A Fast Easy Way to Remove Auto Body Spot Welds

In this video I'll show you a fast and easy way to remove auto body spot welds without breaking the teeth off of the spot weld cutting tool.
/ @lakesideautobody

[@jamesward5721]

I cut spot welds all day every day - work - I binned all the "fru fru" stuff years ago - just too much mucking about/too slow/too akward/too much patience requiured. I either drill them with a small bit, then a big bit so the entire weld is gone(if it's a "Posh" job) - or more usually, I ignore the drill & grab an air-hammer with a good sharp chisel & bust the seams apart using that. In fact, 90% of the time, it's the air hammer. That usually leaves a blob of metal where the weld was - I knock them flat using an air belt sander & a 3M Cubitron 20mm belt. Which does 2 things - removes the blob & also leaves the steel clean ready to weld to again. Given the choice of just one tool for spot weld removal, it's the air hammer all day. If I do have to drill, I use a small normal bit, then a step drill - drill till the whole welds gone. Otherwise it becomes a PITA. A chunk of flattened copper pipe is yer Pal for re-welding drilled spot welds - use it as a backer & weld ahead. It acts as a heat-soak & lets you weld the un-weldable.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks for the detailed input James - good tips 👍👍

[@f.hababorbitz]

Nice video. For those that read the comments, do not exceed 1000RPM with the 3/8" cutter. This is what damages high speed steel. The rule is do not exceed 100 surface feet per minute. I computed this by taking the 3/8" divide by 12 to convert to feet, then multiply by pi to compute the circumference length (in feet). You want to divide this into 100 (this is the 100 feet per minute maximum cutting speed of high speed steel tooling), to compute the RPM (~=1018RPM). This is the reason for the electric drill. Do not use an air drill unless you know the RPM is less then 1000.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Good information. Thanks for doing the math - nice job :)

[@deankay4434]

Fred is correct as this subject came up in a Corvette body repair class that ADCelco field were invited to during a week of cross-training. The engineer had everything needed on a work bench included 3M co-hesive panel bond. When asked about the speed used on drilling operations he simply explained. A brace and bit was hand drilling and an experienced tech could operate at 50 RPM - Hand Speed Machine speed is 1,000 RPM. With any weld or spot weld, the metal is heated to the point it is no longer magnetic. A trick black smith’s have used since the 20’s, this point meant it was ready to quench in oil to harden the material. A good spot weld cutter with a larger outside diameter and places it outside the spot weld size were the metal is not hardened, just mild steel. Different manufactures use smaller or larger pressure tips at “X” number per millimeter across the edge or surface. During a repair, some specs require closer spot welds. From robotics to field machines, they tips have to be cleaned, dressed and shaped to create the correct weld for a predictable crumple zone to react correctly in an accident. The use of high strength steel changes how the panels are attached. While Corvette in 2007 had 23 methods of attachment from frame, A-pillars to other panels both structural and non-structural. This a common term that everyone repairing frames to body need to know the part they are working with. Two or three metal parts that need spot welded that are structural have different procedures. The 3M panel bond or high strength must be applied to clean bare steel. Spread to cover overlapping the factory applied panel coating, but can be spot weld when wet before cure. It is conductive in this stage and allows current to pass joining the parts. Amperage, size and spacing is called out. Glass beads in the panel bond keep the film thickness uniform (U-Pol has similar). Once clamped and allowed to cure say done late in the day, plans to spot weld in the AM, will not work as the bonding adhesive becomes non-conductive and acts like a gasket and will not spot weld. The world of body repair has become way harder than ever, as the student tech gets a 128 page manual for one year, one car. Very good video, tools and info! Thanks!

[@mightyconker3903]

Thanks for making the effort. Much appreciated. Tips will be saved

[@kellyappel3015]

Everybody's got their own methods, and Jerry's is as good as any I've ever seen. Personally, I like to use a small bit in the center, then take a 1/2" or so and drill enough to weaken the spot weld. With air hammer and chisel, the seams come apart pretty easily. Others swear by using a 36 grit disc and simply grinding the top panel down to where the weld is weakened , and then split them apart. Truth is, I'll use a number of different methods depending if I'm out of cutters, or my bits are dull, or whatever my current issue is! :)

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're absolutely right Kelly. If you feel like doing it with a drill for the day...cool. If you want to try out your new spot weld cutter...awesome. There's a lot of different ways depending on your tools, situation even your mood :)

[@rokitman5753]

Step bits work even better and faster

[@brokanikgarage2129]

As always, very useful video. This will be very helpful when I change my wife rocker panels on her 73 Bronco. Mahalo & Aloha!

