[BR3W CITY]

Thats a ton of words, for a complicated visual idea.

I'd run over to home depot and grab some 1/4" square tube in an 8ft stick for like $15. It cuts with a hack saw, and you can tac it together for a simple frame.

Build your skeleton, wrap it with metal...then find a natural point in which a seperation could be made. Cut the unit where it works, and put a couple of machine screw boss's on one side, and hold the two pieces together with some allen mechine screws for a clean look.

IMO thats the easiest way to get the form-factor you want, and can still cut into halves or pieces. I'd make sure to use super-thin AL since you'll have a skeleton to wrap it around...the same idea could be done with thicker AL also, but the you remove the skeleton and let the body stand on its own. Make any sense?