Chasing rust...?

Ok, my 71 transporter (daily driver) is starting to show signs of
serious rust. It's time for me to get it contained before it gets out
of control.

I have a mig welder (with gas), but I don't have (and can't afford) a
compressor. I need a way to cut out the old metal and grind the new.
I've been looking for electric cutoff tools with no luck whatsoever.
Does anyone know where I can find one? I'm guessing I need a cutoff
tool and an angle grinder (these are easy to find) as well as some
bodywork hammers... can I go cheap on these? Habour freight maybe?

Can anyone recommend a good book for this sort of work? I've never done
any sort bodywork before...

Thanks
-tom

transporter71 wrote:
> Ok, my 71 transporter (daily driver) is starting to show signs of
> serious rust. It's time for me to get it contained before it gets out
> of control.
>
> I have a mig welder (with gas), but I don't have (and can't afford) a
> compressor. I need a way to cut out the old metal and grind the new.
> I've been looking for electric cutoff tools with no luck whatsoever.
> Does anyone know where I can find one? I'm guessing I need a cutoff
> tool and an angle grinder (these are easy to find) as well as some
> bodywork hammers... can I go cheap on these? Habour freight maybe?
>
> Can anyone recommend a good book for this sort of work? I've never done
> any sort bodywork before...
>
> Thanks
> -tom

sure...you can use the harbor freight tools...and upgrade as they die.
;^) I'd reccomend at least stepping up one step from teh bottom....for
instance buy the $20 angle grinder instead of the $10 one. I bought
this one for a quick project about a year ago...several projects later
its still working fine. I'll upgrade when it dies.....but have no
complaints so far.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91223

Buy a 10 pack of cuttof wheels, a few 4 inch flap discs and a wire
wheel. The flap discs work great. ;^)

transporter71 wrote:
> Ok, my 71 transporter (daily driver) is starting to show signs of
> serious rust. It's time for me to get it contained before it gets out
> of control.
>
> I have a mig welder (with gas), but I don't have (and can't afford) a
> compressor. I need a way to cut out the old metal and grind the new.
> I've been looking for electric cutoff tools with no luck whatsoever.
> Does anyone know where I can find one? I'm guessing I need a cutoff
> tool and an angle grinder (these are easy to find) as well as some
> bodywork hammers... can I go cheap on these? Habour freight maybe?
>
> Can anyone recommend a good book for this sort of work? I've never done
> any sort bodywork before...
>
> Thanks
> -tom

I have had a nice deWalt cutoff tool but found it was harder to find
cutoff discs for it locally - mailorder seemed to be the only good way
to go (none of the Lowes, Home Depots, etc near me had them).

Since I desperately wanted to get something done this one particular
Saturday, I bought a cheap no brand grinder (~$30) with cutoff disks
from Lowes - That thing has served me really well. It does have more
vibration than the deWalt but who cuts longer than minutes at a time,
right?

Now I use my deWalt with a wirewheel and this cheapie for cutting off.

Moral of this story: make sure you can get discs for the thing on a
Saturday, whichever you pick.

Remco

> Since I desperately wanted to get something done this one particular
> Saturday, I bought a cheap no brand grinder (~$30) with cutoff disks
> from Lowes - That thing has served me really well. It does have more
> vibration than the deWalt but who cuts longer than minutes at a time,
> right?
>

Ok, so I can use cutoff disks on an angle grinder?? I thought I needed
a cutoff tool (ie: something to cut out sections of rust) and a
grinder...

thanks

transporter71 wrote:
> > Since I desperately wanted to get something done this one particular
> > Saturday, I bought a cheap no brand grinder (~$30) with cutoff disks
> > from Lowes - That thing has served me really well. It does have more
> > vibration than the deWalt but who cuts longer than minutes at a time,
> > right?
> >
>
> Ok, so I can use cutoff disks on an angle grinder?? I thought I needed
> a cutoff tool (ie: something to cut out sections of rust) and a
> grinder...
>
> thanks

Yup - you can and should buy several different implements to fight
rust:

cut off disc:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...5499/45430.gif
grinding disc:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...6699/06674.gif
wire brush (cup and wheel):-
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...5699/45650.gif -- the
wheel variety brings the brush out on the edge.
flap sanding discs:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...4999/44972.gif

You'll need lots of cut off disks - your ACVW will just laugh at you if
you have only 10
They are quite thin so wear quickly and can shatter.

Grinding disks are thick and do wear, but not quite as quickly. Don't
use them to cut panels with them, because it will heat stuff up,
warping your work (ask me how I found out . You will also take 10
times as long as you would with a cut off disk.

I'd get the two types of brushes (cup and disk) - they both come in
very handy, depending on what you're working on.

Those flap sanding discs I really like to blend over welds, etc. They
don't take too much off at one time, like a grinder may. They do wear,
so buy several at a time.

Whatever edge grinder you pick up, take note of the arbor size and disk
diameter. This is so you can make sure you can pick up grinding disks
for them locally.
Check the ones out at lowes and home depot and compare them to the
discs you can buy there and at harborfreight. I think most tools are
4.5" diameter, but the arbor size does vary.

Amazon has some really good books on metal working and body work. I'll
pass you the ISBNs of the ones I like later.

Be careful and wear goggles (not shades, like those orange county
chopper guys) for all these tools!

