Before bending these guys a couple of tools will be handy.
First, on the bottom of DWG 17 is a template that matches the bend. I cut it out and Elmer Glued it to a piece of cardboard.
Second, Make a clamp assist fixture. We'll be sliding and clamping the longeron in the vise every inch for a couple of feet. Then you'll be doing it again and again to get the curve to match the template. You'll need wood blocks on either side so your not clamping metal on aluminum. I didn't want to fight separate wood blocks that will have to be alaigned every time I clamp. I took a couple of pieces of hard press board and screwed them together with a spacer inbetween that matches the thickness of the longeron.
One turn of the clamp handle and the longeron slides. Re clamp and wack. Unclamp, slide, wack.
After the fact I'm really glad I made this. The process of getting the curve right takes patience and fighting the clamp blocks would have made it hard.
