Cut Sheet Metal Without Bending

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.

Cut sheet metal without bending.

These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife. Plus a plasma torch can be used for thick metal too so they are really handy. Another tool is a plate shear for cutting slightly. A brake is a device that allows you to bend a piece of sheet metal at a particular angle.

Thick using a ferrous metal cutting blade. Hot metal chips will fly everywhere. The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot long pieces using this method. The fastest way to cut sheet metal in complex shapes or straight lines without a shear is a plasma torch.

With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. Metal shops have brakes mounted at different angles with automated braking arms however it is possible to bend sheet metal at home without the use of a brake. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal. It may not be an obvious choice but fitted with the right blade a circular saw is a great metal cutting tool.

When working with sheet metal one particularly useful piece of equipment is the brake. You can cut mild steel up to about 3 8 in. This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. There are three tools that kevin caron uses a lot to get a precise cut from a thin piece of metal.

If you use metal shears to cut thin sheet metal such as duct metal it curls and can be difficult to flaten properly. In our test it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. Cut metal with your circular saw. When set to a low amperage a plasma torch won t warp the metal and can yield quick clean cuts that help you get the job done quickly.

One tool is a foot shear or a jump shear. Tin snips are primarily used for cutting thin sheet metal like tin aluminum brass and thin gauge stainless steel.