Attached the Briggs junk engine to the old base and bolted the warped blade carrier with used blades on it. Used a crow bar to try and bend it back to shape and and gave the other side some strikes with a hammer.
The end result was a blade carrier with reduced wobble where I'd be confident to use it. Who knows, it may correct itself more over time.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
