How To Cut 16 Gauge Stainless Steel Sheet

Insert your stainless steel tube into the tube cutter.

How to cut 16 gauge stainless steel sheet.

Mark on your stainless steel sheet with a permanent marker or metal scribe where you want to make the. Steel thickness is referred to as gauge the smaller the number of gauge the thicker the steel. Thin gauge steel like sheet metal can be cut with a large variety of tools. First you can mechanically cut stainless steel and retain the corrosion resistance on the cut edges.

Cut thin stainless steel metal between 25 and 15 gauge with a pair of compound action snips or shears also called aviator s snips or. Some materials such as galvanized steel simply have a corrosion resistant surface coating of zinc. The lower the number the thicker the metal is. Once your tube is in position tighten it into place by rotating the knob at the end of the device.

How to cut stainless steel sheet metal. Wear eye protection like certified goggles to protect your eyes from flying sparks and particles. Keep kids out of your working area. Gauge to thickness chart click here for a printable pdf chart gauge.

A soft wood backer will allow for the chisel to pass through more easily by providing support for the metal. Also it is recommended that you wear safety shoes that have. If you are new to working with stainless steel you should be aware of its fundamental material characteristics. Steel comes in many different forms and thicknesses.

Most sheet metal cutting tools are limited to 16 gauge and thinner 14 gauge is still sheet metal but in common forms 11 gauge while technically sheet metal is 1 8 thick and not really sheet metal for the purposes of this article so we will focus on 16 gauge and thinner. If you ve hit it hard enough the chisel will cut the sheet metal if it s thin enough. Line up the section you want to cut with the wheel on the cutter. Wear a pair of gloves to protect your hands from small fragments of metal and sparks.