Whats the easiest way to cut shapes in sheet metal?

Zippiot · Post by **Zippiot** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 8:28 am

I am tired of wasting dremel cutting disks, is there a device I could use to cut out shapes (mostly cones) in sheet?

I am using 22 gauge at the moment, might go down to 24 soon but the 22 is working fine for now.

Irvine.J · Post by **Irvine.J** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:41 pm

Mate I've got a great budget setup at the moment...

Get a nibbler (attach to the end of your drill) blitzes through stuff up to 1.6 mm.

Then get yourself an "angle grinder" (a nice big one for like 20/30 bucks cheap n nasty) and use it to grind off the major excess in a vice. Its rotary metal grinder purely for metal. (GET YOURSELF EAR PLUGS FOR THAT ONE)

Then just use your dremel to clean it up when your right next to the line, i barely use my dremel anymore i can get nice smooth edges with the angle grinder.
I'll attach pics soonish. total cost of setup about 100 us dollars if that. You prolly wont need much else, and grinding blades for the angle grinder will slice through any metal quickly. I've found the pneumatic sheers are only good for 1mm stuff, gotta be able to do more if required.

lucky rookie · Post by **lucky rookie** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 2:41 pm

i found a good quality set of metal shears worked fine i have straight and curved and they are reletivley cheap

Post by **Mike Everman** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 3:12 pm

Putting one side of your shears in a vise and using a tube for a breaker-bar makes things easy. Good shears and angle grinder are key, though I do have an air nibbler, too.

Zippiot · Post by **Zippiot** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 6:20 pm

Gotta find a nibbler, I have shears and an angle grinder (and a pedestal grinder) but getting curves in sheet was the problem. I saw you use the nibbler in a video J, and it looked much easier!!

thecheat · Post by **thecheat** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 7:26 pm

I use a hacksaw... or occasionally the sawzall, but recently alot of those cutting disks! (I just stick them in my drill press, turn it up to full, and blast away) After a quick, rough cut is finished I use the bench grinder. It's all primitive I know, but it's all I got. Besides, it good for the arms. :D

PS: sorry, but that picture of the metal shears and the pipe is pretty funny.

Jim Berquist · Post by **Jim Berquist** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 9:51 pm

Anser: Jigsaw.

Place clamps around the out side edges to reduce some noise. Then use a cheap Jig saw, with fine tooth blades. Makes one hell of a noise , but works.

A cheap one can be had for less then $30.00....

We do it all the time at work. Make the girls swurm........

Jim

Zippiot · Post by **Zippiot** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:00 pm

Clamp it to what? Cant really drill/cut through my workbench and I doubt I have 2 stable tables to push together.

Post by **Mike Everman** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 3:56 am

Until you've used a nibbler, you've not experienced cutting speed for curves. Harbor Freight sold me this one for $30

Zippiot · Post by **Zippiot** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 4:33 am

I have a small air compressor, is an electric one better or perhaps one that screws into my drill?

Anders Troberg · Post by **Anders Troberg** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:05 am

Always go for the separate tool if you can. Addons for drills are clumsier. If you have a good compressor, go for the pneumatic one, as it is probably smaller and more nimble, otherwise the electric one is best.

kd2 · Post by **kd2** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:54 pm

I cut my sheets roughly with angle grider ( 3-5 mm from the line ) then with sheers and finally with a dremel( some times not necessary )
takes some time but the final prodect is very presice.

thecheat · Post by **thecheat** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 3:31 pm

I usually use cutting disk (which sometimes can be a pain in the butt to use) and usually end with an ugly product. But, all the cuts are out of the lines, so, with a little work with the bench grinder they turn out pretty good. However, those inside curves can be a pain...

I personally don't like the dremel tool for cutting stuff like this (though precise) just because it's WAY too slow. However, the diamond cutting disks work pretty good...

Jim Berquist · Post by **Jim Berquist** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 3:49 pm

Zip:

I just place some 2x4 under the work rising it up.....The clamps are just to dampen the vibration of the metal and kill some of the noise!!!

If it is small enough, you can clamp the metal to the table top and clamp around the outside edge to kill the noise...

Jim

lojbeck · Post by **lojbeck** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 3:55 pm

I am also looking at better ways to cut materials. How good are the air nibblers on stainless? Any experience with the max thickness they can handle?

www.pulse-jets.com

Whats the easiest way to cut shapes in sheet metal?

Whats the easiest way to cut shapes in sheet metal?

Cutting metal

Cut

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Air nibblers