Making a flat case top round- how do I?

[Miami]

Folks,

I want to give my alum case a rounded top (about 1 inch high at its highest point). Would Evercoat be appropriate for this? Kinda build it up and shape it?

Thanks.

[Vis]

You could do it just with filler but the best way, if you have the tools and resources to do it would be just to make a new top from aluminum. At a minimum youd need a bending brake and a home made former to get the gradual curve.

[Starbuck3733T]

Get some PVC pipe and cut the section out you need.. you might want a fairly large diameter of schedule 40 or schedule 80 pvc pipe.

[GodsUnicorn]

Do you want a domed top or just a curved one ?

[mnpctech]

Guessing width of the case is between 7.5" - 9", you can get sheet metal ducting in Heating/Cooling aisle at Home Depot or Lowes.. That will allow you a start with nice arc you can bend and cut.

[GodsUnicorn]

Would it be possible to make a wooden form to the required shape and then heat some plexi with a heat gun and push it onto the form ??

Just a thought, Of course I may be talking a load of crap as I've never tried it myself.

[Miami]

Thanks folks.

I mean rounded from front to back not from side to side. Not a domed top. Picture the arc of a tire.

I don't have the tools to fabricate it from aluminum.

[Starbuck3733T]

What tools do you have? You could do MDF and cut the arc with a jigsaw or bandsaw or coping saw, then laminate multiple pieces of the MDF arcs together to create the form your looking for, blend with body filler.

[Miami]

Out of wood may work but it will take some time.

Look at the attached image. I am trying to make the top of the case feel like the hood of the car (that sloping curve).

[Starbuck3733T]

that's usually the case when you don't have the right tools... You can trade tooling for time, or time for tooling.

[dutchcedar]

I trust you noticed that if you HAD a piece of sheetmetal that matched the curves of a Cobra's hood and was the size of the top of your PC case, it wouldn't fit and wouldn't look anything like a Cobra. The "feel" of a Cobra comes from all of its lines, least of which is the hood... something that's more identifiable for what it is by the scoop, stripes and hood pins than the simple curves. Unlike a PC case, there just aren't many straight lines on a Cobra... :thumb:

That said, the right way to make a shape like that out of sheetmetal is with a hammer and bag, followed by an English wheel.

[Miami]

Dutch,

Thanks. That is what I mean. When I look at a Cobra, what I see are curves. That is why I wanted to give the top a curve. Not exactly the hood, but something that was reminiscent of the Cobra curves. The case will have the lines and hood pins also.

I don't have the skill or tools to make the curved top out of sheet metal. So that is out. Maybe I'll give Evercoat a try and see how it goes.

[flacowboy]

you get the rough shape u need by building a wood form and then lay some fiberglass window sccreen over it and then use the evercoat over that so u dont ahve to put it on so think as it might crack and hten u can even flow it in the exsiting top better

[Pug]

I don't have the tools to fabricate it from aluminum.
Pshaw, bend it over your knee. :-p

Like Dutch says though, the curves on a Cobra run throughout, hence the fact that most people thought a side to side curve was what you were after.
Check out mashie's Y2KBug linked in the gallery for one take on how to do curved panels. :thumb:

[TotalEclipse]

Options I can think of that weren't mentioned.
You could use a hard foam to form the shape how you want it and then seal the foam and paint.

You could make a mold from mdf and then bend plexi to the form you would like.