Heat bending

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Fabricated a cart to hold tools; the top 1x1 angle is bowed down by 1/4 inch at the center.  Perhaps the angle was initially bent or warped during welding, don't know.  But, can this be straightened without removing, straightening and rewelding?  Have read articles as to where to apply heat and think I should heat the bottom, obtaining the maximum expansion below the neutral axis. Then upon cooling, it should not return to full deflection.  Right or wrong?  The angle needs to be level, so is the next step the heating or cutting tip?   Used 2x2 for the lower shelves so the problem is not repeated. Attached Images
Reply:Why couldnt you use a jack to bend it back straight ?  I think it would be much easier to do    Jake
Reply:My thought as well, bottle jack that sucker!  Just brace the bottom of the jack so it does not bend a lower shelf.City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny
Reply:I can't see the welds clearly so won't guess if they are part of the cause, but I would first turn the unit upside down on a level concrete floor and use a ball pein hammer judiciously, near the corners if I thought the bending was due to the weld and near the center if not. I'd probably use a piece of scrap material to get into the corner of the angle with the force.
Reply:I'd put my tools on it and use it. If you keep as much on yours as I do my tables and carts, a 1/4" sag won't matter a bit. And the first time you bang on something on the top or drop something heavy on it, it probably will sag a little then, too. It's a cart - "we ain't making diamonds".   Burt _____________________Miller Syncrowave 250Millermatic 211Miller 375 Plasma Cutter Hobart Handler 12010FtDrillBit.com
Reply:Guess I will get the jack after it.  Thought about that but was sure the lower shelves would just bend. l can weld on a temporary support to connect each of the lower three shelves and keep bending to a minimum.  I have a tool to use on the top shelf that needs to be level, and I don't want to just shim it.  Guess I will turn it upside down first, support the periphery, and just give it a good beating.Thanks for your comments.
Reply:Hell how thick is the angle?  I could probably straighten out 1x1x3/16 angle by hand.Then again like mentioned that is just going to sag again if your putting tools on it.Have we all gone mad?
Reply:Piece of cake and thanks..DW always accuses me of overengineering solutions.  Headed to Harbor Freight, but Northern Tool was on the way so I stopped; they have bottle jacks on sale .  Got a 20 ton for less than $20.  Now to find something that weighs 20 tons to check her out .  One ton is probably more than I'll ever need, but could not find a one ton bottle jack;  brute force and gross ignorance has its place  .  Cart top is as flat as a pool table now.