Sawzall, torch or other? Edit: and plastic models?

cutoff wheel. Sawzall gets a little wild sometimes and a torch doesn't really leave a fine line I always prefer a thin cutoff wheel

 

My dad has had to go to the ER more than once because of a cutting disk coming apart. He has one that can spin a 8" disk at crazy rpms. It's a tool that was used by boiler makers (not sold at your typical neighborhood hardware store). Cuts like nothing you've ever seen.....but is dangerous as hell.

 

i bought a power shears from HF a while back... they cut neatly, take out a 1/4" ribbon of waste. little tricky to go from one plane to another, and require a bit of a learning curve, but cut fast and fairly quiet. i used them to cut wheelwell radius sections from scrap Falcon fenders, they don't induce warpage and leave a clean edge. they're restricted to single layers of metal, obviously... and not capable of cutting complex structure at all.

the ones i bought look like a power drill with the chuck replaced by the shear bits. they do need either a clear edge to cut from, or a hole to cut out from.

 

Sawzall or tinsnips, I dont like to hear the air compresser run for a little cut.

 

Slight change of topic: What about plastic models? I've got one of the AMT '61 ranchero models here that I plan to use for mock-up.

 

Kurt, The plastic prototype is the way to go. In your case you need to keep in mind how wide the new car will be. Might want to make a table of measurements from scale to full size. I just read an article in my Shop Notes magazine where they explained all the the thing you can do with a square. Made some interesting reading.

 

Sawzall! And Id buy more parts with the money the Plasma costs. ha!

 

for the plastic xacto fine tooth razor saw

 

Reread this if you missed it, great advice. Cutoff wheels are a bit scary, when you use one think of what body parts are going to get hit if the wheel blows up.