[@LakesideAutobody]

Glad to hear it - hello from Michigan :)

[@JacksHorrorOfficial]

Love the videos..hope to see a video of plug welding a panel and how to prevent future rust when doing so.. thank you for all the tips keep it up 👍🏼

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thank you. I will do a video on that topic. I wrote it down on my video idea list so I wont forget. If you would like to see anything else let me know. Even if it's real easy stuff let me know - I like the ideas.

[@kennethdandurand3472]

I read the posts below, but for years I have used a 1/8" bit followed by a 3/8" bit.

[@CarGuy87]

Thanks for the detailed info. Nice for us beginners removing chassis spot welds.

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome CarGuy :)

[@edmunger5595]

Thank You for all of these informative video's and tips that You have gained over a lifetime of being in the trade, I can see how the little things like this can make the difference between the work looking professional and let's just say less than professional, keep up the good work Your videos are appreciated more than You know.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks a lot Ed - I appreciate the support and kind words. I'll keep it up - hearing good things like that makes it easy :)

[@rmckayne]

I use to apply that technique. But recently I was working in a side of a 2014 Dodge Dart. And does not Work , because Now For Safety And Protection The Manufacturers Use High Strenght Metal, That even With The Special drill Bits, are Very Dificult to Achieve. The only way that work for me , was a little plasma cutter , placing behind a piece of thick flat copper. On old cars, I Always have succes with your technique. Thanks.

[@LakesideAutobody]

What about a die grinder with a cut off wheel used in the same way folks use the mini belt sander?

[@yungoldhead5600]

God damn this guy is good

[@feralfreebirds]

great video thankyou....im gunna fix up my van & lots of bits to replace...learning from youtube is ace !

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome :)

[@robheaney8217]

Nice job, great video. Some other guys who did this demonstration really mangled the sh*t outta the panels! Yours stayed very flat. Thx.

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome - check this out too it may be an even easier method - kzbin.info/www/bejne/r2O6hKN9e7uFhq8

[@peterwelles3928]

I stopped using those cutters years ago. The half inch belt sander is cheaper for consumables,, belts vs Blair cutters and much faster! Just grind off the top layer in seconds! Or stack cutoff wheels in a pinch to do the same.

[@LakesideAutobody]

I sort of feel the same only I use drill bits. Just sharpen when they get dull :)

[@franksgarage8551]

Lots of choices for cutters, looks like the Blair is a decent cutter.

[@LakesideAutobody]

It is but get the better Blair cutter - shop.blairequipment.com/Premium-Spotweld-Cutter-Kit-p/11082.htm The teeth never break.

[@chiefjoe8706]

Very nice steps.

[@hayzersolar]

i have a 95 jeep Cherokee (xj) that is in really bad rust. I have to replace both sides of the frame rails yes it is a unibody. i have a donor xj and i need to same the floor pans and your videos help me on saving them thanks

[@LakesideAutobody]

That's good to hear Marc - good luck and have fun. Let me know how it goes :)

[@triples4good]

Another great video. I really appreciate you sharing your expertise.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thank you and you're welcome. Glad you appreciate the content :)

[@grizz5431]

I've also found running drill at a slower speed and using cutting oil reduces tooth breakage.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Great tip!

[@husky1232]

Injoyed this video simple to understand thank you

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome - glad you enjoyed it - Happy New Year

[@landrysworkshop]

Thanks for the education

[@LakesideAutobody]

👍😊

[@amend5269]

If only there was a wrench type tool to cut through the spot weld .

[@whatfreedom7]

Or you could just use a belt sander and not put any holes in the back panel at all. The once you see the ring through the first layer just use a seam buster or scraper or even a flat head screwdriver to separate the panels.

[@LakesideAutobody]

👍🛠😊

[@dirtyhandscleanmoney805]

You don’t need to drill holes all the way through. You just need a almost like a crater to hood the spot weld remover in place. Comes out cleaner and no need for plug welder

[@LakesideAutobody]

Good suggestion Ricardo :)

[@SomeGuyInSandy]

A couple more great tips! Thanks :)

[@LakesideAutobody]

Your welcome SGS - thanks for the comments my friend :)

[@MorrowSind]

These videos are great; very informative. I have one question: I don't have an air hammer... Can I use a cold chisel or is their a better hand tool that requires no air? Thanks.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Yes - little more work but yes. You really could do everything in auto body by hand except the painting. It would be work but it could be done :)

[@jamesward5721]

@@LakesideAutobody An SDS drill with a sharpened masonry chisel bit is effectively an electric air-hammer in all but name. Kick it into roto-stop chiselling mode & viola - air hammer, without air. Cheap too.

