Identify Strut ?

[Anthony Lindsey]

This strut is on a Lollipop I picked up but it doesn't go with it.   Anyone recognize it?

[Louis Luu]

It looks like it is just bent?

[Anthony Lindsey]

Possible but it is a perfect bend.

[Gary Hagan]

I’ll have repro’s ready in cast brass in 3 weeks if you are looking for a replacement.

[Anthony Lindsey]

Thanks Gary,   The lower ones are cast iron and I am going to try and match that but I will keep in mind.

[Steve Stephens]

I bet that strut is malleable iron instead of grey cast iron and, as such, maybe it can successfully be unbent.   To use heat or not I do not know.   You won't make the strut worse by trying and you might learn something.

[Louis Luu]

I straightened a couple before using wooden blocks and a vise.

[Anthony Lindsey]

no heat?   just pressure from vise?

[Louis Luu]

No heat.  I bent the small strut only.  On mine, the bent was not that bad.  Yours looks like someone hung an elephant coat on it.

[Anthony Lindsey]

The bend is perfect which makes me believe it was made that way but it definitely doesn't work the way it is.

[Louis Luu]

1 minute ago, Anthony Lindsey said:

The bend is perfect which makes me believe it was made that way but it definitely doesn't work the way it is.

Can you zoom in on the strut clip area?  To me, it does look like a lollipop strut.

[Michael Rathberger]

I think they have a pill for that

[Doug Wendel]

Definately looks just like a Lollipop strut, but bent.  

[Anthony Lindsey]

Does look like one.   Same clip and screw as the bottom struts.

[Steven P Dempsey]

could it be from a vane oscillator? Here are some file shots of Lollipops.

[Louis Luu]

Here is a possible scenario for the bent.  Anthony, is your Lollipop a 12 inch?  if it is, it could be someone took a 16 inch strut and bent it to fit a 12 inch?  I have my doubts your strut is from a vane.  If it is from a vane that would definitely be news to me.

 

[Louis Luu]

Measure the actual length of that bent strut and compare it with a 12 inch to verify.

[Louis Luu]

2 hours ago, Michael Rathberger said:

I think they have a pill for that

I know there is a joke in there somewhere....I'm a bit slow.  Huh?

[Michael Rathberger]

The strut looks correct for that fan. Just bent. It's 100+ years old, stuff happens. I think Steve has it right, depends on material how to bend back but there was a picture of Paul straightening the lower strut in one of the magazines recently I think.

[Steve Stephens]

The bent strut is not from a vane which used struts that LOOK just like a standard Westy tank strut.  Of course there could be a minor difference in length of possibly an offset.  

[Robert Todd]

Many years ago, Paul straightened out a bent strut on my vane oscillator.  It can be done.  Looking at the pictures, the thing I found interesting is that the paint where it is bent appears to be undamaged.  No cracks, wrinkles or flakes.  I wonder if the paint could be original or it was repainted after the bend or the paint is unusually flexible.  My experience has been that 100 year old paint doesn't stretch very much.

[Anthony Lindsey]

it looks original to me.  paint looks original and the bend is perfectly symmetrical but that being said it is on top of this lollipop.    it was in storage for 20 years or more,   no way summer heat could bend it right?

[Mark Behrend]

On 8/9/2023 at 4:49 PM, Anthony Lindsey said:

Thanks Gary,   The lower ones are cast iron and I am going to try and match that but I will keep in mind.

You can always paint it, it will be pretty much impossible to find a straight replacement.  It could possibly be bent back but I wouldn’t bet on it.  Good luck

[Steve Rockwell]

                        https://new.afcaforum.com/index.php?/topic/5826-pig-pickin-2023-its-on/#comment-35139

[Mike Petree]

I've straightened a few lollipop upper struts successfully but with lots of heat. Yours is the third and worst one I've seen. Mystery.