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Harbor Freight Tool Review & How To - Spot Weld Cutter

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  • Harbor Freight Tool Review & How To - Spot Weld Cutter

    I have been searching off and on and half heartedly for spot weld cutters/bit. As I searched the expanses of the internet on all things spot welds I found an endless selection of various tools created for the task. There are bits and there are cutters, kaggigers and thing-a-ma-bobs of all sizes shapes and prices. This review is specifically about the cutters from Harbor Freight Tools. There are many brands of these tools to choose from; Keysco, Eastwood, Blair, Wivco, Malco, S&G to name a few. One name that kept popping up was the cutters from Blair. The Blair bits come highly recommended on many different threads in many different forums so I decided to check them out. I read a number of reviews about this brand on sales websites and it seems that feelings were mixed, so I decided to dig a little deeper. An old thread on the HAMB suggested the HFT versions were a solid tool for far less money that the Blair bits.

    First, if you go to HFT do not look at the drill bit section for these items, you'll waste a trip as I did. I went back a second time and found them among the "dremel tool" style bits and pieces. The cost for one cutter is $4.95 where other bits can cost between $10 to $60. Some reviews stated that, no matter the brand, they would use the bits up quickly and were not worth the money. Many complained that they would break and the teeth would snap off. This was far from my experience. I purchased 4 of the bits and I cut out nearly 30 welds with no noticeable change in effectiveness from the single bit I used. I feel that at $4.95 you cannot go wrong and highly recommend these cutters to anyone considering tackling this type of project.



    Item#63657

    My first impression is that this is a solid tool that is well worth the money if you are trying to remove spot welds. There is a learning curve to the tool but they are pretty straight forward.

    Below is a step by step of the process I used - Please understand, I am not a body man. I have no formal training other than the literature and videos I've watched/read. This is the process I used, the process that worked best for me. Your experiences and knowledge may vary.

    First - as if it was not obvious, locate the spot welds you wish to remove and center punch it.



    Second - I found that starting a small hole about 1/8 or so helped to center the bit and keep it from skipping around while you're cutting the hole. Do not drill all the way through, you can usually feel when the bit punches thru the first layer of metal but, not always so I suggest just making a little divot as seen in the picture.



    Third, insert the center of the cutter into the hole/divot you drilled and slowly start to cut out the weld.



    Fourth, drill a little and check then rinse and repeat.



    Fith, the hole on the left of the screen. This is why you drill a little and check your progress. Idealy you do not want to punch all the way thru. It is not the end of the world if you do but, it sure makes life easier if you don't.



    Sixth, with two drills and a cold chisel and hammer and a LOT of patience, you can separate your panels in short order. This was a far better process than using a small pilot hole and a large drill bit. It damages the metal less and in my experience, faster.




    I'm sure everyone has their way and would do this or that but I hope that, for the uninitiated, this helps. It seems like a daunting task, which is one of the many reasons I put it off so long but really, the process I used was very simple and straightforward and worked very well.

    If not for some drunken overzealous assembly line worker who, for unknown reasons put 17 spot welds within 1/4" of each other on the quarter panel there would haev been very little damage to the outer panel.
    Last edited by JOES66FURY; June 18, 2018, 10:53 AM.
    If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

  • #2
    Nice! Thanks
    Chris - HRPT Long Haul 03, 04, 05, 13, 14, 15,16 & 18
    74 Nova Project
    66 Mustang GT Project

    92 Camaro RS Convertible Project
    79 Chevy Truck Project
    1956 Cadillac Project

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    • #3
      I too can attest to the fact that this is a time saver!
      Patrick & Tammy
      - Long Haulin' 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014...Addicting isn't it...??