[@roycebrown3447]

Great video. I' m definitely using the wrong air hammer bit!

[@kkenason8728]

Excellent and clear video !!

[@jameswuokko1281]

I'd advise to do alot of them use a sharp punch n you'll save lots of time

[@eapauto]

Another good video, enjoying the channel.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - Jerry

[@borna430]

Excellent

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks 😊

[@PeteR-or5kj]

Try removing welds that are in a hard to reach area 😵

[@LakesideAutobody]

You might find something in this vid to reach those - kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJ7WdKWHYpx_Zrc - Jerry

[@snail5341]

thanks

[@LakesideAutobody]

👍You're welcome :)

[@tbirdsteve1]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone do this so badly. It's like a comedy of errors.

[@LakesideAutobody]

It doesn't take a lot of knowledge to use a spot weld cutter - just don't break the teeth. If someone used one of these near me in a body shop, the first thing I would ask the guy is, "How the heck are you not breaking teeth off that thing?" The teeth break easy if you don't have some type of pilot :)

[@heto007]

Thank you for passing down your knowledge.

[@LakesideAutobody]

You're welcome

[@tuttiw3014]

@@LakesideAutobody you dont have to drill ahole through two plates ...a punch is surely enough

[@LakesideAutobody]

​@@tuttiw3014 أكره كسر الأسنان

[@tuttiw3014]

@@LakesideAutobody i d like to ask you about welding on a plate and why does the metal shrink In arabic plz

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@tuttiw3014 أولا ، هل تعني معدن رقيق؟

[@HailTheGamerz]

What kind of sander was that? Im new to autobody work (just got my first classic car, a 66 mustang), and my orbital sander is nowhere near that fast at stripping paint!

[@LakesideAutobody]

That's just an old hand grinder with a 40 grit ginding disc on it. 1) www.harborfreight.com/5-in-high-speed-air-sander-68739.html 2) www.harborfreight.com/4-12-in-36-grit-resin-fiber-sanding-discs-5-pc-69615.html Hope that helps

[@jamesjarman4129]

Husky has one at homedepot and its $40 I've used mine for years, just have to grease the head every so often.

[@georgespangler1517]

I just use a 1/2 inch drill bit rides in hole debit and don't go through other side and you can punch new spots anywhere you want,

[@LakesideAutobody]

That is one of the best ways - cheapest and easiest for sure. Thanks for the comment George :)

[@georgespangler1517]

@@LakesideAutobody Thanks I've tried them all and go back to just the drill bit,

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@georgespangler1517 Yep... you can always sharpen drill bits too :)

[@johnbrown-zq9uj]

What is your opinion of composite cab corners, repairing an 06 f150

[@LakesideAutobody]

I think they would work fine. They would never rust and that's great but the steel that you glue it to would so.... I'm thinking it would defeat the purpose of the rust free panel. That's just my thinking - I might be wrong on that as I never used them. Might look into them though.

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

I use the same Blair cutter. Once i got the feel for it, i could almost do whole quarter panel without losing any cutter teeth. Funny thing here... Ive gone pretty far on a broken cutter because i couldnt find my refills!!🤣🤣

[@LakesideAutobody]

Not fun with a broken cutter :)

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

@@LakesideAutobody You know youre dedicated to getting the job done that day when your cutter has one tooth left LOL!!!

[@satamanschmidt3428]

The easiest way to remove spot welds is with a belt file. Check out Blue Collar Kyle as he uses this all the time. Much faster and far better as you can remove the top piece without destroying the rear piece which as you said is needed to do the plug weld.

[@LakesideAutobody]

A spot weld cutter like I use doesn't destroy the rear piece. Neither does a drill bit if you're careful. Lot cheaper too - would like to get one of those belt sanders though - thanks

[@josindee91]

Good job

[@LakesideAutobody]

Thanks - have a good end of the week :)

[@gergemall]

Wow

[@sterlingvanhayden7997]

Just wondering if that's you playing the guitar at the intro... If not, how do you work that?

