Cutting Sheet Metal

[JSimmons]

Does anyone have any tips on cutting .025 aluminum? I need absolutely straight cuts. Would a jigsaw do a decent job without deforming the metal?

(I'm sure tired of working on this duct stuff - grin.)

[JSimmons]

Well, here's what I did...

I used a steel ruler, and a pair of new (now ruined?) scissors and carved the pieces out of the aluminum sheet. Then, I used a paper cutter in the office (probably a bad idea) to do the final cuts.

The only problem with using the paper cutter is that it curls the metal as you cut.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by JSimmons
Well, here's what I did...

I used a steel ruler, and a pair of new (now ruined?) scissors and carved the pieces out of the aluminum sheet. Then, I used a paper cutter in the office (probably a bad idea) to do the final cuts.

The only problem with using the paper cutter is that it curls the metal as you cut.

I use that type of sheet metal everyday in brass, aluminum, stainless, and sometimes copper. We have a little cutter made to cut it. They are about $350 though. We also have a bigger one that will do larger sheets. At the other shop we have whats called a slitter. It rotates a couple sharp round bladed that cuts the metal as it automatically feeds it. Mainly use that for steel sheet metal tough. At the shop we get the larger stuff done they have a cut off machine. Hit a button and it sheers the peice.

You can also get tin snips. We use Swiss brand. They are about $16.00 at home depot. You can cut a prety strait line with practice.

Probably to late on this though.

[JSimmons]

If I used tin snips, I'd probably hurt myself...

[pHaestus]

I use tin snips regularly but I always end up with a serrated edge on my cuts.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by pHaestus
I use tin snips regularly but I always end up with a serrated edge on my cuts.

You have to use the right one's. I would usually go through a pair of lefts and rights every other job. We would cut miles of metal a year with those things on the job sites. Wiss is the brand we used. They have the left, right, and regular sets. If you use the left or right cut ones they have a flat smooth edge the metal rides on that makes a nice smooth cut, if you use the strait cutting only tin snips then the edges will get messed up. Only use those if the edge will get covered up by something else.

The regular one's usually have a yellow handle, lefts have a red handle, and rights have a green handle. I would steer clear of those staits. Lefts cut left and strait, rights cut right and strait, strait cut strait.

They all can cut any direction really but using the right one for the cut makes a hell of a difference. Also the higher the qulaity the better the cut.

Found a link to the one's I use: http://www.tools-plus.com/wism-3r.html Scroll down and you will see the lefts and rights. With a few years and several broken pairs you get real good with them. We cut decrotive miter angles with them and they come out strait as an arrow. Sure glad I have a company credit card to pay for them.

[pHaestus]

thanks for the info Jaydee! I have the straight ones. I will go get a set of left and right next time I goto Home Depot.

[jaydee]

Originally posted by pHaestus
thanks for the info Jaydee! I have the straight ones. I will go get a set of left and right next time I goto Home Depot.

There are great once you get the hang of them. You can cut near perfect circles just as quick as a hole saw aswell. Takes time though to get real good at using them. Took me about 10 jobs to really start understanding how to use them well. There is a lot more to them then it appears to make good clean cuts.

If you want a nice clean cut, then don't make a full snip with them. Squeeze the handles untill they are at a bout 1/2 to 3/4 the way from making a complete snip and then let off, push forward and keep doing that to the end of the cut. Pull up after each partial snip just enough to get then to push forward. Pull up to far and you will tweak both sides of the metal. When you make complete snips is when you really start getting the nasty edges like a jig saw blade. Hard to explain on the forums. Just takes practice but it is well worth it if you plan on doing a lot of sheet metal work.

[pHaestus]

Yea my dirty little secret is that my Dremel broke a year ago and I have been doing all of my mods with tin snips and miniature files. I have aluminum cases though so no big deal.