How to stiffen 1/2" aluminum tube?

[mike31154]

That's definitely a wimpy looking piece of tube to be hanging 18 lbs or so near the end. Aluminum really isn't the best choice for something like this. Since you've already bent some up, have you tried hanging something close to 18 lbs to it to see what happens?

Not sure bending steel inside the alu will work all that well either. My guess (guess only) is that the aluminum outer will get crushed or deformed by the extra force required to bend the steel inside? That will ruin the look for sure.

My fixture hangs from the ceiling on spring wound retractable pulleys. Industrial, yes, but functional since it makes raising & lowering the fixture for maintenance a snap.