[@LakesideAutobody]

Yes that's me. If you need music for a channel - there is quite a bit of free stuff out there. For example: kzbin.infomusic?nv=1 Jerry

[@sterlingvanhayden7997]

@@LakesideAutobody Thank you for that, Jerry... That's a tremendous resource I never knew existed until you clued me in on it... 'Preciate that.

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@sterlingvanhayden7997 You're welcome

[@paulb8186]

Might as well just use a slightly bigger drill bit and drill the spot weld out! What a long winded way of doing that is, use a finger belt sander, grind the spots and air chisel apart.

[@LakesideAutobody]

How many welds can you grind with one piece of sand paper or belt before it's worn out? What grit do you like to use for that? How much does one of those sanding belts cost? Be honest - Always looking for a cheaper, easier, faster way.

[@promufdvr]

The poster is right pneumatic belt sander and a panel knife 3m green belts are about 3 bucks each and last a long time super fast

[@md65000]

Isn't the whole point of a spot-weld removal bit that you don't have to drill all the way through the bottom piece?

[@LakesideAutobody]

Yes but you're only left with an 1/8" hole. This is just if you want to save the teeth on these types of bits. Without the hole - I promise the bit will jump around and you bust teeth. They have a better design but this was quite a common cutter for Blair.

[@martycaldwell7197]

You trying to save the pannel to re use it? If not. I use a air belt sander . i can have a bed side off a truck in 40 minutes with a belt sander, air hamer and torch. What your doing is . is the old way, this is not 1990 this is 2022

[@LakesideAutobody]

Yep - you can use a belt sander - I have one and would rather use a spot weld cutter or better yet a drill bit - cheap and efficient.

[@giovannigiorgio8962]

Everything has it's purpose, if your needing to use that panel .....

[@nigelhopkinson6614]

Sorry but what a performance to break one spot weld !

[@LakesideAutobody]

Once you get a process down it goes pretty fast though

[@nigelhopkinson6614]

Was that an old VW door you were working on ?

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@nigelhopkinson6614 It was a 1996 Chevy 1500 door

[@jeremyoshea7941]

What would happen if you went in Reverse first

[@LakesideAutobody]

I don't know. Are you thinking it might make a little path for the blades to follow? Not a bad idea :)

[@jeremyoshea7941]

@@LakesideAutobody yes, I do that when I cut holes for door knobs, in homes

[@jeremyoshea7941]

@@LakesideAutobody thank you for your videos and time!

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@jeremyoshea7941 You're welcome :)

[@SuperMetalwrath]

Dude you srs? Just get a belt sander and be done with it

[@LakesideAutobody]

Are you saying to use a belt sander to sand them down and make them smooth? Jerry

[@SuperMetalwrath]

@@LakesideAutobody you can do that as well with 80 grit, but 46 can burn thro spots welds in no time no drilling needed or pilot hole. Just stop when you see the spot weld ring and take a seam buster to the flange

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@SuperMetalwrath Very cool. How long do the belts last when grinding welds down?

[@SuperMetalwrath]

@@LakesideAutobody when doing quarters 1 belt usually last the whole quarter. That's inside the door jam, under the rear glass down the tail light pocket and rear body panel. Key is to not use pressure let the belt do the work

[@LakesideAutobody]

Cool, thanks for the information - I'll give it a try - have a good weekend - Jerry

[@ehyvoltage1542]

Wow! Why spend money on the Blair if you are already drilling through the second panel?? I wish I knew where your shop was, so I could never go there. Rename this video to How Not To Remove Spot Welds.

[@LakesideAutobody]

Blair makes a better bit that is solid so that there are no teeth to break. For this type, it really saves the tool to drill a small pilot first. No big deal - it doesn't hurt anything - just saves the teeth from snapping off - keeps the tool steady.

[@robhermanrude331]

crappy lead in music..

[@LakesideAutobody]

What kind of music do you like?

[@robhermanrude331]

@@LakesideAutobody Too loud and coarse.. , jarring and abrasive in the context of a lead in.. perhaps a riff from something that Daryl from Daryl house does.. in his jamming sessions.. .. the Johnnie Be good riff from back to the Future worked- it was smoother but not abrasive until the end lol.. But hey it is your production... Thanks for asking ..

[@LakesideAutobody]

@@robhermanrude331 I loved Johnnie be Good! I always thought they gave Elvis too much credit w/ "King of Rock and Roll" Chuck Berry jammed - and that song was actually the hardest rockin" tune of that time - no question about it :)

[@fredblair4307]

buy spot weld cutter

[@russellhueners8499]

Get a real drill

[@LakesideAutobody]

???