The beauty of the bit posted in Tom's link, it not only removes the spot welds correctly, it leaves the exact sized hole for the spot weld in the piece you are removing while leaving the metal support piece (part you will weld to) intact.

T

Exactly! And...if you are putting the same part back in, the holes fit over the nubs left behind underneath, so you can plug weld it back in "exactly" where it came out.

Perfect!

I found a similar drill, 9,5mm. Is this ok?

http://www.biltema.se/sv/Verktyg/Skarverktyg/Metallborr/Skarverktyg-for-svetspunkter-2000016840/

Almost identical. This one seems to use a center punch to locate center of spot weld. Mine has a drill bit locked with an allen set screw.

I suspect they expect you to tap this cutter on the drive end each time and that could get tedious because you'd have to remove from the drill each time.

Not a big deal on the hood latch but some rear 1/4 panels have 80-100 spot welds.

T

That's very similar in size and design to the one I use (mine is made by Blair). That center punch is spring loaded so retracts into the bit when you press down -- otherwise the bit would never reach the metal. You use a standard center punch to put a dimple in the middle of the spot weld, then put the point of the bit in that dimple so that the bit cuts exactly around the weld without wandering off. Works very well....!

Hmm, seems like the bit would walk with nothing holding it centered.

This is the one I have, the centered drill bit stays in the initial hole like any other hole saw at your hardware store so there's no way you can walk off center.

https://www.autobodytoolmart.com/ima...ot-eze-bit.jpg

T

With a good center punch it stays centered no problem. The pilot point is pretty sharp. I think the one I have is the most common/traditional design, but if you poke around the internet there are plenty of better mouse traps like yours. I could see wanting to avoid the need for center punching if you had a lot of welds to cut out. But does yours put a pilot hole through both layers of the metal?

And to the OP: are you not going to try to fix the one you have without removing it?

All this talk about spot weld cutters got me turned on by the thought of replacing it..
And I want the result to be as good as nothing happened and I'm not sure I'll handle that myself.
But all depends on shipping/import tax/tolls to Sweden.