Easy way to straighten bowed bed wood

[McCoyAZ]

My old '64 has seen better days when it comes to the bed wood.

I am planning on putting a mill finished aluminum diamond plate in the bed but some of the boards were cracked and bowed up nearly 1/2 an inch, so I had to figure a way to flatten them.

I cleaned the cracks out and then wet the boards, spread Gorilla glue in the splits.

Then took a sheet of aluminum foil ( to keep the glue from sticking to the 1/4 inch plate), laid it over the boards, placed a 1/4" aluminum plate on top of that and placed my 20 ton hydraulic jack in the center of the plate.

Built a T Post that would reach the ceiling and placed it on the ram of the jack and commenced to pump iron. Being sure the T Post spanned 2 joists so I wouldn't punch a hole in the sheetrock.

Now I have to wait till morning to see if it did the job I am hoping for.

Pictures attached shows the T Post and the jack........

News at 11