[Hwyhogg]

Other than my cave man reciprocating saw, is there a fairly inexpensive tool to cut/trim floorboard and firewall sheet metal? The tool can be electric or air-powered. The saw is good for big demo work, but looking for something that can make tight, short cuts in place. I'm trying to clean up the firewall and floor board before to making some patch panels/strips.
thanks

[OneMoreTime]

There is a small air powered saw that works like the sawzall that is great for what you want to do..HF and astro both have them..

Sam

Lookee: http://www.astrotools.com/default.aspx?toolsnum=129TW&

[Sick467]

I've always used the 1/16" cutoff wheels driven by a small electric grinder or a air driven die grinder for the tighter spots.

[66SSImp454]

Usually a combo of tools are needed when cutting sheet metal, especially in tigh areas like you may encounter with your repair.

Like mentioned a body saw works great, and a cut off wheel. I also use an air hammer with a couple of different bits. The air hammer is great for the spot welds and to cut the panel.

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

[35WINDOW]

I use a lot of different Tools to cut Sheetmetal, but if I'm cutting a nice piece and want to get it done I use one of these:

http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDQQ8wIwBA#

[Hwyhogg]

DOH! forgot all about a cut off wheel! After I read these posts, I remembered I have a brand new one I bought several Years ago. I packed it up when we moved and plain forgot I had it. Think I'll buy one of the little saws too. Yep, definitely a job for several different tools. You guys are battin' 1000....have never failed to get useful directions on this site! As always, thanks for y'alls time,
James

[deadbodyman]

Those small HF airsaws a pretty darn good but you really need one of those small regulators on it to slow it adjust the speed and forget about using the blades that come with it.(Total junk)..I buy good quality hack saw blades and cut them into three pieces (three small blades) ,they fit right in...also there are guides under the plastic cover that always need adjusting when you get it .adjusting the guides will stabilize the blade and give you a lot more control of the cut....keep the tool and the blade oiled and they'll last a while...
A 6" cut off wheel on a side grinder works well for long cuts in rusty steel.but lots of sparks and dangerous,I use welding gloves
Dont knock the old sawzall, I wear 1-2 out a year ...once you get used to it you can make precise cuts likea surgeon....
Plasma cutters are a great tool but I really prefer the sawzall because the extra time it takes to cut gives you time to think about what your doing...A plasma is almost too fast and someone like me will screw something up in a hurry...
you really cant beat a light weight sawzall with a variable speed trigger...My #1 tool
A good set of tin snips is always handy too

[Hwyhogg]

Okay, I used the 3" cut-off wheel to open up my transmission tunnel piece. I only cut out what I needed to make sure the shifter would shift through all the gears without hitting anything. The tunnel piece is an aftermarket piece with a raised center to clear the tranny better. NOW.....it looks like I'm going to have to cut it out square and raise it to be able to mount a boot of any kind on it. It is a Lokar shifter, but I haven't purchased the boot yet. I'm stumped ....I've attached a picture to show what I mean. What do I need to do to be able to mount a boot on it? It is obviously not even; it "STEPS", down from the shifter to where I cut out to clear the linkage... My current thought is to cut out more of a square hole and make a "box" type platform to mount a boot on..???? AAAAGGGHHH...I need to learn how to weld!

[timothale]

We used to use a big meat cleaver and sledge hammer, that was fast until someone tried to cut some hard steel, an old set of wood chizzels that are all steel, no plastic or wood handles also work good. , also a super chizzel about 16 inches long with a sledge hammer works fast, In high school we cut the top of a 40 chevy coupe to make a convertible, You start the cut with a hacksaw then use a very sharp wood chizzel, just tap hard enough to score the cut line, work all the way around then flex the metal and it breaks clean..

[deadbodyman]

AHHHH,
Beaver........The Cleaver...

[Hwyhogg]

Well got my problem figured out...I had followed the instructions to the letter and positioned the shifter rod arm at about 4:30 o'clock position....this of course made the linkage come up passed the tunnel. I repositioned it to about 5:30 position and now it stays beneath the floor. The shifter linkage is a bit tighter now, but doesn't seem overly tight...of course now I'll have to patch the fancy cuts I made ....and yes, the shifter does shift properly still Still gonna get one of those little HF saws though.

[ogre]

my preffered to for cutting metal is a 4.5'' grinder with 6'' cutting disk