Figured some of you metalheads wondering what to do with the rust could use this information, look at it as "experience and patience, not expensive tools" determine what you can accomplish:

Here are the most basic tools to start any serious body restoration with, excluding, of course, safety equipment and a good air compressor to run the cutoff tool.



I only use SAIT brand cutoff tools, 3/8" arbor (center hole) size. There is an 1/8" thick wheel (SAIT PN 23075) I use for grinding welds, and an .035" thick
wheel (SAIT PN 23069) that is used for cutting panels off.

They are more expensive per piece than no name or cheapo cutoff wheels, but they last MUCH longer. The key is to travel left to right (or follow the way the grinder turns, most are clockwise looking at it from the handle) you will wear out wheels much slower. Also dont "bury" the wheel, just put about the lower 1/4" in.

The thinner wheel, because it takes less material out, takes less energy to run, ie, less air. It is excellent for roughing off panels quickly. IT is also good for the rare times when you need to remove a panel (to get at something behind it to repair, etc) and replace the panel because you can usually fill the gap it leaves.

The thicker wheel is also good for grinding out spot welds, its loud and annoying to use versus a spot weld drill, but its faster, cheaper and can yield excellent results with a little practice. I bet 100 or more welds can be ground with one disc, costing about $3. The key is to save wheels as they wear down, because often, you are working in a corner where a small wheel is necessary to use to avoid damaging surrounding good metal.

Here is a rocker panel lower spot welds being ground off with the thick disc:



Here is the result, just a little nugget of the original spot weld, with no grinding of the inner rocker panel, just grind the weld only, not the base metal...sorry for the bad photo...



Here is a complement of tools and random blocks of metal that were used to form this driver's side floorpan for an 02:



The most expensive tool was the die grinder, then the Snap On body hammer. This is my favorite hammer of all time, and is known as, "The My Favorite Body Hammer"

The rest of the collection is either cheaper tools or things I have bought at steel yards for scrap prices. Indispensible stuff. In fact, I used the above tools, and no others (except a sheet metal brake, which I could have not used) to form this floor pan.



Here is where the pan is going:


_________________
Matt McGinn
Sports Car Restoration
www.sports-car-restoration.com
1974 2002 turbo 4290909, resto project, looking for parts
89 M50'd e30
72 Alfa GT Veloce
84 M491 911
68 1600 channeled and flared project
70 2002 flared car project