Just curious what you all like to use. So far I have been using cut off discs but then you have to be careful with heat. I have seen some of the guys on tv using reciprocating saws. I am assuming they use a blade with something like 24 tpi. Would a jigsaw work, I am afraid it and the reciprocating saw might wrinkle the metal with the up and down motion. I just can't seam to get enough control with a cutoff and end up with a gap doing butt welds. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I like a cut off wheel myself. Make sure you cut the right side of the line considering the width of the wheel. I have a plasma cutter but haven't gotten good enough with it to trust myself with a final cut on a patch. Not steady enough with my hand.
Same here. I cut as close to the line as I feel comftorable then use the cutoff wheel sorta like a grinding disc to just remove that last little 1/8-1/16".
Cutting disc on an electric grinder, gets 95% of it. Small cut off wheels on an air grinder for tight areas. Mark it up with dykem and a scribe, leave plenty of meat to dial it in with a 90 degree grinder and sanding disc.
cut off wheel , on a air die grinder , let the disc do the cutting don't force it , improves control and cutting life of the disc
I cut within about 1/4 of an inch from my cut line with a cut off wheel, then I finish the cut with hand shears. This makes a clean controllable cut that works great for butt welding.
I'd use a plasma if I had it. I rough cut with my Sawzall, and then cutoff wheel to clean up. If it's a small patch panel, then just the cutoff wheel.
cut off wheel gives the best control, and is cheap, then finish with tin snips. Sawzall blades are costly and break alot. That's what I do anyway. Funny story, one time at Winfeild's in SF Valley, Gene ask My freind Bones to make a cut in a roof, Bones tryed using a Sawzall, but could not cut straight, when Gene saw the wavie cut He said " what did the earthqake measure ?" it was very funny. Von Doc
I`ve had good success overlaying the patch and cutting through both pieces with my air saw. The gap is great for Mig.
4"x 1/32 AO cut off wheel in a pneumatic 4" grinder. More torque than a die grinder, Slower speed doesn't kill wheels or warp metal. I use the remnants in die grinders for light cutting. Dave
As Indyjps said a thin cut of wheel I. An electric grinder is amazing. Agter first using one. I've never even considered using my "whizzer" or die grinder again! Sent via Illinois Bell Telephone Company's Car Radiotelephone
I generally use everything in my arsenal at one time or another, on a big project. Air chisel Oxyacetylene torch Cut off wheel Sawzall Hacksaw Hammer/Chisel Grinder Aviation snips
As others have pointed out, depends on the job. A 3" cutoff wheel .035 thick does a nice job but if you're cutting the full length of a quarter panel is quite the task. There a .045 thick x 4-1/2 cut off wheels in a grinder would make quicker work. Outside of that, the list that Squirrel (Jim) has above will come in handy at one point or another. Once you get backed into a corner and figure out what you have doesn't work, your tool assortment tends to grow so you are better prepared for the next time... And for any use of cut off wheels, try using some quality abrasives over the HF and swap meet specials. The cheaper ones are quick to disintegrate, resulting in a brown haze in the shop. I use the ones rated for stainless, last longer, less change out, and much less of the brown haze to breathe in...
Ok, so what do you guys use to fine tune butt weld edges, like to get the right gaps between old and new metal?...seems like anytime I try to use a flap disc or lightly dress an edge with a cutoff wheel edge it almost always makes a bigger mess of the gap that just needed a little touch up...
Best response.... These are the tools I use on an as needed basis. Don't limit yourself to just one method.
I lay the patch panel where I want it and scribe a line around it. I cut about an 1/8th away from the line with a quality thin 4 1/2 wheel on an electric grinder. Then I fine tune it with aviation snips and a file. The key is making a good scribe line so you have a good guide to hand cut and file to. It takes a lot longer but the results are worth it. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
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