[maple_leaf_eh]

So the first sequence took the loyal MLU viewer from discovery to 'now what have I gotten myself into?'.

The next sequence doesn't quite capture the thought processes. Should I replicate the good battery box? Could I make origami with sheet metal? What gauge of steel, the 22 gauge panel I bought or the salvaged pieces of 12-ish gauge from some long-forgotten trailer?

In the end I decided I had neither the time or inclination to make a fancy cake pan-like piece. Time was pressing to get the vehicle back in for inspection before the long weekend. Make it flat. Make it simple.

I convinced my brother to come over and weld for me. The heavy gauge steel was free and strong enough to support the batteries without reinforcements. The resulting welding had a fair amount of spatter, but there are no voids of pinholes. The bumps and zigzags were ground off, and looked nice and shiney.

I painted the fresh ground metal with Rust Killer spray paint. Which is not Rustoleam spray paint. The outer layer on the bottom is asphalt rustproofing spray.

The inner battery box depression, the intact one, is now concealed under a loose piece of heavy gauge steel.