Cross post - Help repairing badly dented / warped sheet metal casing (Seattle)

[Swift Griggs]

On Wed, 15 Jun 2016, Ian Finder wrote:
> Despite being shipped in the original SMBX designed carton, UPS dealt a 
> great deal of damage to the system. It looks like it was hit by a truck.

<joke>
Dangit! I knew I shoulda been going faster when I hit that UPS truck. 
*ducks* 
</joke>

!!!JOKING!!! :-)

> Is there anyone, preferably local, with the skill and tools to make this 
> thing look a little better who can lend a hand?

Auto body shops with open minded folks can help. They will have a zillion 
weird shaped hammers to work out the major dents, anvils and shaping tools 
to bend and smooth it, and power hammers, metal shears, bending tools, 
bending machines, etc.. Sometimes you'll find that skillset in weird 
places. I knew a lamp repair guy who had a lot of metalworking skill, too. 
Even if it's torn, they can weld the tear up and then grind it back down 
smooth.

> How do I get started undoing the dents and extremely bent base?

I'd recommend you get a set of body hammers and a dolly benders. They are 
cheap these days. That'll get you 80% there if you don't want everything 
liquid smooth. Along with a zillion other things I don't do very well, 
I've been interested in auto body work and done a tad bit myself in the 
past.

What I'd be tempted to do is go to a locally owned body shop and ask them 
if they'd be willing to fix it cheaply as overflow work. Ie.. you don't 
need a tight timeline. Remember you can get two of these things: fast, 
cheap, and good. If you are willing to compromise on fast, some shops will 
help you just because it sounds different and fun. Others will act like 
you are insane and tell you to shove off. However, they are the ones who 
you really would want help from.

-Swift