[Hallicrafters] Aluminum panel warp?

[Pagel, Mike]

Greetings!

I've got an aluminum panel on one of my SX-42's and it exhibits a pronounced outward bow.  Laid flat and face up, the middle of the panel rises almost half an inch.  Frankly, I was amazed that Mike Shelton was able to do such a great job of repainting it recently!  This bow, by the way, was in the panel when I bought the radio.

The bow in the panel creates a problem in that it wants to make contact with the back of the micro tuning dial.  I can compensate for that by pulling the knob out a bit on its shaft, but then it rubs on the inside of the bandspread escutcheon window.  The only point I'm aware of that pulls the bow in is at the headphone jack.  I had a devil of a time getting the nut to grab at all, and the inward pressure created by that nut is not sufficient to control the rubbing at the tuning knob.

Instinct tells me to remove the panel, span it across some wood blocks positioned under the edges, and weight the center to "bend" the bow out of the panel.  Experience, however, tells me that instinct can be wrong.

Does anyone out there have any advice for curing this unnatural curve?  My Chiropractor was unable to help.

Thank you, in advance, for any suggestions!

73, de Mike, K9UW
Amherst, WI