[SoShoresGuy]

I'm still working on some 1689W tenders (I finally got them working very well) and unfortunately one has three broken tabs on the shell. To make it worse, two of them are at the same end.

What do you think I should do? I was thinking of a bead of silicone and holding the body in place with some small clamps until it dried, since I (or somebody else), might want to get back inside. No chance of getting the body off if I used JB-Weld or something similar.

Please don't yell at me for the broken tabs. Somebody else has been inside of this tender and I guess metal fatigue set in. Then again, it could be all my fault.

TIA - Mark

 

[santafe158]

Could you perhaps epoxy some studs inside the shell with threaded holes in them? You could then run screws in through the frame underneath.

 

[SoShoresGuy]

Could you perhaps epoxy some studs inside the shell with threaded holes in them? You could then run screws in through the frame underneath.

Maybe, but I doubt it. There is very little surface to work with, The shell, has less than a 1/4" flange, more like 1/8". I guess I could consider a very, very small sheet metal screw.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Millstonemike]

Maybe, but I doubt it. There is very little surface to work with, The shell, has less than a 1/4" flange, more like 1/8". I guess I could consider a very, very small sheet metal screw.

Thanks for the advice.

Maybe epoxy thin strips of similar metal on the inside of the body at the tap locations. Then bend as needed.

 

[T-Man]

How about using strips by just cutting a slot where the tab was.

This shows the top edge of the tender.

Here the tabs are marked. By drilling out a hole the strip is folded and attached to the frame

 

[SoShoresGuy]

I think Mike may be on to something, but it will be like micro surgery. I may have a tin can to use (wife made a pumpkin pie).
T-Man, I don't quite understand what you are depicting, sorry that I don't have a good right part of the brain.
I'll try to post some photos tomorrow to let you know what I am dealing with.
Thanks, folks.

 

[SoShoresGuy]

I took the easy (to me) way out.

I only had about 1/8" flange on the tender shell to work with. Maybe a little bit more. I used some #4 x 1/4" pan head sheet metal screws to hold the shell down to the frame. I used some clamps to make sure that the shell and frame lined up. I used a 5/64" drill, if anybody cares.

It works for me, and the screw heads are on the bottom so, out of sight, out of mind.

If I ever need to get back into the shell, maybe for some lube, it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it.

Before:

After:

 

[Panther]

I have a spot welder that I purchased from Harbor Freight. I spot welded new tabs. However I do this after all the paint is removed.

Dan

 

[Dieseler]

Good to see you found a fix it works and is out of view.
Thanks for showing us your fixed example as this seemed to be common problem with tabs of years ago.

 

[SoShoresGuy]

Good to see you found a fix it works and is out of view.
Thanks for showing us your fixed example as this seemed to be common problem with tabs of years ago.

TY. Yeah, I have broken more than one.

 

[tjcruiser]

Damn tabs ...



Glad to see you won the battle, Mark!

TJ