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      • #4
        ITs a time saver, but not a long term time saver. The center point of the spot weld is hardened steel, and as far as doing alot of spot welds, it loses effectiveness as you go, and quickly.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by anotheridiot View Post
          ITs a time saver, but not a long term time saver. The center point of the spot weld is hardened steel, and as far as doing alot of spot welds, it loses effectiveness as you go, and quickly.
          As I stated, I did about 30 spot welds with 1 side of a bit with no noticeable decline in effectiveness. You're not cutting the center of the spot weld you're cutting around the spot weld so the makeup of the center point is moot. These bits come double sided, thats 60 spot welds for $4.95, well worth the money IMHO, but...everyone has their opinions and their processes, I was simply sharing mine.
          ​​​​​​​
          If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

          Comment


          • #6
            nice write up! I use a 3/32 drill and go all the way through, instead of just making a divot like you do, but that might be because the pilot in my really really old tool is not working properly.

            But then again, it's been several years since i used that type drill to remove spot welds. On the Barracuda, I'm just grinding the welds down through the first layer with the cutoff wheel, then prying the metal away. seems to be quick enough to do it this way. But this only works if you're not trying to save the piece you are removing! the spot cutter is great for cutting off a donor piece to weld onto another car.
            Last edited by squirrel; June 18, 2018, 03:15 PM.
            My fabulous web page

            "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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            • #7
              Nice.

              Once I figured out that the cutters I was looking at came from China anyway I saved some bucks and bought a handful of those HF tools and would add the following:

              The tooth grinding on the cutters was inconsistent, one would be ground perfectly and another mis-ground so that it wouldn't possibly cut. Lost of HF stuff is reject-bin from manufacturers who make good product but then if they have a problem batch, HF gets it and these were probably such a case. Happy news, it was not too hard to correct the tooth shape working carefully on an upright belt sander, and again most of the cutters were OK.

              Catch an edge or otherwise give the cutter an uneven ride and the thing shatters. That's fine, it just means they are very hard-tempered as they would have to be to do this job. Being careful is important.

              Finally, I had a lot of trouble keeping the cutter centered with it's little pin into a centerpunch mark even after a pretty heavy hit with the punch and was ready to start pilot-drilling until I took a good look at the shape of the pin (under magnification) and ground a center punch to that exact shape and sharpness instead of just some random point. It was magic, how much better the cutter stayed in the centerpunch mark after that, with the punch and the cutter pilot both being the same shape. I'm sure the centerpunch (which I now keep in the same drawer as the spotweld cutters) will need periodic re-shaping.

              I'm a ways behind Joe here but have the wife's old Mustang as a rust-repair project and will be getting my share.
              ...

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Loren View Post
                Nice.

                Once I figured out that the cutters I was looking at came from China anyway I saved some bucks and bought a handful of those HF tools and would add the following:

                The tooth grinding on the cutters was inconsistent, one would be ground perfectly and another mis-ground so that it wouldn't possibly cut. Lost of HF stuff is reject-bin from manufacturers who make good product but then if they have a problem batch, HF gets it and these were probably such a case. Happy news, it was not too hard to correct the tooth shape working carefully on an upright belt sander, and again most of the cutters were OK.

                Catch an edge or otherwise give the cutter an uneven ride and the thing shatters. That's fine, it just means they are very hard-tempered as they would have to be to do this job. Being careful is important.

                Finally, I had a lot of trouble keeping the cutter centered with it's little pin into a centerpunch mark even after a pretty heavy hit with the punch and was ready to start pilot-drilling until I took a good look at the shape of the pin (under magnification) and ground a center punch to that exact shape and sharpness instead of just some random point. It was magic, how much better the cutter stayed in the centerpunch mark after that, with the punch and the cutter pilot both being the same shape. I'm sure the centerpunch (which I now keep in the same drawer as the spotweld cutters) will need periodic re-shaping.

                I'm a ways behind Joe here but have the wife's old Mustang as a rust-repair project and will be getting my share.
                PM me - I think I know someone interested in your brake (who lives in Orange County)
                Doing it all wrong since 1966

                Comment


                • #9
                  Done.

