Okay guys, help me out here. There are drill bits available for cutting or popping welds. We have one that is severly worn but can't find new ones. Any suggestions? Does anyone know what they are called? We have looked at the local auto part stores but can't find them, and no one seems to know what we are asking for.

spot weld cutter

Company by the name of Wurth make very good ones. (Get the M8 cobalt, or M8 HSS as second choice) Article number 0710 008 or 0710 8
(Not the 0698.. weld point cutter.)
http://www.wurthusa.com/project/en/leftnavi/catalog/product.php?path=06.0210.jpg

Many have had good luck with this brand. http://www.blairequipment.com/ Many tool supppliers carry them. I bought mine online....Jb

eastwoods

Eastwood (http://www.eastwoodcompany.com)

Tried the Eastwood 3/8 bit, darn thing got dull quick!!! I looked at the blair bits, and I can't seem to find where to order them online or any pricing information. That's too much work to pick up a phone and call them :p

This is the best I have ever used. http://www.hougen.com/cutters/sheetmetal/Rotacut.html

Looks like the Blair and Hougen's kits are made by the same company if you compare the kits. Heh, they both even sell the same re-labeled "Tornado II" paint shaker.

Edit: Bah, I called and they answer the phone with both names. :D :p

Blair and Hougen are wholesale only. Have to find a distributor near you, or they guy said Snap-On and Matco sell them. Couldn't find them on Snap-On's web site, but Matco has them online:

http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/toolcatalog.jsp?cattype=T&cat=2147&page=2瓲

or the kit:

http://www.matcotools.com/Catalog/toolcatalog.jsp?cattype=T&cat=2206&page=1텻

Guess I'm goin' shopping. (grin), Yep, a woman who shops for car parts...my hubby loves it! Heck with all the other stuff (clothes, shoes etc..) just give me a summit or jegs catalog...I'm happy

Thanks for all the help. I have been on several forums trying to get assistance with this car, but most of the egos were too big...or it was implied that I wasn't capable. I may not be, but I won't know till I try...

Thanks again!!!

I was able to get a blair cutter at my local parts plus autoparts store. If you call around you may even be able to find on locally.

Napa sells the blair style.

Some advice for you, If you use any of these spot weld cutters you must and I say must use a low speed drill or try to feather the trigger the on your regular drill. If you run the the drill at high speed you will melt the tip of the bit. Belive me I know from experiance.

Some advice for you, If you use any of these spot weld cutters you must and I say must use a low speed drill or try to feather the trigger the on your regular drill. If you run the the drill at high speed you will melt the tip of the bit. Belive me I know from experiance.

Perhaps that's why my Eastwood bit didn't last long. My DeWalt electric drill is pretty high RPM I'm sure. For now, I'll try to see if I can sharpen the bit back up with my Dremel and go at it again. I didn't even get one panel off completely till it stopped cutting into the metal. I wasn't happy at that point :angry:

I always use a die grinder with a 1/4 inch rock to grind the spot weld away.I do body work for liveing and have used many different drills and drill bits and still say grinding is the best and fastest way.

Thanks for the advice. We do have a slow speed drill on hand, since my husband had to do his own car. Will check out Napa on my way home tonight...my only other options are Carquest and Autozone...

Anything else I should be looking for? I'll be starting on right quarter panel since it has the most damage.

MB :)

Anything else I should be looking for? I'll be starting on right quarter panel since it has the most damage.

MB :)

A few ice cold brews, at cutting wheel, ear muffs, face shield, and a BIG hammer, and you should be good to go :D

Something like this really helps remove stubborn panels. http://www.eastwood.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1688&itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&keyword=knife. I have found that sometimes during production, if the "Factory" mis-cued with the spot welder, there can be two or more welds side by side against one another. (These are usually in the most inconvienient place.) If you can see this ahead of time and remove all the weld, all is good. If not, this kind of panel knife can seperate the weaker weld with a couple of hammer blows....Jb

I have worked in a body shop for years and use a Stanley Wonder Bar and masonry chisels to seperate welds after drilling.
For the spot weld drills keep a low speed as was posted, but don't get discourage if they dull or break. Sometimes I will get one that lasts and I can do a couple 1/4's, other times I will break/dull two or three in a row.

I actually bought that knife Johnny B. I used it a little bit but the blade doesn't appear to be as strong as the small bit of welds left if I was a little offset with the drill bit. It started to chip the blade pretty quick, but it is thick so it can be resharpened and has come in handy.