metal cutting question.

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[Rockdog2877]

my 74 was a full bench, but some P.o. made it a walk through. (not very well). I have access to the parts to make it a real setup. the metal is pretty thick. A sawzall might just mangle it. I am thinking I will need a torch to cut it clean. plasma is out of my price range and it looks like my other choice is acetylene. But where do you get the tanks? are the hard to use?
It seems like I can weld with it to.
.

[vdubyah73]

Next to impossible for a rookie to cut a clean line with a torch. Try a small jig saw with a metal cutting blade. Get a metal cutting blade with the most teeth per inch you can find. Use C clamps or vise grips to hold some kind of straight edge for a guide you can run the jig saw foot plate against to give you a nice clean straight cut. Then to finish the cut you can get some pinch welt or if you have wood working skillz you can make some nice pieces to trim it out. You can cut them with the new jig saw you had to buy 
 This is not a company recommendation, just the first image I found.

 
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Black-Hood-Pinch-Welt.jpg (JPEG Image, 640x480 pixels) - Scaled (82%)

[Rockdog2877]

man, I was hoping I had to get one! , "Come on honey, love my bus said I needed to buy one." ok I will work with what i got.
the only way to not be a rookie is to start right? 

[fastmc25]

You need the torch setup...... don't buy the cheap one as they won't last........Must Have to get your bus on the road ......



Now with that out of the way.... I would draw out your cutting area and like vdubyah73 said, cut it with a jigsaw or a sawz-all .   I like the sawz-all as it cuts really smooth on big metal and little stuff also if you take your time...... If you have the original walk through section you want to install then measure 10 times and cut once......you can do it.......  

[Rockdog2877]

I wild definitely over cut and trim after I have some space.
thanks for the pep talk, I lost some motivation after I dropped the engine and saw that the heater set up was completely gone. the "elbows" are rusted into the oblivion. I have one "flapper box".
total I need, heat exchangers, elbows, one control box exhaust, I think the U tubes might be shot too. ugg. and get the 74 set up for F.I. as well.
my list gets longer!


i thought the torch would be good for starting my BBQ 

[itlives]

It would be an expensive BBQ lighter, BUT, you can't cut & weld metal with a cigarrette lighter!

[Rockdog2877]

It would be an expensive BBQ lighter, BUT, you can't cut & weld metal with a cigarrette lighter!

I did a quick google search for an image of that and came up with this.
http://www.type2.com/library/exhaust/hoopex.htm

my favorite part....
     ==Interregnum Three: If you have on of those patios made of cement with the little brown pebbles in it? And you are welding close to the ground? It makes the pebbles explode and shoot shrapnel at your eyes. Ask me how I know this. ;/


I got the Sawzall and went to work, will have pics soon..

[Rockdog2877]

here are some pics of my Sawzall fun. I did't get to gut out as much as I wanted due to technical issues. ( time and space!) but I got what I needed.

here are the pics

[rastafoo]

Cool! I thought of doing the same thing but I need the walls for my cabinet design. Looks simple, eh?

[Rockdog2877]

Cool! I thought of doing the same thing but I need the walls for my cabinet design. Looks simple, eh?

My original plan was a little more involved , till I realized the addition on the 74 was pretty thick steel , and welded to the floor. I realized that I would of made a bigger mess trying to remove it, so I remembered the KISS principle, and hoped for the best.
   Now to start the welding!

[Red Leader]

  I believe a jig saw will beat you up pretty bad. I bought a cheap air grinder from Harbor Freight and use that for the majority of a cut. The beauty of the grinder is I have ~20 bucks in it. It cuts great and if it craps out on me I haven't lost a mint.

[itlives]

I bought the same grinder with the same thinking. I replaced the bottom 6" of my '58 bug and all the drivers side rocker panels on my bus and it's still going strong!