JB weld to fill?

[Niku-Sama]

ok i dont know what to do. to help explain i'll post pics but probally tommorow since i just now rembered to bring the batteries i just bought in to charge. any way heres the deal....

about a month ago i snagged a nice looking aluminum server case on casters (mabe an older Lian Li?) for $15. thing is its trashed. nice looking fron a distance and i talked the guy down. its obvious i am going to have to paint the pannels since theyre all scratched up, theres gum stuck to it and to top it all off....who ever owned the case before drilled seemingly random holes in the top and has also seemingly random dremmel sutting wheel marks ALL over the top. none of them straight all zig zaggy and none of them ever making a complete square, a few all the way through. the front is fine but ti inside is missing the floppy mounts and hard drive cages are loose ratting arround.

is it ok to use jb weld to fill in the holes and such in the top pannel (i poppwed it off already) and sand it down? and i was thinking of taking a hole saw (the proper tool) and cutting a 120mm or 2 x 80 mm fan holes in the top and then painting it. also is prepping aluminum for paint the same as any thing else? i havent ever painted it before.

[SolidxSnake]

Bondo is probably your best bet for filling. JB Weld wouldn't be as easy to use.

[Diggrr]

True, it's hard to sand JBWeld smooth. Bondo is fantastic, just don't oversand or your repairs will be visible once painted (little dips that you couldn't see until paint is on them). I like to lightly sand my primer coat with some 600 wet paper until it's shiny enough to see the repair area, just to make sure it's not going to be visible later.

Painting aluminum is the same as anything else.
Prep
Prime
Paint.

[JamesXP]

Bondo is the ****!

[Niku-Sama]

i havent painted aluminum before is what i meant, i shouldnt post so late at night....

any way bondo is ok and all but i worry about some of the shapes that are cut into the top breaking the rest of the way and comming out. i donno i'll get some pics in an hour or so

[Niku-Sama]

pics

http://webpages.charter.net/niku_sama/case/S7300558.JPGhttp://webpages.charter.net/niku_sama/case/S7300562.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/niku_sama/case/S7300559.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/niku_sama/case/S7300560.JPG
http://webpages.charter.net/niku_sama/case/S7300561.JPG

sorry about the crappy quality i didnt set it up to take decent pics theyre just quick n dirty.

also what sort of mod and what color should i paint it?

[Diggrr]

Bondo is pretty tough. I've filled 3/4" holes with it by using aluminum tape behind the hole and just filling it on the open side with bondo....still fine after 3 years as my son's computer.
After a few days to totally cure (curing continues even after painting), it's quite strong. I wouldn't go hitting it with a ball-peen hammer or anything, but you should be just fine even if you stand on it.

You can use the tape trick I outlined to fill those holes on top too. The tape just keeps the bondo from sagging before it hardens.

Take off the front bezel so it remains unpainted, and paint the rest bright safety yellow (Lamborghini yellow is nice too).
That's just my tastes though...:)