How To Cut Sheet Metal Without Bending

Start by taping both sides of the sheet metal directly over the line you want to cut and clamp the metal to a work station so it doesn t move.

How to cut sheet metal without bending.

Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot. These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.

Most frequently expensive sheet metal bending tools called brakes are used to bend sheet metal but you can also complete this task without one. Instead we recommend using a diamond blade that s rated to cut ferrous metal. Bending sheet metal by hand is a manageable task if the piece of sheet metal is small and thin enough to handle. Also referred to as aviator snips these scissor like hand tools cut sheet metal materials up to 18 gauge in thickness accurately without leaving a ragged bent edge as the finished product.

To prolong blade life rub wax along the length of the blade. But the discs wear down quickly cut slowly and shrink in diameter as you use them. This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. An angle grinder fitted with an abrasive metal cutting disc works well to cut all kinds of metal including bolts angle iron rebar and even sheet metal.

For a cleaner cut put a strip of masking tape on the top and bottom of the sheet to keep chips from scratching the material. A hacksaw can cut sheet metal but its shape limits its turning radius and depth of cut. With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. These sections are located at the edges.

If you use metal shears to cut thin sheet metal such as duct metal it curls and can be difficult to flaten properly. Edge bending operations are commonly used in industrial sheet metal processing and involve bending a section of the metal that is small relative to the part. How to cut thin sheet metal and keep it flat.