What should I cut this with?

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I need to cut the fenders on this trailer down to narrow them. Need to gain some width between the fenders to allow a wider floor space - floor is going to be wood when I finish with this - will be a dirt bike trailer.Fenders are about 5" too wide for the tires. They are about .188" thick. Can't decide what would be the best tool for the job. I need a good clean, straight cut but I don't have a plasma cutter, or anything actually to cut them with right now. Thinking an air cutoff wheel or maybe a sawsall but not sure. Maybe even take them somewhere to get them plasma cut?I don't want to spend a lot of money on something I'm not going to use after cutting these fenders down...... Attached Images
Reply:For what it would cost to buy a tool or have them done, you could buy the width you need in a round type fenders! JMOFlashhttp://flashracecarbodies.com
Reply:Originally Posted by The FlashFor what it would cost to buy a tool or have them done, you could buy the width you need in a round type fenders! JMO
Reply:Nice mil trailer.  If you have a plasma, I'd say that.  If you don't have a plasma, do you have an OA setup?  If you don't have a plasma or an OA setup, you could use a sawzall and clean up with an angle grinder, or you could just use an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel.I'd keep the mil style angular fenders intact as much as possible, I think they look alot better than round fenders.Nice trailer btw...is that an M101?--Wintermute"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience." - John Lockewww.improvised-engineering.comManufacturer Agnostic:Blood----------Sweat---------Tears----|------------------|----------------|----Lincoln Red, Miller Blue, Esab Yellow
Reply:Mini grinder and 4 1/2" or 5 1/2" zip cut....Mike
Reply:I'd use a cutoff wheel using compressed air. No need to buy a $2000 plasma cutter if you dont need one. Just straight edge a line where you want it and go to townMy vintage equipment 1957 Lincoln sa 2001980's Lincoln 225 AC1952 F-2 ford truck1957 F-250 ford truck
Reply:You mentioned sawzall.  I'm surprised more people don't suggest it.  Absolutely sucks to use, and usually my last resort, given that I have better tools in the shop, but when it comes down to it, it does work, and is quite versatile.  Blades are cheaper, per inch of cut, than the cutoff wheel, too.Who is John Galt?
Reply:Another vote for a 4 1/2 inch grinder and cut off wheel, or 5. Especially if you are buying one just for this project.
Reply:What tools do you have? Wanting to do it the cheapest way, use what is avaliable.If you have a saws all it will work well on the flat surfaces of the fender.If you have a side grinder or cut off tool use a cut off disk.I did not see any welders in your pics, how are you putting it back together.G3miller... 225g, s32p, 250x, 304, 12vs, MSW41     victor o/a thermal dynamics cutmaster 50 lenco panel spotter        hobart hf-boxG3 Farms.....raising cattle, hay, kids and hell, ...oh yeah I'm a fire sprinkler contractor by trade.
Reply:Originally Posted by wintermute.........Nice trailer btw...is that an M101? --Wintermute
Reply:If you add your location to your profile maybe someone with a plasma will cut them for you for a case of beer. I know I would if you were around Tampa, FlIf you cannot convince them, confuse them.         Harry S Truman
Reply:Originally Posted by number9Trailer is a M116A3 chassis. They do use this chassis to mount the M101 body on, which makes it a M101. They also use this chassis to mount gensets, radar, etc....I picked up a Lincoln AC/DC 225/125 off Craigslist a couple months ago. Still waiting on a electrician friend to come over and help me wire 220 in the garage.I don't have an angle grinder or saws all or bandsaw. I've never really done any thick / large metal projects, just small brackets, etc so I've always got by with a dremel and cutoff wheel and a file LOL.....