Hope that's useful to you.
Remco

Remco wrote:
> transporter71 wrote:
> > > Since I desperately wanted to get something done this one particular
> > > Saturday, I bought a cheap no brand grinder (~$30) with cutoff disks
> > > from Lowes - That thing has served me really well. It does have more
> > > vibration than the deWalt but who cuts longer than minutes at a time,
> > > right?
> > >
> >
> > Ok, so I can use cutoff disks on an angle grinder?? I thought I needed
> > a cutoff tool (ie: something to cut out sections of rust) and a
> > grinder...
> >
> > thanks
>
> Yup - you can and should buy several different implements to fight
> rust:
>
> cut off disc:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...5499/45430.gif
> grinding disc:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...6699/06674.gif
> wire brush (cup and wheel):-
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...5699/45650.gif -- the
> wheel variety brings the brush out on the edge.
> flap sanding discs:
> http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...4999/44972.gif
>
> You'll need lots of cut off disks - your ACVW will just laugh at you if
> you have only 10
> They are quite thin so wear quickly and can shatter.
>
> Grinding disks are thick and do wear, but not quite as quickly. Don't
> use them to cut panels with them, because it will heat stuff up,
> warping your work (ask me how I found out . You will also take 10
> times as long as you would with a cut off disk.
>
> I'd get the two types of brushes (cup and disk) - they both come in
> very handy, depending on what you're working on.
>
> Those flap sanding discs I really like to blend over welds, etc. They
> don't take too much off at one time, like a grinder may. They do wear,
> so buy several at a time.
>
> Whatever edge grinder you pick up, take note of the arbor size and disk
> diameter. This is so you can make sure you can pick up grinding disks
> for them locally.
> Check the ones out at lowes and home depot and compare them to the
> discs you can buy there and at harborfreight. I think most tools are
> 4.5" diameter, but the arbor size does vary.
>
> Amazon has some really good books on metal working and body work. I'll
> pass you the ISBNs of the ones I like later.
>
> Be careful and wear goggles (not shades, like those orange county
> chopper guys) for all these tools!
>
> Hope that's useful to you.
> Remco

Books:
"How to Repair and Restore Bodywork" - ISBN: 0879385146
"How to Paint Your Car"- ISBN: 0760315833
"Welding" - ISBN: 0071342451
"Metal Fabricator's handbook" - ISBN: 0895868709
"Ultimate Sheet Metal Fabrication Book" - ISBN: 0964135892
I have more books on the subject, but find the above the clearest.

DVD:
"GMAW (MIG) Welding" - I think I got mine from Northern Tools.

Included the welding info, in case you are new to welding as well (as I
am). Some technical high schools have adult classes on
fabrication/welding, which I found to be very useful as well. Whenever
possible, pick the brains of people that have done this a lot or are
pros at it - there are a whole lot of little handy tricks they know.

Of course, practice, practice and practice some more. It is real work
and not easy to learn. Lots of fun, though.

Remco

There's an old saying (or so I'm told): Buy once, cry once. It seems to
make sense in the long run, instead of upgrading an number of times,
save a little while and get something good. You will pay more for
quality but it will pay you back. Cheap junk is still just junk.
Cutoff wheels and grinding wheels are consumables. Always buy more than
you think you will need.....and then buy some more.

"Remco" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>
> You'll need lots of cut off disks - your ACVW will just laugh at you if
> you have only 10
> They are quite thin so wear quickly and can shatter.


this point can't be said too many times...those thin cutoff discs can and DO
explode if put in the smallest bind....having done lots of fabrication and
metal work in my time(used to do so for a living) i have many scars from
those thin discs exploding....wear protective clothing....not just long
sleeves and long pants.... get yourself at minimum a thick canvas type apron
that will cover most of your frontside.... if you are too macho or too tough
to do that shoot me an email and i'll send you a picture that will scare the
bejesus out of you....but it will be a "NSFW" picture...<G>..... wire wheels
hurt too when they fly apart....lots of little metal "needles" flying at
you...

"jtbartlett" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> There's an old saying (or so I'm told): Buy once, cry once. It seems to
> make sense in the long run, instead of upgrading an number of times,
> save a little while and get something good. You will pay more for
> quality but it will pay you back. Cheap junk is still just junk.
> Cutoff wheels and grinding wheels are consumables. Always buy more than
> you think you will need.....and then buy some more.
>

I agree with you there JT....unfortunately when it comes to power tools its
pretty dang hard to tell good ones from bad ones based on what they cost....
i have litterally a half dozen angle grinders around here(used to fabricate,
do metal work, and steam pipefitting for a living).... i also have a brandy
new dewalt angle grinder....100 bucks...the best part of it was the cool azz
plastic case it came in....too bad i threw away the case and kept the
grinder....

> I need a way to cut out the old metal and grind the new.
>I've been looking for electric cutoff tools with no luck whatsoever.
>Does anyone know where I can find one? I'm guessing I need a cutoff
>tool and an angle grinder (these are easy to find) as well as some
>bodywork hammers... can I go cheap on these? Habour freight maybe?

You might want to think about a Makita 4" electric grinder , You can
get both cutting and grinding wheels for them.

Yes you can get a body hammer and dolly set from Harbour Freight and it
will be more then enough if your just doing body work. don't use them
on any thing other then sheet metal.

Mario
Vintage Werks Restorations