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Repair crushed computer case?

O

Overmann

Experienced Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Messages
102
Location
Norway
I just got my newest addition to the collection. A nice old 286 with the big switch in the back and the car hood-type case opening mechanism. I was really excited to get it but when I opened the box it was crushed and bent out of shape. I've never seen a computer get this messed up during shipping.

imgur link

Now I've had a hard time finding a case like this, or even just a nice looking 286 xt clone. Does anyone know if it's possible to repair something like this? Is it possible to bend this back into shape? I know I can glue the plastic, and all the black metal is soft and easily bendable, but the case itself is extremely tough. I have no idea what they did to get it this messed up!
 
Overmann said:
imgur link
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Well damn. I am not sure you could do much with that, and anything I can think of basically becomes "rebuild the case from scratch".


What did the box look like? Was it insured? What method was the shipping? This is by far the worst damage I've seen from shipping in quite some time.
 
I dont know where you live as you didnt update your profile. But if you live in the states , purchase the anvil from harbour freight (think it was around $40.00) necessary for sheet metal repair. Buy a small ballpeen hammer and straighten the metal out (youtube can cover techniques) Once straightened bondo and sanding prior to paint can hide imperfections. IT wll take alot of time but anything is fixable if you are motivated.
 
I assume the motherboard that was in this case was destroyed as well and you won't be bothering to try to repair it? Some of the expansion cards may at least be salvageable.
 
lutiana said:
What did the box look like? Was it insured? What method was the shipping? This is by far the worst damage I've seen from shipping in quite some time.
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Well ,the box looked fine, but after I unpacked the thing the box fell apart. DHL had completely wrapped it in tape ("REPACKAGED BY DHL"), so I suspect they somehow crushed the box and had to tape it together. I have contacted the seller, and he is going to try to get a refund. I think it was insured.


VERAULT said:
I dont know where you live as you didnt update your profile. But if you live in the states , purchase the anvil from harbour freight (think it was around $40.00) necessary for sheet metal repair. Buy a small ballpeen hammer and straighten the metal out (youtube can cover techniques) Once straightened bondo and sanding prior to paint can hide imperfections. IT wll take alot of time but anything is fixable if you are motivated.
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I live in Norway. I have never seen an anvil for sale, but I will ask around. Vintage computers are usually stupidly expensive here, so it's much more affordable to buy from abroad and get it shipped. I was not expecting this cind of damage. :(
 
Overmann said:
I live in Norway. I have never seen an anvil for sale, but I will ask around. Vintage computers are usually stupidly expensive here, so it's much more affordable to buy from abroad and get it shipped. I was not expecting this cind of damage. :(
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I am not sure anyone expects that kind of damage...
 
My first impulse would be to put the wrinkled top on my English wheel and work the creases out. You might have better luck locally by taking the case top to an auto body collision repair shop, who probably has the right tools--and the expertise--for the job.

English wheel video

The problem with severely damaged sheet metal is that it's sort of like working with pie crust dough--you can roll it out to stretch it, but un-stretching it is quite a bit more difficult.
 
Realistically, for what it's gonna cost to repair that case to make it somewhat acceptable you could probably buy three others.
 
I'm a black smith, that is more then fixable but will take time and alot of work. But besure not to do anything until you get a refund, DHL may take the PC back if it was insured.

A good oak stump or hard rock with a faltered top can be used in place of an anvil, so can railroad rail and just about any hard chunk of steel/iron.
If you want to save the steel you will need to heat the steel up to to relieve the stresses from working it cold. Not so hot is glows but a few 100 degrees or the steel will become over worked and crack/brake. Work it a little then heat it to bluing temp then hold it for a wile, a house hold oven will work if you can fit the case in it, just be sure to remove can parts that could melt.

I would start be stripping the paint then heating up the steel in a oven to about 350-450F for 10-20 minutes to relieve any stresses. Then beat out the steel back into shape, stop working the steel and re heat it if it becomes spongy/soft.

PM me if you want more help.
Chuck(G) said:
My first impulse would be to put the wrinkled top on my English wheel and work the creases out. You might have better luck locally by taking the case top to an auto body collision repair shop, who probably has the right tools--and the expertise--for the job.
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This, but they may not know how to heat threat it to prevent it from braking/cracking the steel.
New steel patches may be needed if the case is worked 100% cold. It could be costly too.
 
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I suspect you're right. :(
I will do as Chuck suggests and contact some car repair shops. There are two just in my neighbourhood, but I don't doubt it will be very expensive.
 
