besides scissors what are some non-exspensive tools u use to cut sheet metal?

 

I use sheet metal shears

then when the job gets too big, I borrow the plasma cutter

 

what would u use to cut in oval in a piece of sheet metal?

 

Man, that all depends on what you are doing and how much you care!!

Real thin flat sheet stock; tin snips. Get both left and right hand snips. (ya, there really is such a thing)

Medium thickness flat stock; I like to use my Mikita 4" grinder with a cut-off wheel on it.

Thick stuff; I use the cutting torch (I don't have a plasma cutter)

Cutting out a section of the body; I once again would use the Mikita with cut-off wheel.

If I had to cut a door post (with inner panels); I'd borrow a Saws-All. Most contractors have one.

Cutting a frame rail and didn't care about how it looks (as if I was working at a junk yard); The cutting torch. Quick and ugly.

Wes

 

you can make a 'quick and ugly' cut with a tourch and then fix it up with a nice big bench grinder. on thicker stuff that is..

 

Plasma cutter, nice but they sell about 1000 up.

 

electric shears can handle up to about 18ga and cut a pretty nice line, nothing to curvy or fancy but quick that's for sure!

 

torches can easily warp the thinner stuff. i usually use air shears or an air nibbler.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by RenoRacing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">electric shears can handle up to about 18ga and cut a pretty nice line, nothing to curvy or fancy but quick that's for sure!</TD></TR></TABLE>


Electric shears rock -- they look similar to a hand-held jigsaw, but have shears instead of a blade. You can get them at most hardware/home improvement stores.

If you have a compressor, air shears are great, too.

 

i haave a band saw, but a jigsaw with a metal balde will work nicely

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ndustryalGSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Electric shears rock</TD></TR></TABLE>

how thick can you go with those? never seen them in action before..

 

these ones say up to 18GA

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...46681

 

torch, plasma cutter, Milling machine, cut off wheels, die grinders......

 

For curvy cuts use a makita electric nibbler.