Reply:i'd use that drillpress back there        thermal arc 252i  -  millermatic 350P -   miller XMT, cp300ts, 30a 22a feeders, buttload of other millers, handfull of lincolns, couple of esabs  -   Hypertherm 1250 G3
Reply:those fenders look too far forward, the wheel should favor the front of the fender so it has room to travel back, seein that you don't have any tools maybe remove the fenders take them to a shop pay someone twenty bucks to cut them down. then you can reweld and install , if your going to be welding, I'd take the advise of buying a 4 1/2" electric grinder it's a must have, you can grind, use a flap wheel, cut off disc, and wire wheel, it's a versitle tool to have, you should be prepping the joint when you reweld them fenders anyhow, you'd be there all day with a dremel"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal"   -Henry Ford
Reply:by the way that is a cool trailer"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal"   -Henry Ford
Reply:Go get yourself a 4" to 5" angle grinder and a couple of those thin 1mm cutoff disks, they are excellent for thin sheet sheel as they don't generate too much heat., you should be able to get one for less than $50. If you bought yourself a welder then you will need a small angle grinder, for cutting, grinding and polishing, for welding purposes it will be the most used tool in your shed. If you intend to do a lot of welding then get 2 of them, one for the cuttoff disk and one for grinding, saves heaps of time by not having to keep changing disks. Just my 2 cents worth.Miller Auto Invision 456 + S-62 wire feederC6240B1 Gap bed lathe16 ft3 air compressor16 speed pedestal drillHafco BS-912 Bandsaw
Reply:Why not just space them out, saves the hassle of cutting them down and keeps them stock if you want to put it back as t was
Reply:Um, what about a jigsaw? Looks like you have a nice flat surface to work on all the way around. Jigsaw will give you a nice slow, straight cut. Nicer than a sawzall. Dress it up with a flap wheel, paint done.
Reply:x3 on the cutoff wheel, I use one for everything 1/8" or less. cheap and easy.HH187Hobart 500i plasma cutterClark 4.5" GrinderDewalt 14" chop saw30 gallom 1.6 hp compressor10 gallon pressure pot sand blasterlots of hand tools
Reply:I would normally go with a cutoff wheel too but don't discount the old trusty jigsaw, you will have more control that with a grinder.
Reply:If you are short on cash, you can pick up a flea market 4" angle grinder for spit and a packet of the largest discs you can find for the arbor on the grinder you decide on. They are great for thin stuff, but I have cut over a foot across 5/8" stainless plate with one disc by using proper care. As most above have stated, you will have to have a grinder if you just bought a welder (read, you will be doing a lot of grinding) so go ahead and get a decent one if you can afford it.PS If you go the grinder route, you should remove the wheels and cover the bearing and seal area to prevent grinding dust entering. Grinder dust is a bearing eater.Last edited by mooseye; 02-11-2010 at 11:24 AM.SA200,Ranger8,Trailblazer251NT,MM250,Dayton225AC,T  D-XL75,SpoolMate3545SGA100C,HF-15-1  RFCS-14 When I stick it, it stays stuck!
Reply:Cutoff wheel. BTW, where can I get a copy of that trailer, and how much $?"Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Location would definately help... if you live nearby, bring the trailer over and I'll plasma them for ya.What I would do is space the fenders out, then cut them to fit leaving about an inch to recreate the outer lip.You will need a 4 1/2' grinder simply to prep the frame when you get around to welding on it.I recently picked up a few reconditioned Makita grinders, they last the longest out of all I've used.http://www.toolking.com/makita-9557n...LAID=430272876Then get a pack of cut-off wheels from Harbor Freighthttp://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=45430clamp a straight edge to the fender and simply cut them down. That pack of 10 should easily do the job and then you can use the rest during you trailer build.Synchowave 180SD  Bernard 3500SS water coolerMillermatic 200Parker Plasma Tec 40dvOperating Engineers Local 12
Reply:Originally Posted by Stick-manCutoff wheel. BTW, where can I get a copy of that trailer, and how much $?
Reply:Originally Posted by eyeball engineerthose fenders look too far forward, the wheel should favor the front of the fender so it has room to travel backJigsaw with a metal blade. Nice straight cut if you pay attention. No heat to warp anything. Cheap.
