Spot Weld Drills

jims-terrano · 06-10-2019, 18:58

Hi Guys, I’m wanting to remove some spot welds from my VW van. I bought some spot weld drills last year but these things are more like drill bits and actually drill all the way through far too easily which I don’t want to do. Where I used to work they used spot weld drills and only way I can describe is the the actual drill part was a circle of teeth only about 3/8 inch in diameter if this makes sense. Just wondering if anyone else knows this type and will it still drill through layer of metal below. Cheers

Lazy-Ferret · 06-10-2019, 20:29

The one I have has a centre pin that sticks down, a hollow circle around that, then as you say a couple of cutting edges on the outside.

Only used it a couple of times, but found the centre bit drilled right through, but the outer only drilled as far as the hollow bit would allow it, till it bottomed out on the weld.. I hope that makes sense.

I found I had to sort of rotate the drill at an angle to finish cutting all the way round the weld on some thicker panels, but it would not work on any panels where the spot weld went through 3 panels.

kitchenman · 08-10-2019, 20:57

Use a bit of tube over the drill so it stops the drill going too far, stop if falling off with a bit of masking tape, around the top of the tube then onto the chuck or squash it with pliers, you can actually buy depth stops but I found a bit of tube and tape were easy and cheap

06-10-2019, 18:58	#1
jims-terrano Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: UK Posts: 12,965	Spot Weld Drills Hi Guys, I’m wanting to remove some spot welds from my VW van. I bought some spot weld drills last year but these things are more like drill bits and actually drill all the way through far too easily which I don’t want to do. Where I used to work they used spot weld drills and only way I can describe is the the actual drill part was a circle of teeth only about 3/8 inch in diameter if this makes sense. Just wondering if anyone else knows this type and will it still drill through layer of metal below. Cheers

06-10-2019, 20:29	#2
Lazy-Ferret Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Sevenoaks, Kent Vehicle: Terrano 2.7TDi SE Touring Posts: 5,221	The one I have has a centre pin that sticks down, a hollow circle around that, then as you say a couple of cutting edges on the outside. Only used it a couple of times, but found the centre bit drilled right through, but the outer only drilled as far as the hollow bit would allow it, till it bottomed out on the weld.. I hope that makes sense. I found I had to sort of rotate the drill at an angle to finish cutting all the way round the weld on some thicker panels, but it would not work on any panels where the spot weld went through 3 panels.

08-10-2019, 20:57	#3
kitchenman Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Essex Wescliff Vehicle: maverick 1994 2.7 TD Posts: 1,278	Use a bit of tube over the drill so it stops the drill going too far, stop if falling off with a bit of masking tape, around the top of the tube then onto the chuck or squash it with pliers, you can actually buy depth stops but I found a bit of tube and tape were easy and cheap