace the chain with a spring and a cable but I still need to get the boom fixed.

any ideas. Would it be best to cut out the bend and then weld a short piece back?

I could heat it with my torch and get it straight but I don’t know what that would do to the integrity of the metal.

 

[DustyRusty]

If you have a large enough vise, you might be able to straighten it by placing the top of the bend against one jaw, and pushing with the other jaw. A hydraulic press would accomplish the same thing. I usually try straightening the metal cold, and only use heat as a last choice. You could also lay the boom on concrete, place a large piece of wood, such as a 4"x4" at the crown of the bend, and hammer it straight with a sledge hammer. Not knowing the length of the object, it is difficult to give exacting advise, and that is why I have gone with 3 suggestions. A lot depends on the thickness of the wall of the tube, and the overall size of the tube and the length of the boom.

 

[243ackley]

If you have a large enough vise, you might be able to straighten it by placing the top of the bend against one jaw, and pushing with the other jaw. A hydraulic press would accomplish the same thing. I usually try straightening the metal cold, and only use heat as a last choice. You could also lay the boom on concrete, place a large piece of wood, such as a 4"x4" at the crown of the bend, and hammer it straight with a sledge hammer. Not knowing the length of the object, it is difficult to give exacting advise, and that is why I have gone with 3 suggestions. A lot depends on the thickness of the wall of the tube, and the overall size of the tube and the length of the boom.

Thanks. The boom is 10 feet long. I don’t know the thickness but the bend is about 3 1/2 feet down the boom.

thank you for the ideas.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I have a 200 gallon agg spray sprayer and I bent one of the booms yesterday. It is bent about 20-25 degrees. It is too strong to bend it back without using heat of a bending machine.

the sprayer has a chain that on each boom that connects to the tip and the fram to keep it from sagging while you are using it. The way the boom bent the chain catches the top of one of the sprayer bodies and pops the top off.

I am going to replace the chain with a spring and a cable but I still need to get the boom fixed.

any ideas. Would it be best to cut out the bend and then weld a short piece back?

I could heat it with my torch and get it straight but I don’t know what that would do to the integrity of the metal.

A loader is a very effective press.

Dan

 

[Yooper]

If you can straighten it with heat, I say go ahead and do it. There is not enough carbon in box steel to make it brittle. Let it cool down on its own. Don’t cool it quickly with water. You can also weld in a plate to reinforce it after it is straight.

 

[lynnmor]

A loader is a very effective press.

Dan

Or run a tractor tire on it.

 

[D2Cat]

If the bend is 3 1/2 ft down the 10' length of tubing, find someplace to insert the 3 1/2' end to use the remainder length as a lever to straighten it. Just like straightening a "T" post.

 

[mcmxi]

Would it be best to cut out the bend and then weld a short piece back?

I could heat it with my torch and get it straight but I don’t know what that would do to the integrity of the metal.

Either of these approaches sounds best to me. As others have mentioned, if you heat the member and get it straight, it would be a good idea to reinforce it with some plate. Depending on how messed up the boom is, cutting out and welding in might be the simplest approach.

@243ackley, I like your user name. I'm building a couple of 7mm-08 AI rifles.

 

[TheOldHokie]

If the bend is 3 1/2 ft down the 10' length of tubing, find someplace to insert the 3 1/2' end to use the remainder length as a lever to straighten it. Just like straightening a "T" post.

I just did that with a 8' boom on my sprayer. It is still kinked at the bend but a couple pieces of flat welded on as splints made it good as new. This is not a landing strut on an F35.

Dan