[Thegundog]

Working on the replacement of my floor pans and I’m looking at a few options to assist with the final finesse type cutting and trimming.

I‘ve already removed the meat of the pan with a sawzall - worked great, but far to violent for final clean up.

I was looking at this shear from Harbor Freight but I’m concerned that it is more for cutting flat metal and won’t work well in the floor pan rolls and curves.

Anyone used this type of tool for floor removal and new pan “clean up for fitting”?

Thanks!

https://www.harborfreight.com/18-gauge-35-amp-heavy-duty-metal-shears-61737.html

 

[Redneckgearhead]

This works great for it. https://www.harborfreight.com/high-...bn4lPMTPZ4ySuehiDsl0eH4Y7uAMdqGRoCRj0QAvD_BwE

 

[Thegundog]

This works great for it. https://www.harborfreight.com/high-...bn4lPMTPZ4ySuehiDsl0eH4Y7uAMdqGRoCRj0QAvD_BwE

I saw the video with the guy from NPD and he said that was his favorite tool for floor pan work.

I’d have to go with electric, my compressor is probably to small to run the air operated saw.

Thanks for the post back

 

[GypsyR]

I've used a Dremel with the cutoff wheels for the detail stuff. Slow but you can make some seriously precision cuts how and where you want. They have some small red-brown cutting wheels, which are like tiny grinding wheels that suck. The work but don't last at all and tend to explode. The more expensive ones are brown and have fibers in them you can see, like fiberglass and are a little bigger. Those are a lot better. A Dremel can be handy once in a while for other stuff too.
My Dremel has an extension with like a pencil end that seemed like it would be a lot more useful than it actually is. I'd skip it really. Harbor Freight and others have cheaper imitation versions if you just want to see how they work. My current favorite is actually a rather more pricey Milwaukee M12 cordless one.

 

[1ofAMillion+]

When i was putting in 'vert inner rockers i used some old wood chisels and hammer around the spot welds. They held up surprisingly well. A few whacks on each side of the spot weld ripped the floor right out then a touch with the grinder afterwards.
Sometimes working harder is smarter than taking the easy route.

 

[4ocious]

Something I learned from PetesPonies: The best, fastest, and easiest way to remove old floor pans is to go at each spot weld you can reach with the inclined edge of an angle grinder. You will see the edges around each weld start to glow red and they become paper thin and easy to pry away. Once out, you can use a flap disc on the same grinder to remove the last vestiges of the factory welds. You could use the edge of a Dremel cutting wheel (I like the slightly larger and longer lasting black fiber ones) instead, like GypsyR suggests, and then you could clamp, drill, and place your new pan with welds in their original locations. Overkill of detail? Some might say that.

 

[elcam84]

The HF body saw works great. The only issue with that type of saw is the price of blades.... The HF blades are actually decent too. I use the HF body saw a little but my main tools are a 4 1/2" cutoff wheel on an angle grinder and an air angle grinder with a 3" cutoff wheel in an arbor.

You will also need some hand tools. My main tool for splitting spot welds apart is a big hammer and a cheap wood chisel. Keep the chisel sharp and just use it to cut between the sheet metal and through the spot weld. Works great on the floor pan to rocker spot welds. I welded a chunk of 6cyl sway bar to it after I broke the handle.

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The new tool I want is the Milwaukee M12 angle grinder which looks really good and no hose and much more efficient than a big noisy air compressor.

 

[kenash]

I replaced both my Floor pans by drilling the spot welds, using cut-off wheels etc......however, during the same period, I picked up Plasma cutter, on a whim..... Whoa Momma! When it comes to surgical metal cutting/removal.
Ok, so thinking long term after this project, It has paid for itself many times over in other metal cutting projects.

 

[Lizer]

A seam buster like this is immensely helpful. Has two sharp edges, works like a chisel but better suited for getting into the seam of a weld.

https://www.amazon.com/Steck-20015-...YTE3DFJNPP7&psc=1&refRID=P63J1MV7AYTE3DFJNPP7

 

[GypsyR]

The new tool I want is the Milwaukee M12 angle grinder which looks really good and no hose and much more efficient than a big noisy air compressor.

