I've been cutting out ALOT of spot welds on my '76 914 trying to get rid of the rust and I don't know about you but I'm always breaking spot weld cutters. I've paid up to $20 for them but recently got some (on back order) from Harbor Freight for $5. I thought this was pretty good until I got a catalog with them listed for $2.59. I haven't used the ones I have yet but at this price, how can you go wrong? The cutters look like they're made of the same tool steel as the much more expensive ones.
If you do want to get some the item number is 95343-1HUB and make sure you use the "Order from Printed Catalog" option on the left side of the home page (www.harborfreight.com). If you don't you may not get the $2.49 price. Hopefully they won't have to be backordered for you.

Sounds like a good deal. I have used their stuff and many frown on them but it has to do with the user's abilities more than anything. Have you ever used a die grinder to hit the spots? I think that would last a HUGE amount of time.

I have used a die grinder but you have to remove more material with it and I find its not as fast or clean. When you're doing something like a floorpan with lots of spots every little bit helps.
I like Harbor Freight for some stuff. You just have to be selective. Some things I find to be just as good as anywhere else, some things are not top quality by any means but will do just fine, and then there are things that are marginal at best.

Thanks for the heads up.... I was looking for some of these. For that price they are certainly worth a shot. I love HF for the disposable stuff.

Their sandpaper is good and cheap... the other thing I found in the store the other day are the fiber resin disks for the angle grinder.... they were only $4.

If you're buying the hole saw type of spotweld cutters you will continue to break them. They're crap.GO to an auto body supply store or website and buy one of the 15.00 bits that look similar to a standard drill bit. They cut great and they last.

Here's a pic of one brand

I've tried the drill type (twice) and even paid top dollar for them but I find with rusted and uneven metal the small center spike snaps off and then the thing skates all over the place. Also rusted metal as you know is the toughest on sharpened metal and even though these drill type cutters are supposed to be made of the hardest steel, they still dull. I couldn't get anywhere near the number of cuts they advertise (plus the center spike keeps busting off). Even though the hole cutter types break (you do get two cutting edges on each one) until they break they do work fine for me. Could be that I'm doing something wrong but this has been my experience.

are the sale HF ones the style with a center pilot?

I've had really terrible luck on the no pilot hole saw style
and the best luck so far on the spring loaded pilot style that you can flip the hole saw bit over for 2 edges.

anybody have a picture?

From the Harbor Freight web site:

Quickly separates spot-welded panels without distorting the sheet metal.
Double sided 3/8'' rotary blade
Fits most 1/4'' drills
Provides better panel separations than a panel cutter
Overall dimensions: 2-29/32"L x 1/4"; Spring loaded pin; double ended blade with eight teeth per end


ITEM 95343-0VGA
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I have tried several and found the Blair Roto-Broach work the best for me. They are not the cheapest, but cut the best and save the most time.

BTW a little oil helps cutter life.

Blair roto-broach is top notch. Using a little cutting oil I have drilled hundreds of spot welds with no sign of dulling. On a non-rusty spot weld the drill type work good but overall the roto-broach is the best I have used. BTW take your time, don't rush and you will save your cutters as well.

Jim

Cutting oil helps. I also make sure I center punch before I drill. A wandering around action also causes them to break.

This is what I use and they work geat for about $9.00 each. I bought mine through the Standard Auto Parts Catalog. Mike

This is going to sound like a stupid question, but what do you use for cutting oil and where can you find it? Is this something I can find at a FLAPS? Is it something special or just cheap oil?

I have been using the Blair roto-broach and am getting nowhere near the life out of a bit that others are reporting. I have some new bits and have been putting off using them until I can get some cutting oil.

This stuff works great

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