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I bent mine 2 days ago with great success, mind you the shop temperature is 82F. Can't help on the blow dryer theory though, but some of my process might help, if not you, others following the 'journey'.
Before contemplating the bend, I spent hours researching using the Search facility here.
My brake is constructed using an MDF sandwich, using 5 hinges with no lateral slop when exercised. I went without using the dowel, but had the trailing edge of the skin tight against the hinges. In place of the dowel, my brake boards are set 1/8 apart at the hinge line. I squeezed very gently, rotated the skin, squeezed again, rotated etc., until the brake could do no more. The stiffeners were gently touching the opposite skin.
For the final squeeze or series of them, I used my Avery Hand Seamer. I specify Avery because it is the vise grip style, meaning you can set an exact jaw size, and produce a consistent radius along the skin's length. (My Isham seamer relies on me to set the jaw size, by the pressure I can exert on the handles.) Go very gently though, with a 1/8 turn increasing increment on the grip adjuster each pass. (I had to use some plumbers tape on the screw adjuster of the grip, as the screw would work it's way free and slacken the angle. I also marked the end of the adjuster with an arrow to show the incremental step increases). I might have made 5 passes each direction, squeezing slightly tighter each time. Take great care though, a little goes a long way. Also, don't put the skin fully into the throat of the seamer. For consistency, I took MEL's advice and used some electrical tape to protect the skins, but this also allowed me to place the skins at a consistent point within the mouth of the seamer's jaws.
Bending the first skin was one of those 'big gulp' moments, but I am now very happy to do so, all thanks to the search facility above. You are very close a radius that will please you, but more importantly, you have a beautifully straight line leading to the radius!
