If you occupy a sharp blade they work even better.
Best method to cut sheet metal.
As with most work you have many options for completing the job.
There are two ways to cut round ducts.
Here are a few tips for cutting metal with a recip saw.
Easy ways to cut sheet metal panels considerations.
Cutting straight lines with an electric saw.
A plasma cutter is one of.
A variety of tools hammer and chisel angle grinder or hacksaw to name a few may be up to the task but tin snips are typically the best and most economical option for do it yourselfers.
Choose a blade with 20 to 24 tpi teeth per inch for thin metal 10 to 18 tpi for medium thickness metal and about 8.
If you use metal shears to cut thin sheet metal such as duct metal it curls and can be difficult to flaten properly.
Straight cutting compound snips work best for cutting thick or doubled up sheet metal.
How to cut sheet metal method 1 of 4.
First if you want to cut a duct near the middle and use both ends mark and cut the duct before snapping it together.
Electric nibblers can be used both as an electronic tool and a stand alone air tool.
These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife.
Hacks saws are cheap small and easy to use.
Extend blade life by keeping the saw s speed slow.
The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot long pieces using this method.
Wax your saw blade before cutting sheet metal.
Choose between red blue or yellow snips based on the cut direction.
Simply line up your chisel along the line you are going to cut and strike the back of it with a hammer.
They don t cut curves well.
Every shop should have at least one because they can do things that are difficult or impossible with some of the other cutting methods.
And the most frequently used tool in this regard is the best quality electric nibblers.
The easiest cutting methods may depend.
The classic hacksaw or hack saw if you prefer is the quintessential metal cutting tool.
They re great to cut steel or aluminum or almost any metal.
Set your saw to straight rather than oscillating if there s a choice.
Using tin snips for thin sheets.
Using a chisel and hammer is the most basic form of cutting sheet metal.
Large machine shops use tools that are out of reach for most diy ers.