Reply:Originally Posted by wintermuteStick,They come up for sale on craigslist every once in a while (look for the M101 trailer, M416 trailer, M116 trailer, M103 trailer, M105 trailer, etc...).  They also pop up on some of the offroading forums every once in a while.  I would also recommend checking the steelsoldiers forum as well (http://www.steelsoldiers.com/vbclassified.php).  Here's a different model (tandem axle) that's available in WI: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/vbclass...?do=ad&id=3212Here's a really nice M101 in IL: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/vbclass...?do=ad&id=2423Hope that helps.--Wintermute
Reply:Location added.Thanks for all the replies guys. Expected maybe one or two. Looks like this forum is very active and helpful compared to some others out there. Nice to see I found a good place.I'll give the 4 1/2" grinder and jigsaw more thought. I'll pick up the grinder anyways as I will need it, like others said, when I get ready to weld on the frame. I got the trailer off a surplus sales site. Cost me more in gas to go get it than I paid for the trailer. It is a VERY sweet trailer. The A3 (and I think the A2-E) versions are actually 1-ton rated, all the others were 3/4-ton. I'm gonna weld some 2x3 rectangular tubing in sections about 6" long along the sides of the frame and then a runner down the length to make the trailer floor wider. I'll prob use the 2x3 to make uprights along the sides as well and cap it off with maybe 2x3 or *maybe* angle iron to make the side rails. I plan to make it into a utility trailer, but as close to a Mil looking one as possible. Gonna take the toolbox on the front and move to the tongue or maybe down one side of the front and put 2 Jerry can mounts on the other side to haul the fuel for the bikes. It looks really sweet in my head........ now if I can just get it on paper and then to reality ......
Reply:4.5" grinders are limited because they have such small cutting wheels.I'd use a 6" Metabo instead, or if you don't want to buy one (they are insanely nice, well worth the couple hundred bucks they cost!) fab a 6" guard for a (good) 4.5" grinder and use it gently so as not to overload the motor. The Metabo 150s are the size of a 4.5 but have much more power and survive abuse very well. (Don't bother with smaller-rating Metabos, we kill those easily and won't buy any more.)Once you start using 6" cutoff discs you won't want to go back to the little ones, though you can use them on the 6" grinder. The edge speed at a given grinder RPM of the larger wheel is much faster, and you can cut much thicker stock. My welding instructor friend uses his 6" Metabo for cutting 18-wheeler frames when shortening or stretching them. We use Radnor and Pferd cutting wheels with excellent results. Example pic only, buy 'em wherever you can get the same model WE14-150 cheapest:http://www.cspforestry.com/PhotoGall...tCode=WE14-150
Reply:Thanks for all the input guys. I stopped by Harbor Freight (I know) today and picked up some things. I know a lot of their stuff is junk, but they do have some decent stuff depending on what you're looking for. Anyways, I got the blue flame welding helmet 92114, the 4 1/2 angle grinder 91223, two 10pk of the cut-off wheels 45430 and a couple packs of flap wheels. I've read good reviews of these items so they'll prob do me good for the every now and then use I'll give them. Once I get my 220 wired in the garage I'll order the steel tubing and see how the grinder does cutting it and if it's not good enough I might take a stick of it over to the local machine shop and have them cut it to sections I need......
Reply:Don't form an opinion on the grinder/cut-off disc process based on the performance of those HF cutting discs.   They're more like a disappearing act than cutting disc.
Reply:The HF disc's do disappear quickly but will eventually get the job done. If my memory serves me, HF sells the dewalt disc also, try them after you burn a few HF. IT will be a night and day difference.If you cannot convince them, confuse them.         Harry S Truman
Reply:I would also recommend a Full Face shield and a pair of Ear Muffs.Ed Conleyhttp://www.screamingbroccoli.com/MM252MM211 (Sold)Passport Plus & Spool gunLincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)Klutch 120v Plasma cutterSO 2020 benderBeer in the fridge
Reply:No way could ya get the fenders cut down at a shop around here for $20.....More like 100 bucks, I vote for a 4 1/2" grinder with the cut off wheel, that air compressor in the back ground will never run a die grinder long enough to cut them thick fenders, without burning up.........
Reply:or better yet, go to the rental store and rent a Milwaukee portable band saw, will give ya a nice straight cut, much faster and ez'er than a grinder.........
Reply:sorry, I'm to late , he bought the stuff.......send us a (after the act) picture, when ya finish.........
Reply:Stickman, the government liquidations page will give you a good idea of what is being auctioned off to the public these days. http://www.govliquidation.com/index.htmlWhoops, I missed page 2!City of L.A. Structural; Manual & Semi-Automatic;"Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore."Job 28:1,2Lincoln, Miller, Victor & ISV BibleDanny