You mean the M12 angle DIE grinder? A co-worker just bought one that I stole when he wasn't looking...I mean, he let me borrow for a bit and and that thing is sweet. Four speeds, the highest perfect for carbide bits and head porting. I will have one of my own, just a matter of when. I have an air version and it's horribly shrieking loud by comparison.
M12 batteries come in a small size and a bigger one. We've figured out the die grinder is a bit of a power hog that you tend to use for extended times so you want the bigger battery for this. A cheat is that you can find off-brand small M12 batteries out there. They have less capacity so you have to swap out more but you can score like four or five for the price of a name brand single one. They do a lot better in less power-hungry tools.

Now if we mean the M18 4 1/2" angle grinder, I've no experience with it. It certainly tempts me but my old 110 volt B&D refuses to die, so I might just stick with that.

 

[image98]

Yeah, plasma cutter is amazing. Cut off wheel, spot weld cutter bits, air hammer with chisel, and reciprocating saw are all tools that I've used and recommend for floor pan surgery.

 

[65fstbpieces]

The Steck Seam Buster tool is one of the toughest tools I have ever used. Worth the money, better than a flat chisel.

 

[xcelr8]

I used this and a sawzall for 90% of my rust removal.

https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-...-61944.html?_br_psugg_q=electric+cut+off+tool

 

[elcam84]

You mean the M12 angle DIE grinder? A co-worker just bought one that I stole when he wasn't looking...I mean, he let me borrow for a bit and and that thing is sweet. Four speeds, the highest perfect for carbide bits and head porting. I will have one of my own, just a matter of when. I have an air version and it's horribly shrieking loud by comparison.
M12 batteries come in a small size and a bigger one. We've figured out the die grinder is a bit of a power hog that you tend to use for extended times so you want the bigger battery for this. A cheat is that you can find off-brand small M12 batteries out there. They have less capacity so you have to swap out more but you can score like four or five for the price of a name brand single one. They do a lot better in less power-hungry tools.

Now if we mean the M18 4 1/2" angle grinder, I've no experience with it. It certainly tempts me but my old 110 volt B&D refuses to die, so I might just stick with that.

Yeah that's what I meant.... I have a whole bunch of M12 stuff. The off brand batteries are actually very good.
I really want a cordless grinder... I have been looking at the small Bauer one from HF due to it's size and price and it will do everything I want it to do. My Hitachi is a great tool but I hate wrestling cords...

I have several air angle die grinders of various brands. Picked up a couple Kobalt ones from Lowes on clearance for $12 a piece and there is a reason they were on clearance. I have a Mac one that is Ok but funny enough my favorite one to use is my 20 year old Harbor Freight one. It just keeps going and going.

 

[2nd 66]

I used this
https://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-High-Speed-Electric-Cut-Off-Tool-63023.html
kinda has a touchy circuit breaker but ,,,
various other stuff like drill, hammer, chisel, Hobart 140 mig

 

[swooshdave]

I replaced both my Floor pans by drilling the spot welds, using cut-off wheels etc......however, during the same period, I picked up Plasma cutter, on a whim..... Whoa Momma! When it comes to surgical metal cutting/removal.
Ok, so thinking long term after this project, It has paid for itself many times over in other metal cutting projects.

I can see the plasma cutter useful for patches but if you’re replacing panels at the spot welds is it still the best tool?

 

[GypsyR]

To me, a plasma cutter is best for cutting away larger swathes of sheet metal. Before I start my rust bucket '69 I will have one though. Just because they're neat basically.
There's no one best tool, you need a small arsenal. I'd say the minimum would be a drill for spot welds, a side grinder, and a cutting wheel or saw. I like to use ALL those things plus I'm going to add one of those Steck Seam Busters too. It might replace my air hammer, I'm slowly moving away from air tools. A Milwaukee M12 sabre saw has replaced my extremely loud smaller air saw.

 

[elcam84]

I also use my m12 sawsall I have had since before the fuel version was available but I don't have the jig saw. I really prefer the bosch 12v one and that is on my wish list. I'm also trying to move away from air tools to battery as they are quieter and air compressors and air tools are so inefficient.

And I totally agree with needing a whole arsenal of tools. I even get out my dremel sometimes to get into tight spots. I also use a german made spot weld cutter but they really don't work that well in allot of cases. Sometimes the cheap harbor freight cutters work better on some spots.