Best Way To Cut Sheet Metal By Hand

We recommend using a diamond blade that s labeled as a ferrous metal cutting blade but many tradespeople use a regular masonry diamond blade with good results.

Best way to cut sheet metal by hand.

Mount a diamond blade in your angle grinder and use it like a saw to cut the mesh. The most common hand tools for cutting sheet metal are hand shears also known as tin snips there are several versions from the old school cleaver type to the much better scissor type that can actually be maneuvered around turns and curves. Start by taping both sides of the sheet metal directly over the line you want to cut and clamp the metal to a work station so it doesn t move. The method you choose to cut sheet metal depends on the thickness of the metal and the type of cut you plan to make.

A handheld cutting tool fitted with a metal cut off wheel will easily cut through sheet metal and a rotary tool with a multipurpose cutting bit is useful for more intricate cuts. They are great for making small cuts. Metal lath and hardware cloth can be cut with a tin snips but there s an easier way. The standard tin snips comes in three standard cuts and you should have all three on hand.

Also referred to as aviator snips these scissor like hand tools cut sheet metal materials up to 18 gauge in thickness accurately without leaving a ragged bent edge as the finished product. The way of cutting sheets with nibbler is to cut punches out of a tiny metal sheet and repeat the process until you get your desired dimension. Open the snips all the way at the beginning of a cut and seat the sheet metal as deep as possible into the opening this provides you with maximum leverage. The edges are sharp the cutoffs are stiff and get in the way the snips bind or you just can t seem to negotiate the curve.

But you don t have to be a tinsmith to cut sheet metal successfully. For cutting out holes in sheet metal it s going to be necessary that you begin with a starter hole this can be formed by using the hammer and chisel method to punch through the metal. These problems are common for those of us who don t work with sheet metal every day.