What is the best(easiest)tool to cut out small areas of the floor pan? I need to weld some new sections in.
Craig Berland

Craig,

I used a air saw. I first drilled a 3/8 to 1/2 inch hole in a square pattern around the bad area. The used the air saw to connect the dots. If you can use a square to make your pattern. Then cut a piece of sheetmetal about 1/4 t0 3/8 larger in each direction. Use a flanging tool to put a flange all the way around the replacement piece. This will allow the new piece to set in level with the rest of the floor. You can drill 1/8 inch holes every so often around the flange and hold in place with 1/8 inch sheetmetal screws while you weld it in. Use the stich method of Mig Welding the new piece in. Then remove the sheetmetal screws and weld up the holes. If you set the new piece in from the top and weld on the bottom the finished product should be undetectable when finished. Finish with a little grinding and body filler.
You can use this method for large or small sections. Always cut out a little more than what you see is bad. Sometime the rust thins out the sheetmetal further than it looks and the you burn through with the Mig.

I purchased the air saw and flanging tool from Harbour Freight Tools, make sure to order extra blades. Get the "fine" cut blades. The fine cut blade will cut smoother and last longer. I suppose you could use a jig saw with a very fine metal cutting blade too. The air saw did a realy nice job plus I used it to cut the replacement piece too.

Good Luck,

FastSS396man

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69' SS396 Chevelle
L78 396/375hp
M-21 Close Ratio
10 year Resto
It's brand new again!



[This message has been edited by fastss396man (edited 10-28-2001).]

Be careful when using a jigsaw. You have to aware of what's underneath the panel you're cutting. I use a ziz wheel, which is a die grinder with a cutoff wheel. Don't use a Dremel. The cutoff wheels are way too small for a job like this. The tool I'm talking about is an air powered tool.

I like to use a combanation of both Graig and Randy sugjestions. The body saw (air) and the wizzer, A hight speed cut off wheel in a die/grinder. If your patches do not cross any flooe suport braces. The Saw is your tool, But if braces are involved, I drill from the bottom alongside the braces.
Then cut out the pannel leaving the old floor still atached to the brace, You now can wizz off the uncut floor from the braces and sperate with either the spot weld cutter,wizzer or air chisel.

Wayne

Thanks, I like the flange idea.
Craig

If your lucky the panel will just fall out with minimal rust cleanup for installation of the new panel http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif of course I use the cut off wheel and weld.. the sawsall/jigsaw doesn't cut with an nice straight line (at least when I tried it) and you can mark and cut easier with the cut off wheel..

Normie, mybe your not useing a fine enough blade. I use a 32 tooth per in. in both my Saws all and air body saw. and can cut lazer
straight. I prefer it to wizzer cuts for straightness. Sometimes I may need to use a 4in grinde to clean up to the scribed line !!

Wayne