Bending New Aluminum Drapery Tracks

[Chugalug]

Hello, I am new to Airstreams, and this forum.
Greetings:
I just purchased aluminum tracks from the Airstream factory but do not know how to bend the tracks without putting a kink in it. The 6 ft. tracks are intended for the lower front from the street side all around to the curb side. Any advice from an experienced Aluminum bender would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob.

[j54mark]

All the curved tracks I have seen appear to be "factory bent", and rather long. I have some extras, and there are people who want them, but there is no economical way to ship them.

Mark

[59toaster]

Find a rod that fits snug to slide up the track to keep it from collapsing. Grease it so you can pull it back out.

Don't try to bend it against a edge. The edge will be a fulcrum point. Find something round to work it over or do light bends with your hands a little bit at a time and move down a couple inches.

[74Argosy24MH]

Find something big and round to roll it around, even a 5 gallon bucket will work.

John

[Jay Wheeler]

The way that I bent a 3/4"wide x 1/2"deep x 5' long 1/8"thick U channel was to make a form out of plywood, anchor one end of the material on the form. Put on a thick pair of leather gloves. Light a propane torch up and working the the metal slowly around the form until it stays in the shape that you want. Do not use a hammer. If you use this method it will destroy any coating or chemical process that the Alu has gone through. You could have it clear powder coated after you finish your forming process.