                  If p.m.'s don't work right, ksomfg -at- msn.com
                  Last edited by Loren; June 18, 2018, 07:38 PM.
                  ...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Loren: I spent my first 10+ish years out of High School in Autobody, and have used (and broken) many spot weld cutters....until I started drilling a shallow pilot hole for the center pin to ride in (as shown by the OP)

                    The only difference is, I don't drill all the way through, and use a drill bit roughly the OD of the pilot pin.

                    With the hole to help hold the pilot on center, you don't end up "skipping" off the hole, and breaking the cutter, and once you get it started (a 360 ring cut below the surface of the panel), you can get more aggressive with the pressure on the drill, and most of the time, if you're watching closely, you can see the metal in the bottom of the cut go blue, indicating you're only a few thou from cutting through.....at which point you can stop, as the chisel (or air chisel if you're on flat rate, will easily break the two apart.

                    In open areas, a cut off wheel on a mandrel in a die grinder works well to knock down the center part that is left behind.....in a corner or where access is more of an issue, a carbide burr will make short work of it.

                    Now I just need to find out who I know that is going Stateside, so I can get them to pick me up a bunch of the double sided cutters, cuzz I'm almost out of the Blair ones

                    James
                    Last edited by Tubbed Pacecar; June 19, 2018, 12:10 PM.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Tubbed Pacecar View Post

                      Now I just need to find out who I know that is going Stateside, so I can get them to pick me up a bunch of the double sided cutters, cuzz I'm almost out of the Blair ones

                      James
                      I got the HFT ones, I'd be willing to buy and send some if you want..or, is there a crazy customs and shipping charge?



                      If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Joe: Thanks for the offer,I appreciate it. I'll see if I can't convince my bro to grab some, as he's supposed to be going south for Drag Week in Sept,

                        James

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Loren View Post
                          Done.

                          If p.m.'s don't work right, ksomfg -at- msn.com
                          he's also said something to me so the info has been relayed. Hope it works out.
                          Doing it all wrong since 1966

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by JOES66FURY View Post

                            As I stated, I did about 30 spot welds with 1 side of a bit with no noticeable decline in effectiveness. You're not cutting the center of the spot weld you're cutting around the spot weld so the makeup of the center point is moot. These bits come double sided, thats 60 spot welds for $4.95, well worth the money IMHO, but...everyone has their opinions and their processes, I was simply sharing mine.
                            by comparison the Blair spotweld kit with 3 cutters is $33.00 ..... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ETZFJI..._t1_B0082LFO8C
                            that's $11.00 each. I have one spot weld cutter, it's cut at least a couple hundred and still working like new.
                            and I subscribe to squirrel's method of simply drilling a small hole to use as a guide

                            my is I cannot afford tools that don't last. For a simple task or something you'll never do again, I'm all about saving money - but for something you'll use forever, buy something that should last that long....
                            Last edited by SuperBuickGuy; June 26, 2018, 10:27 AM.
                            Doing it all wrong since 1966

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy View Post

                              by comparison the Blair spotweld kit with 3 cutters is $33.00 ..... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ETZFJI..._t1_B0082LFO8C
                              that's $11.00 each. I have one spot weld cutter, it's cut at least a couple hundred and still working like new.
                              and I subscribe to squirrel's method of simply drilling a small hole to use as a guide

                              my is I cannot afford tools that don't last. For a simple task or something you'll never do again, I'm all about saving money - but for something you'll use forever, buy something that should last that long....
                              You're also churning out builds like Detroit turned out Mustang II's (show off ). If I were going to cut up more panels or this was something I was going to do on the regular then I would have dropped the coin on a better set. Although, I am still using the same bit, and am a couple hundred welds in at this point so I'm thinking, bang for the buck, HFT wins.

                              Either way, a good set or cheap set, they work great and the speed and efficiency in which they work...it is soooo much better than trying to drill it out or grind it out with a bit (remember I'm trying to save this panel)

                              also note....is you are using these, wear gloves...they will chew up your finger pretty good....I personally don't know this from experience.....a friend told me
                              If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue

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