Technical How do you cut sheet metal ?

Looking for info on cutting sheet metal, particularly for my floor pans.

I see hand shears, tin snips, electric shears, air shears and nibblers....

And then on electric shears you have a couple different styles, those that are like 3 finger scissors then you have the 2 bar that actually shear.

So my questions are, 1- what style are most versatile? As in cutting straight lines, curves, tight curves etc? 2- which type do you use? 3- are you happy with the type your using? And last what style would you recommend?

Appreciate any feedback.

 

I use the electric shears (2 fixed one moving jaw) great for long mostly straight cuts. Metal snips for the more detailed cuts.

 

there is no "one" type that is best. different styles for different conditions. I use an air chisel, saw
-zall , plasma cutter, tin snips, power snips, torch, cutting off wheel on both the grinder and "wiz wheel". I trim new panels at times with a beverly shear. sometimes all on the same job.

 

Jig saw with a fine blade in addition to everything mentioned above

 

I use my plasma cutter, electric shears, sometimes a hack or jig saw and a grinder.
It depends on what I'm doing at the time and the size that I need.
If I get really frustrated with it then I use my bare hands to rip it apart...

I can't rcommend anything. It depends on what you're doing for what tool to use.

 

I've got a drawer full of tin snips but would have to believe that I have cut way more sheet metal with my jig saw than with tin snips.
How much metal you are cutting or intending to cut has a lot to do with what cutting tools you have though. For what I do, the jig saw and tin snips work fine. If I was doing a lot more fabricating then I'd want more advanced equipment.

 

all the above plus this is really trick
https://www.malcoproducts.com/categories/metal-cutting-turboshears/

 

I'm looking to do the entire floor in my 31 tudor so I really didnt want to cut all the pieces by hand so I was looking for the most viable tool to help me do the job.

Lots of cuts and quite a few curves to get it down.

Thanks gents !!

 

these are the best snips I have ever used.

 

Small angle grinder and 1.2mm disc.

 

Very carefully! It's sharp.

I use lots of things, air chisel, snips, torch, shear, band saw, jig saw, cutoff wheel, etc. Depends what it is I'm working on.

 

Rough cut with any type power shears, then trim to a line with snips.

 

I really like the ease of cutting with a nibbler, but those 'fingernail' clippings are nasty.... Lately I've mostly switched to cut-off wheels. Never cared for electric shears or tin snips as they deform the edge.

 

You can't beat this for a floor pan,,,strong smooth easy to control with different blade size options

 

I use the Beverly shear and is a throat less shear so curved or straight items are a breeze

 

Plasma cutter, cut off wheels, and the off set tin snips (right and left turn). I use an air chisel for destruction... I mean, taking stuff apart.
You can also add a spot weld cutter, a hole saw, a sawzall with a fine tooth blade, files, and drill bits. The torch warps the sheet metal too much.

If I could only buy 1 or 2 tools, the left and right offset tin snips would be it, with the cut off wheels on a die grinder or cut off wheel tool being the next choice. Gene

 

All of the above . The plasma cutter has become my friend , I have 2 of them now . If you start using one , be sure to have dry dry air .

 

Everything listed above and a couple of these in different sizes.

 

I've used tin snips if it's a smaller piece of metal, I've used a cut off wheel but for bigger pieces I use my el cheapo electric nibblers. HRP

 

Kett. WD-40 on the back side even with Weiss.

 

I use a 4.5" electric cutoff wheel for damn near everything. Occasionally I'll use a good tin snips for small stuff, or a sawzall if it's heavy demo or a place I don't want to cause too many sparks. But I love my cutoff wheel. I always keep the guard on and I always wear a rated, full face mask.

 

All the above as mentioned before, but it really depends on the size of the piece and what I need to do to finish it.

I/e say a 2 foot x 2 foot piece but I need rounded corner. I’ll clamp angle iron as a guide and use my old electric shear, it’s kinda a 3 jaw thing, but not really. Anyways, after it’s square, I’ll nip the round corners. Then take it to my homemade grinder with a flat wheel and get it right. Then on the anvil to take any left over wrinkles out, and back and forth a few times.

I like my plasma cutters, but maybe it’s just me, but I still have to grind the cuts for that flush fit for panel butt welds

I had a near mishap with a cutoff wheel on a die grinder, so I don’t make long cuts with it anymore.

Like many here, I have several tools on hand to do things like sheet metal cutting, if someone had a “this is all you need” tool, there wouldn’t be so many options

 

Some of the above plus one of these for smaller bits.

 

I have a set of Milwaukee power sheers (sips), and several sets of tin snips.

 

I have all the ones mentioned, but I think for versatility, portability, and ability to do straight and curved cuts, my electric shear (2 jaw) is the best all around.

 

If I were to pick one, just one that I could have it would be the cut off wheel. It’s not the best at everything but there’s nothing it can’t do. Got to be the high amp narrow handle one handed version though.

The 3blade scissor type does one thing well here, goes over to the sheet metal rack and rough cuts a chunk off the sheet standing up. Little nibbler with crescent projectiles gets used but not much because it’s hard to see and follow a line.
Beverly gets used a lot, 3 different throatless hand shears, whole drawer full of snips, vertical band saw, the extended reach grinder shown above, plasma cutter, airsaw. A jig saw rattles the crap out of the place when cutting steel way better options available here but it cuts.

 

If your looking for a minimum investment a good set of tin snips ( left , right , straight ,)
And either a angle grinder or cut off wheel.

with these 4 tools you’ll be able to do just about anything related to cutting sheet metal.

albeit not particularly fast, or efficient or easy.in every application but they work
And it can all be done.

Angle grinder get a small body one, Milwaukee makes a nice medium duty one that I’ve beat in for about 4 years daily and it’s still working fine for under $100 bucks

and get good tin snips even if you buy them used but get good ones Weiss , snap on, Mac etc.

 

Looks/sounds like all of the above are good options. My input is to use leather gloves! Definitely can cut yourself in a bad way doing this. Believe me, I know from experience.

 

No one uses a big as cut off wheel like Ian Rousell does !

I bought a Bosch electric(can`t remember the name of it)30 years ago. It resembles the bottom left and bottom middle picture. ^^^^ With this, I rarely use snips. Use cut off wheels for places I cant get to and thicker gauge stuff. . Nibbler works good for cutting speaker holes in package trays. You won`t regret getting one.

 

I use my die grinder and cut off wheel for small cuts. For larger or longer cuts, I use an abrasive metal cutting blade on a Skillsaw, but it has to be one of the better ones with the cast aluminum blade guard, the plastic ones melt! I also have a metal cutting Skillsaw blade I bought when I was putting the steel top on my shop, it will whiz through sheet metal. I use my bench grinder to slip up on final fitment if needed.

Good gloves are a good idea. Just a slip while cutting and sheet metal will leave a nasty gash, been there, done that, not fun.