How Do You Cut Aluminum Sheet Metal

Clamp or hold a straightedge or square along the cutting marks and score a line with the tip of a sharp utility knife blade.

How do you cut aluminum sheet metal.

Straight cutting compound snips work best for cutting thick or doubled up sheet metal. Then bend the sheet back and forth a few times to snap it. Using tin snips for thin sheets. First if you want to cut a duct near the middle and use both ends mark and cut the duct before snapping it together.

This makes it easier for your chisel to get into your aluminum s hardened grains of metal. For cutting 1 16 thru 1 8 material use 10 teeth per diameter inch 10 x 100 tooth or a 12 x 120 teeth. Anything longer and you re probably using the wrong sized chisel or you need to use a saw. Blade manufacturingmakes a hss blade with 200 teethfor cutting really thin aluminum say window screen track but for most material being cut a carbide blade with 8 teeth per diameter inch will do well 10 x 80 tooth is a good example.

They don t cut curves well. Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards. Add 1 drop of 30 weight machine oil to the chisel s edge for lubrication. Cutting straight lines with an electric saw.

Step 5 optional if your project requires cutting a hole in the center of sheet metal draw it on the metal as you would any other cut line. To cut the sheets of metal rathe. With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. Cutting aluminum sheet metal with a hammer and chisel is relatively straight forward line up the edge of the chisel along the line you wish to cut and strike the chisel with a hammer.

This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. How to cut sheet metal method 1 of 4. There are two ways to cut round ducts. And you can use the same technique anytime you need a straight cut on aluminum or other light gauge sheet metal even steel.

Wax your saw blade before cutting sheet metal. Then create a pilot hole within the penciled circle. Choose between red blue or yellow snips based on the cut direction. Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.