Can anyone recommend a decent spot weld cutter?

[Brandon_Lutz]

Just purchased a project vehicle, a 75 Scout II XLC and I am going to have to make a couple of repairs on the floor. Can anyone recommend a decent spot weld cutter bit set? I was looking at this set as it had an assortment of cutting bits. Does Blair make decent spot weld cutters or should I be looking at a different manufacturer?

 

[toolenthusiast]

You should be looking at a file belt sander tbph

 

[manwithtools]

You should be looking at a file belt sander tbph

Can you please explain the logic in that suggestion. Spot weld cutters do just that, cut spot welds. I have no experience with the Blair brand but have used many others that are similar in design with great success.

 

[e015475]

I've tried just about every way possible to remove spot- welds, and the quickest way IMO is to drill them out with a 1/4" drill through both pieces of metal and remove what's left with a spot weld chisel like this one-

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/..._L0Mfm4V9CV8vDioGWLr6UEHT-NrMSRb9Q4w8f0m8cfnY

After a touch-up of the flange with a hammer and dolly and a little grinding, I use the 1/4" hole I drilled in the the remaining sheet metal to plug weld the new sheet metal to the car with a MIG.

I've never used the Lisle brand that Summit sells. The Steck Manufacturing spot weld chisel (a Milton company) is my go-to tool. Somewhere in the basement there's a box of drill/cutter type spot weld removal tools I've not used in a long time.

 

[WhoWhatNow]

You should be looking at a file belt sander tbph

I agree with this. The band file works much better in my experience. The Milwaukee 3/8” would be my choice. Last time I cut spot welds I used a Dotco air band file with 3M abrasives and it cut through the welds in no time.

 

[The Cobbler]

file belt sander

I've seen guys on you tube use these, grind the weld from the side that's scrap & very little damage to the material you're wanting to save

 

[oldwino]

I bought the one from Eastwood several years ago. Worked ok but would second the belt sander route

 

[308guru]

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[finn]

I use the Blair Rotobroach . It has several cutters of various diameters, and they stay sharp for a long time.

I also have a belt sander, but prefer the Blair. Don’t recall the make of the belt sander, but it’s not HF and I couldn’t afford the 3M at the time. The 3M belts are superior to other brands I have tried, but still wear pretty fast.

The Steck weld buster is great, too.

The HF cutters sort of work, but buy a bunch of the toothed cutters to replace the ones that fracture or wear out the teeth. Last few times I looked, I couldn’t find the replacement saw teeth at HF.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Can you please explain the logic in that suggestion. Spot weld cutters do just that, cut spot welds. I have no experience with the Blair brand but have used many others that are similar in design with great success.

The logic? Yeah, they don’t damage the underlying panels as much. They put less heat into the panels. They’re faster. They’re easier on your body. The consumables are cheaper. They can easily cut through UHSS and boron. They have better reach. The angle is adjustable. They allow you to remove a panel, prep the replacement panel, and dress your welds with just one tool.

That’s just what I can think of off the top of my head…

 

[manwithtools]

The logic? Yeah, they don’t damage the underlying panels as much. They put less heat into the panels. They’re faster. They’re easier on your body. The consumables are cheaper. They can easily cut through UHSS and boron. They have better reach. The angle is adjustable. They allow you to remove a panel, prep the replacement panel, and dress your welds with just one tool.

That’s just what I can think of off the top of my head…

Thank you!

 

[Rusted Nut]

Rotobroach!

 

[toolenthusiast]

the quickest way IMO is to drill them out with a 1/4" drill through both pieces of metal and remove what's left with a spot weld chisel like this one… After a touch-up of the flange with a hammer and dolly and a little grinding, I use the 1/4" hole I drilled in the the remaining sheet metal to plug weld the new sheet metal to the car with a MIG.

That might be the quickest way but darn if that doesn’t cause a host of other issues

1) You’re putting holes into the panel underneath unnecessarily
2) You’re deforming the panels unnecessarily when you beat the donut-shaped weld fragments apart with a chisel
3) You’re putting 6mm welds where there should be 8mm or 10mm welds

Of course if you’re working on classic cars some of that stuff arguably goes out the window because the entire structure is mild steel and those cars were never safe to begin with

 

[Brandon_Lutz]

Thanks guys. Looks like a band file purchase is next up.

 

[finn]

Thanks guys. Looks like a band file purchase is next up.

Just make sure you order a case of belts. They don’t last long.

 

[emeraldcoupe]

believe it or not i've had great luck with the drillmaster brand HF ones. just let the bit do the work and don't force it down.

 

[zendriver]

I’m looking into doing this and it appears if you use a cutter, you still have to grind down the rememants of the spot weld

With a band sander by the time it’s let loose most of the removal is already done

 

[dnschmidt]

Band file for the win. Have basically replaced drills in the autobody world due to the use of boron steel which is really tough on drills.

 

[Steve_P]

Yeah, band files are now the standard in the pro autobody world- I don't think I've ever seen a video on youtube where anything else was being used in a professional environment.

 

[txvwnut]

Wivco or the ones Snapon sells. I've had great luck with both, the Wivco's do not drill all the way through don't end up with a hole on one side of your flange or lip. The Snapon's have and 1/8" pilot bit in them so you end up with a small hole on the other side of flange or lip. I used to use the SO's mainly but I ended up doing some panel replacement on a couple of Cuda's some years ago and the customer was adamant the all work looked factory when complete.

 

[Rockable]

Thanks guys. Looks like a band file purchase is next up.

I would recommend 3M Cubitron belts. If you haven't used them, you're in for a treat. Yes, they are expensive but they last longer and cut faster....and you are going to need to cut fast.

 

[toolenthusiast]

I would recommend 3M Cubitron belts. If you haven't used them, you're in for a treat. Yes, they are expensive but they last longer and cut faster....and you are going to need to cut fast.

Yes! 1 cubitron belt will last as long as a whole box of lesser belts, so the total cost is waaaay better.

 

[californiamilleghia]

if you are going to use a Rotobroach , what drill speed works best ?

 

[Slednut]

Yes, the little belt sanders work great though. I just had to do a bunch on a 2016 Mustang and the sheet metal was full of carbon, ended up buying some cutters from Amazon.

 

[rkevins]

I have used the one from harbor freight and a cheep set off amazon, the amazon one had a box of cutters with it, I forget which set it is.