bluehills5
Active Member
I got a WC-22 case which was missing the metal screen (grate , grill?) so I made my own.
1. I bought Perforated, 16 Gauge Plain Steel (0.0625” or 1.6mm) , 1/8" (0.125 or 3.175mm) Round on 3/16" (0.1875” or 4.76mm) Staggered hole steel. Need at least 18”x 12” but I bought 12”x36” so I could make 2 in case the first was a stuff-up.
2. Place case cutout on grill and mark outline of the cutout. Note the edge with the 90 deg bend should have a smooth edge – not cut through the middle of any holes. The bend goes the middle of the 3rd row of holes.
3. Add 1/8” extra to the cutout for insertion into groove. For 90 bend it should bend through middle of the 3rd row of holes from the edge so this should be marked also.
4. Cut out with whatever you have. I used a 4” angle grinder and then smoothed the edges with angle grinder’s grinding wheel and also round the back corners. I finished up with a file. As the edge is inside the groove, it is not too important if the edge is not the straightest, as long as it is hidden in the groove. Now insert the metal into the case and check it can insert all the way with 3 rows of holes for the 90 bent part sticking out.
5. To make the 90 deg bend, I used a vice, bending by tapping with a hammer near the bend edge about 10 deg each time and moving the screen along the vice after each bend. This takes some time but is not too difficult and although it was a bit warped after I did the whole bend, I bashed it flat again. If you don’t have a vice, I think you could bend with an adjustable wrench, again about 10 deg at a time but this would take a lot of effort but as you are bending along the middle of a line of holes it tends to want to bend here. Or clamp between 2 pieces of wood with the bendable edge protruding and tapping the edge over with a hammer. You can also do a search for “diy bending sheet metal” for other ways to bend sheet metal .
6. After bending, insert into case again for final check.
7. Paint. First I cleaned off with acetone but alcohol or another solvent would also work to remove your grimy fingerprints and the like. For paint I used Rustoleum Appliance enamel in gloss black. Says on the can it is super hard and does not need priming – easy peasy. Make sure you also spray at an angle so you get the inside edges of the holes – particularly when viewing the grill from the front.
8. After paint is dry, insert into you case and voila – just like new.
1. I bought Perforated, 16 Gauge Plain Steel (0.0625” or 1.6mm) , 1/8" (0.125 or 3.175mm) Round on 3/16" (0.1875” or 4.76mm) Staggered hole steel. Need at least 18”x 12” but I bought 12”x36” so I could make 2 in case the first was a stuff-up.
2. Place case cutout on grill and mark outline of the cutout. Note the edge with the 90 deg bend should have a smooth edge – not cut through the middle of any holes. The bend goes the middle of the 3rd row of holes.
3. Add 1/8” extra to the cutout for insertion into groove. For 90 bend it should bend through middle of the 3rd row of holes from the edge so this should be marked also.
4. Cut out with whatever you have. I used a 4” angle grinder and then smoothed the edges with angle grinder’s grinding wheel and also round the back corners. I finished up with a file. As the edge is inside the groove, it is not too important if the edge is not the straightest, as long as it is hidden in the groove. Now insert the metal into the case and check it can insert all the way with 3 rows of holes for the 90 bent part sticking out.
5. To make the 90 deg bend, I used a vice, bending by tapping with a hammer near the bend edge about 10 deg each time and moving the screen along the vice after each bend. This takes some time but is not too difficult and although it was a bit warped after I did the whole bend, I bashed it flat again. If you don’t have a vice, I think you could bend with an adjustable wrench, again about 10 deg at a time but this would take a lot of effort but as you are bending along the middle of a line of holes it tends to want to bend here. Or clamp between 2 pieces of wood with the bendable edge protruding and tapping the edge over with a hammer. You can also do a search for “diy bending sheet metal” for other ways to bend sheet metal .
6. After bending, insert into case again for final check.
7. Paint. First I cleaned off with acetone but alcohol or another solvent would also work to remove your grimy fingerprints and the like. For paint I used Rustoleum Appliance enamel in gloss black. Says on the can it is super hard and does not need priming – easy peasy. Make sure you also spray at an angle so you get the inside edges of the holes – particularly when viewing the grill from the front.
8. After paint is dry, insert into you case and voila – just like new.
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