How to crimp fenders?

[Wildcat]

I have a set of wald fenders coming for my Hawthorne. Where they meet the struts for the springer and possibly the seat stay will need to be modified because of the width.

Has anyone made the indentations that look like they were made that way? Or know how to make indentations?

I have a length of 5/8's solid round bar that I may use to carefully make the indentations but it would be risking the fenders if it didn't work.

 

[sandman]

I am also interested in hearing different solutions ?

 

[Wildcat]

I gave it some more thought. I need something to support the underside of the fender, like a small piece of wood with a section cut out for the indentation, then tap the 5/8ths round with a hammer until the indentation is complete.

 

[sandman]

Maybe placing two sections of conduit on each side of the fender in a vise ?

 

[horsefarmer]

@MIGZ did a cool job with some wooden dies here:
http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/aggie-scrambler.86687/page-3

 

[RustySprockets]

I've knocked dents out of fenders before, but never knocked them IN... at least not with any consistency. If I were going to try, a pair of hardwood dies, like the ones Horsefarmer pictured, would be my approach.

The only thing I would change is the addition of a pair of locator pins to help keep the die halves aligned while you gently squeeze your 'fender sandwich' in a large bench vise. If you haven't already noticed, I'm a big fan of the careful application of force.

You might want to practice on a throwaway before you commit to your good parts.

 

[toro1978]

I would use a round file. Or cut them, insert more narrow pieces where needed and reweld them or connect them with bolts.
But I guess You prefer to damage them as little as possible.

 

[Wildcat]

I got them today. The front fender is a tight squeeze, but looks ok to me without adding indentations.

The rear only has a problem at the seat stay bridge. It's just wedged in there for now, until I figure how to make it look right. The shape of the bridge is the problem, how to get a fender to follow that curve.

I like the fenders, they are Wald 962-26. Just a hair over 3" wide.

 

[horsefarmer]

Maybe you can make a template from the frame and make a form to stamp clearance in the fender? Good luck!

 

[Wildcat]

I'll add to the problem. They have the old Schwinn style racks for 10 bucks on Ebay. I'm going to add a green one to my bike. Problem then will be that there are no mounting holes on the dropouts.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/272707162613

 

[toro1978]

A clamp on the seatstays?

 

[us56456712]

I just bash them with a hammer for a springer or put them in sideways and force them straight for a regular fork. The original indents sometimes hang out and show but who cares what it looks like, it works.

 

[Phil Fink]

For the rear seat stay bridge, you might try a curved brake bolt washer as an offsetting spacer.

Not sure who makes them, but Dia-Compe sells them with different curves (tight and loose) for a front or rear caliper brake, and 2 thickness of flat spacers (that can be used for stacking).

 

[Indyjps]

Lay a round rod or piece of conduit on the fender and whack it with a hammer. Getting them straight and matching from side to side is the trick.

 

[Wildcat]

Lay a round rod or piece of conduit on the fender and whack it with a hammer. Getting them straight and matching from side to side is the trick.

That's the idea. I have a 2 foot section of 5/8s round rod leftover from a straight seatpost I made.

 

[horsefarmer]

And back it up with a shot bag dolly.

 

[us56456712]

I'll add to the problem. They have the old Schwinn style racks for 10 bucks on Ebay. I'm going to add a green one to my bike. Problem then will be that there are no mounting holes on the dropouts.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/272707162613

Try brake arm clamps from coaster brake arms to clamp it to your chain stays. Use an old piece of inner tube to help it grab and to protect the paint. I used these before to mount a center stand.

 

[us56456712]

Too get the indent areas in the fenders pour cement in the fender around the existing indents. Use Glad Wrap so it won't stick. Move the cement form to the areas you want to extend the indents too and use a seat post to pound it to the form.