Hot metal chips will fly.
Cutting 30 gauge sheet metal.
If you ve hit it hard enough the chisel will cut the sheet metal if it s thin enough.
Whenever it comes to cutting any sheet metal the first and foremost concern is how thick the cut will be.
Most sheet metal cutting tools are limited to 16 gauge and thinner 14 gauge is still sheet metal but in common forms 11 gauge while technically sheet metal is 1 8 thick and not really sheet metal for the purposes of this article so we will focus on 16 gauge and thinner.
The method you choose to cut sheet metal depends on the thickness of the metal and the type of cut you plan to make.
About sheet metal gauge.
In most of the world sheet metal thickness is consistently specified in millimeters.
The tool that is used to measure this thickness is called sheet metal gauge.
The equivalent thicknesses differ for each gauge size standard which were developed based on the weight of the sheet for a given material.
The head swivels 360 degrees to cut straight round or irregular holes in sheet metal.
If your project requires cutting a hole in the center of sheet metal draw it on the metal as you would any other cut line.
It may not be an obvious choice but fitted with the right blade a circular saw is a great metal cutting tool.
Then create a pilot hole within the penciled circle using a power drill.
Cut metal with your circular saw.
In our test it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter.
Bauer 14 gauge 5 amp heavy duty metal shears have a three blade cutter head that shears sheet metal as thick as 14 gauge without deforming.
Thick using a ferrous metal cutting blade.
In the u s the thickness of sheet metal is commonly specified by a traditional non linear measure known as its gauge.
And just like wires the answer is derived in the unit of the gauge.
Commonly used steel sheet metal ranges from 30 gauge to about 7 gauge.
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.
You can cut mild steel up to about 3 8 in.
Sheet metal gauge size chart gauge or gage sizes are numbers that indicate the thickness of a piece of sheet metal with a higher number referring to a thinner sheet.
It can cut sheet metals both in gauge and inches fractions.
The lower the number the thicker the metal is.
Using a chisel and hammer is the most basic form of cutting sheet metal.
To cut straight lines use an electric saw.
