Repairing dents in thinwall aluminium?

[Porschenut]

I just bought another frame from eBay, another project to start...and never to complete...and this one has a dent in the top tube

QUESTION?

Can this dent be pulled out somehow? I wouldn't need it to be perfect, just much better than it is so that I can get a professional painter to match and blend the blemishes in the finish.

There are decent pics in the eBay auction page. Have a look!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

Any comments appreciated!

 

[Porschenut]

Here are a few pics from the auction

A 1996 Kona Ku in custom colours...

 

[Porschenut]

ouch...

top tube dent

 

[JeRkY]

if it isnt structural, use car body filler and fill it in.
keep in mind your chosen finishing technique if you want to powder coat you have to look at more specialist metal fillers that can take the oven temp. Normal spray paint (car body shop) is ok for car body filler repaired dents..

 

[Porschenut]

That's a good idea. I'll have to wait and see the frame when I recieve it to see whether it's structural. Needless to say, if it's structural, I'd have to take it up with the seller.

Actually, I know that dented motorcycle gas tanks can be internally pressurized to pop the dents back out, but I wonder if it could be done with thinwall aluminium alloy tubes.

 

[john]

That's a good idea. I'll have to wait and see the frame when I recieve it to see whether it's structural. Needless to say, if it's structural, I'd have to take it up with the seller.

Not quite sure how you plan to ascertain whether the dent is structural or not. Regardless I'd be wary about pressing a frame of that age with a dent in into hard service.

As for hiding the dent a decent frame shop can fill and respray.