Cut Sheet Metal Without Bending

Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.

Cut sheet metal without bending.

You can cut mild steel up to about 3 8 in. The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot long pieces using this method. These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife. 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. A brake is a device that allows you to bend a piece of sheet metal at a particular angle. 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. Hot metal chips will fly everywhere.

It may not be an obvious choice but fitted with the right blade a circular saw is a great metal cutting tool. 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. Align the snips with the line you want to cut with the upper blade of the tin snips touching the sheet metal.

In our test it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. Thick using a ferrous metal cutting blade. 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. The fastest way to cut sheet metal in complex shapes or straight lines without a shear is a plasma torch.

Another tool is a plate shear for cutting slightly. Plus a plasma torch can be used for thick metal too so they are really handy. Tin snips are primarily used for cutting thin sheet metal like tin aluminum brass and thin gauge stainless steel. One tool is a foot shear or a jump shear.

When working with sheet metal one particularly useful piece of equipment is the brake. Cut metal with your circular saw.