mast gate for an M25

[RussC]

I'm about to embark on fabricating a mast gate for my M25 and am wondering if I should just hammer closed the spread portion, or should I cut it out? I guess if the mast is brittle enough that it cracks when hammered I can still just cut out the remainder? Thoughts? Your experience appreciated?

Thanks,
Russ

 

[topcat0399]

I haven't done this but I have read of it being done successfully many times.

I have also spent considerable time hammering on a Mac mast extrusion and I assure you
that being bending that little lip that short distance will not crack it.
The thing is far more flexible and stronger than I thought.

Just go slow and gradual and don't hit the extrusion directly with a hard hammer if you can avoid it.

 

[RussC]

Yup. got it done! and you're right the mast seemed soft enough to not be a real concern. I've run across aluminum tubing in the past (7075 alloy?) that would actually knock a hole in the tube if you hit it hard with a hammer.
I designed a spring steel automatic mast gate (think railroad spur track) that I think will really work well for me. I cut a piece out of a hand saw blade that I had laying around for the gate, as it was a good source of spring steel drilling the rivet holes required a cobalt drill, but other than that it was real easy to build. I hammered down the one side of the original opening and the other side was left as is to allow for slug exit when the "gate" is open. I considered drilling and tapping a 1/4" hole into the mast to place a thumb screw that would hold the gate open, but just pushing it open at the thumb notch should work fine also.