Blair 11096 Cutter Set

Pros:Made in the USANice box for storing itDurable cutting headsSpring loaded drill bits pretty much remove need for drilling pilotsCons:One of the three driller heads seemed possibly defective, read below.Extremely difficult to remove from the arbor. If you don't have a vice, you better buy one right quick.So I bought these after getting frustrated with the lower end blair spotwweld cutter which is commonly found in auto parts stores. You've seen them, they have the spring loaded little pilot pin and are pretty cheaply made. They do the job, and if you want to sit there and drill pilots, or use a punch and hammer to make a divot go ahead. However, if you have a lot of spot welds to drill out, or are drilling through some structural steel you'll want to step up your game to this bad boy.The picture above is inaccurate. The little thumbnail with the black box and white label are what you'll receive. The box itself is good quality and really holds things together nicely. Which is good, the cheap ones you buy at autoparts stores are easily lost and add to the frustration. Included in the kit is 3 driller heads, 2 drill bits, a washer and the arbor.Using the tool:This tool really speeds up your progress because you're not sitting there drilling pilot holes, or smashing your hand up with a hammer and punch. The included drill bits aren't super sharp, and don't really drill through the part at first but do manage to do a good job of keeping the tool straight. You start by pressing the bit to the center (or close) of the spotweld, and drill away for a good 10-20 seconds. You then press against it's internal spring to bring the cutter into contact with the weld and keep pressing until you feel or hear the weld separate from the substrate it's welded to. I did have numerous bouts of the tool skipping across, but that could've easily been due to my technique rather then a fault of the tool. That said, I could usually drill out 5-6 at a time with one skip, so not a bad ratio even considering. I didn't realize there was a lube they sell associated with this tool, so when I re-buy one I'll be sure to include that in my order. That said, I drilled a BUNCH of spot welds without it and it didn't complain. I probably had 40+ spot welds drilled before I noticed any decline in cutting ability and then continued for another 20+ before changing the head.I nearly knocked off a star because the second drill bit shattered immediately. This could have been bad technique, and not a fault of the tool. I put the tool to the spot, and as usual drilled away at it for a good 10-15 seconds before pressing against the spring and bringing the cutter in contact with the metal. At which point, it pretty much turned to dust. All that was left was some jagged remains where it screws onto the arbor. Oh and remember the bit above about unscrewing the heads? It's all the more difficult when they shatter, so be warned. The third cutter head was as durable as the first and made for smooth sailing. Will I buy another? Absolutely. This is the best tool for the job, and with any metal work you're bound to go through material and have failures.

Great

Taking parts off a Saab 900 is much easier using this cutter for so many spotwelds. The 900 is known for a sturdy build that protects people in an accident, due to strong heavy Swedish steel panels and endless welds. The spring loaded center bit is very useful for slowly getting the rotary cutter engaged while not going through the lower panel. After removing the front fenders, about 40 welds each, the cutter still looks new, sharp and unchipped.Tip - Center punch to weld, place pilot drill in punch and slowly 'bounce' the cutter against the panel until it has cut a circle enough to hold it centered while cutting. Stop cutting once through the top panel, leaving the lower panel intact with only a small weld bump that can be ground down if attaching a new top panel.

consumable cost is a bit high. but this is much higher quality then anything you're gonna get at the local HF.. The tool just works..

This cutter costs more than double the ones that come with six cutters. I cut out about 50 spot welds on a rocker panel and the first blade is still sharp. I would have burned through all six of the cheaper ($18) ones as I did on a project last winter. It wasn't needed, but I did use a 1/8" pilot bit and used oil while cutting. These last 10x as long and are 5x faster than the cheaper style. I cut the rocker in the picture out and the first blade is still sharp.

After watching a few review videos on several spot weld cutters it became apparent that Blair was the market leader. I was unsure how long a single cutter head would last. The kit comes with three heads. I have cut through over 145 spot welds and I'm still on the first cutter head. The trick is to operate the bit at a low to mid speed. Would buy again.

This is well worth the money. I did around 6 spot welds in under a minute. Literally cut like butter through 16 gauge sheet metal. I’ll definitely be buying additional bits when these wear out.

I had a project that I had to cut over 120 spot welds and this tool did a great job. It comes with three cutters and I never wore out the first one. The tool took a bit of practice to get the hang of, but after the first few spot welds were cut I started cutting the rest like a pro. I'd definitely recommend if your doing a project where you need to separate spot welded pieces of sheet metal. I used this for an auto body project that I was working on.I would also recommend getting the Steck 20015 tool to use with the cutter. This tool made the job much easier.