[DolbyR]

Does anyone have experience and good tips on bending sheet metal at home?
I have already the case for my next project but I'm missing a part from the front panel. The case has originally a 35mm high, 6-8mm thick dark acrylic piece in the middle of the front panel (for a display), but its 10cm shorter than the panel, as in the right side there was a latch where some buttons have been originally.
I can't find thick aluminum or some nice wood to make this piece (about 33cm, it the whole width of the panel). The only wood I could find was plained pine which looks ugly.

So I though maybe I couls make it from sheet metal and just paint it flat black, though atleast in the ends it would need to be bent and if possible in the long sides also for extra rigidity. Wondering if its possible at all to bend it sharply at home.

The pic of my case is on the link.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...t/IMGP0026.jpg

Any other suggestions for easy-to-work-with materials that i could make this piece from,are also welcome

 

[heatmizer]

Put that picture on imageshack. It took forever to load. Why not remove the entire face and start clean. Use a piece of 4mm aluminum the entire width and height.

 

[Rav]

At the very least you'll need a vice (preferably quite a large one) better still would be to find someone with a proper bender, you'll get much crisper and straighter bends with one than without.

 

[balrog]

If you can cut out the piece of sheet metal yourself, take it to a air conditioning or sheet metal shop with a case of beer and ask someone there if they will do it for you.

Fabricating a metal brake out of scrap wood and a hinge is another option.

You could clamp the face between two sheets of wood with the tab you want to bend sticking out. Then bend the tab at a right angle by tapping it with a hammer.

 

[DolbyR]

@heatmizer.
Completely new faceplate is not an option as this one is part of the construction of the entire case.
If I would had found mm aluminum locally, I would had done that "strip" from that. But unfortunately I cant find any.

 

[Dorito123]

DIY Casings : Performance-PCs.com, ... sleeve it and they will come