Mr. Horse said:
This, but they may not know how to heat threat it to prevent it from braking/cracking the steel.
New steel patches may be needed if the case is worked 100% cold. It could be costly too.
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I work with a lot of nonferrous metals (brass, copper) and am painfully aware of the need to anneal the material periodically. The problem here is that you're not just knocking dents out, but that the material is wrinkled also. If you want to whale on the thing with a hammer, use the right one for sheet metal. Whacking on cheap Taiwanese steel with a regular ball-peen hammer is likely to leave marks.

If your auto body shop has a pneumatic planishing hammer, so much the better. In the hands of a skilled workman, you can get great results.

But basically, I'm with the others--I'd consign a case this badly damaged to the recycling pile. :(
 
Chuck(G) said:
I work with a lot of nonferrous metals (brass, copper) and am painfully aware of the need to anneal the material periodically. The problem here is that you're not just knocking dents out, but that the material is wrinkled also. If you want to whale on the thing with a hammer, use the right one for sheet metal. Whacking on cheap Taiwanese steel with a regular ball-peen hammer is likely to leave marks.

If your auto body shop has a pneumatic planishing hammer, so much the better. In the hands of a skilled workman, you can get great results.

But basically, I'm with the others--I'd consign a case this badly damaged to the recycling pile. :(
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So do I, just about every day. I restore old plate armor and swords and reproduce arms and armor using historical tools and techniques.
A regular hammer can even be used on 500 year old Japanese sheet iron without leaving marks. Its not to say newer tools aren't far better with not leaving marks or dents. Given the application I would go for something like planishing hammer or English wheel too. I'm just so well vested in useing a hammer and anvil that I go straight for the cave man tools and techniques.


I don't think it really matters how this case is fixed, it will likely need some filler to make the surface flat.
 
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"Historical" in this case, probably means a BOF fed with scrap, feeding a continuous casting line, with a rolling mill along with a 50 ton sheet metal press. :)

In any case, it might be easier to fab something from sheet, seeing as how this one's going to need repainting anyway. In which case, a decent brake is pretty much all that's required.

If this were mine, however--and if I was desperate enough--I'd consider fabbing a lid from sheet acrylic or even aluminum.

I had a couple of these hinged cases and darned near lost a finger when the lid on one came slamming down. (Taiwan, in those days didn't hold with finished or rolled edges, which is why I learned to use gloves when assembling Far East case hardware) That unsettled me badly enough that I removed the hinges from every single one and just used the tops as drop-on. I may even have some hinge hardware lurking around in my hellbox, if anyone wants to make a go at losing some digits...
 
I have done metalwork repairs to name-brand machines where getting a new case isn't easy, but that's a generic AT-cone case. Unless you are entirely attached to the thing I would salvage what I can and write the case off.
 
Chuck(G) said:
"Historical" in this case, probably means a BOF fed with scrap, feeding a continuous casting line, with a rolling mill along with a 50 ton sheet metal press. :)

In any case, it might be easier to fab something from sheet, seeing as how this one's going to need repainting anyway. In which case, a decent brake is pretty much all that's required.

If this were mine, however--and if I was desperate enough--I'd consider fabbing a lid from sheet acrylic or even aluminum.

I had a couple of these hinged cases and darned near lost a finger when the lid on one came slamming down. (Taiwan, in those days didn't hold with finished or rolled edges, which is why I learned to use gloves when assembling Far East case hardware) That unsettled me badly enough that I removed the hinges from every single one and just used the tops as drop-on. I may even have some hinge hardware lurking around in my hellbox, if anyone wants to make a go at losing some digits...
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Fabbing new sheet mete would be 100 times less work then fixing this case. But then you no longer have the original steel. Or that's how I look at it.
 
But it is still steel.

I'm just going to imagine that steel case totally pancaked some cheap piece of modern black sludge plastic/aluminum electronic device. :)
 
That's one disheartening sight... makes what happened to my 5160 [pics] look like a gentle caress in comparison, and I thought *that* took extraordinary levels of incompetence.

I honestly don't know what to make of the prospects of shipping vintage equipment anymore; just thinking of what would happen to a monitor (which I still need) makes me wince profoundly.
 
Yes, I'm still surprised by the damage. I have taken the machine apart now, but I've still to try to boot the motherboard. I'll have to take a multimeter to the PSU first. Perhaps some of the components still work.
I will try to repair the case, but I suspect it will be a long term project.

I've had shipped computers that were less well packed then this that arrived in perfect condition. It seems to be a gamble.
 
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