Aux Tank Bays - tips for cutting the opening?

[Dpearson]

It's time for me to cut one of my 4-place QB wings (A model) open to install the aux tank. The latest builder's manual at bearhawk tips recommends against using snips and seems to caution against using a die grinder. The older builder's manual (PDF version) mentions using a jigsaw, but as that didn't make into bearhawk.tips I wonder if that method has fallen out of favor?

So, for those of you that have made "the big cut", what was your preferred tool and technique?

[AKKen07]

Masking tape and a jigsaw with a good sheet metal blade: https://youtu.be/IOo0yjkrdm4

[Dpearson]

Thanks for creating and posting the video. Much appreciated!

[rodsmith]

Drill the corners to a suitable radius and use a die grinder and cut off wheel. Worked great for me.

[whee]

Jigsaw is probably the safest, most fool proof. Grinder and cutoff wheel is my preferred method for cutting stuff like this for the cleanest/straightest cut.

[Dpearson]

Thanks for the comparison between techniques! I'll take "safe and fool proof" any day. I'm a quite resourceful fool when it comes to making expensive slips with spinning tools!

[alaskabearhawk]

If I remember right I used a chainsaw file to radius the corners after I cut the initial opening. The vixen file worked well for me to clean up the edges.

http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=yeeeha&project=527&category=3973&log=239523&row=65

[Chris Werner]

I have not cut into my wings but I have used an olfa knife to cut some pieces without a shear. I watched a video of a guy cutting a leading edge for a light with one. Here is a link to an article about it.

https://www.kitplanes.com/plane-and-simple-making-the-perfect-cut/

[gregc]

I also use an olfa knife when I want a nice clean cut. It is slow but works really well.

[svyolo]

Couple minute job with a track saw. Radius the corners beforehand, and cut into the corners.

[Dpearson]

Oh wow - I'd never heard of a track saw before. Thanks for the tip, I learned something new!