Cutting,trimming tool for sheet metal.

[eth727]

I've got some circular holes that I would like to weld up. I was wondering what would be the best tool to use to cut,trim sheet metal. I don't have room for a huge band saw either.
Thanks

[67ctbug]

How big are the holes? Can you just weld them shut?
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'67 Beetle L41
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'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
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World Series Champions 2016

[Mike Fisher]

Rotary file bits for my drill, 4.5" angle grinder & a sawzall is all I've ever needed.
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69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
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'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[modok]

smaller than 1/4 I just weld them up, with a chunk of copper held against the other side. 1/2-3/4 hole would be kind of odd, yeah it would be nice to have a way to create small coin size patches. Never really thought about it in depth.
It would be nice to have them punched out of sheet, as the slightly bent edges would be good to reduce distortion. It's tough to weld up a 1/2" hole without distorting the heck out of everything. If you make it slightly concave....then smoosh it flat after it's welded in that will help counter the distortion.

[eth727]

Like 3" . I definitely need to trace them on paper and transfer to sheet metal and cut them exactly the same.

[parker007]

simplest way is angle grinder with thin wheels. I also use large hole saw to cut blank but you end up with 1/4 hole in middle. use belt sander to finish.

[modok]

[vwjetboat]

perfectly round ? hole saw.. jig saw with metal blade.. metal sheers.

[kman]

[kman]

[beetlenut]

Good God, just use some sheet metal snips like these:
https://www.grainger.com/product/5MD08?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&s_kwcid=AL
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[67ctbug]

[57BLITZ]

Angle grinder with a cutoff wheel . . . less than $25 at Harbor freight tools.

I like to fit-up patches made from the same thickness with as small a gap as possible.
I have even resorted, when necessary, to using my Dreamel tool with a super thin cutoff wheel for fine tuning.

My practice piece . . . a bent rear clip someone tried to toss into the garbage . . .

Look Ma, NO Bondo!

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Jesucristo es mi Señor y Salvador!

[67ctbug]

Dremel wheels suck... I broke 25 when I replaced my rear quarter...
_________________
'67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016

[57BLITZ]

[67ctbug]

When I say quarter panel I mean this-

And then I cut it to just around the bold holes with a grinder and then cut around my lines with a dremel. I would say I cut most of the piece with a dremel because I had to make sure all the lines were accurate.

Here, you can see what I did kind of-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBWn2r3c8Gs

go to right around the 11 minute mark if you want to skip the beginning of the repair.
_________________
'67 Beetle L41
'74 Westfalia
'69 Plymouth "Adam-12"
'63 Ragtop
'73 914
'72 Dodge Wrecker
Go Cubs!
World Series Champions 2016

[beetlenut]

[57BLITZ]

Biggest hardware store you have ever seen!
https://www.mcmaster.com/#1257a76/=1c5k61m
I have yet to break any of them . . .
_________________
Jesucristo es mi Señor y Salvador!

[eth727]

I used a handheld jigsaw flipped upside down on a work table. It's like a poor mans band saw.