40D Plasma and 16GA

**kb3gun** · 06-15-2009, 09:02 PM

All I can say is "WOW". Needed to cut some small panels for my project 1966 Toyota FJ40. Needed to rip a couple of small sheets of 16GA steel.
Lined up a 1/4" thick scrap of wood as a guide. Left the 40D set at 40A and 70PSI from a prior job.
Did a drag cut and pulled as fast as I could. Took less than 2 seconds to cut the 18" length.
As you can see from the pictures that follow, it was as clean a cut as a sheetmetal brake could have done.

There's my straight edge and the cut sheet.

I call that a clean cut. Maybe a hair to fast, but worked out great.

And this is where they're being used.

I should have purchased this plasma a 18 months ago when I started this project.

Here is a little better view of the project:

**KHK** · 06-15-2009, 09:32 PM

Looks very good, Thanks for sharing

**Gadget** · 06-16-2009, 05:47 AM

Looks like a fun project, thanks for sharing.
Dan

**henrym** · 06-16-2009, 08:06 PM

there are a couple of old toyotas like that around here. I like em!

**kb3gun** · 06-17-2009, 10:30 AM

I'd been looking for one for a while when a friend offered to sell me his pile of rust. I said "how hard could it be to fix it up". lol
Well, I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel. Drivetrain is done and frame has been blasted and POR15'd. Tub is back on the frame and I have just a few small tub repairs to make before paint. Best part is that my tool collection is growing along with my fab and welding skills.
Thanks for the comments!

**JoshF** · 07-22-2009, 04:43 AM

Sweet. That thing really works.
I see you are off road enthusiast in PA as am I, have you been here yet?

**kb3gun** · 08-08-2009, 09:29 PM

I haven't been there yet, Josh. When I'm not working, wrenching or welding, I spend most of my time at Rausch Creek in Central PA.

**bigtirekaw** · 08-20-2009, 09:35 AM

I just notice this post. Looks like your project has already come a long way. I like projects like that. Keep updating your progress. Looks great!

**BearNPum** · 08-26-2009, 09:16 AM

Nice project. Just wondering on rebuilding body panels like that - do you keep adding spot welds till it is all filled in, or do you run beads after spotting it in place? Does it all grind up nice and smooth?

**BearNPum** · 10-19-2009, 12:08 PM

I've looked around a bit at some autobody repair info, and figured out the basics of getting this kind of panel work done. I like all the replacement corners and other panels you can by to start with. I'll try some scrap to see how I do.