Cut Sheet Metal With Hacksaw

If you are cutting thinner materials then look for a blade with more teeth.

Cut sheet metal with hacksaw.

Clamp the sheet metal in place on your work table to hold it in place while you work. These problems are common for those of us who don t work with sheet metal every day. When using a hacksaw choose a blade that matches the material you are cutting. Align the tin snips with the sheet metal.

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. Cutting sheet metal with snips can be tricky and frustrating. Start with a good blade well tensioned. There are three tools that kevin caron uses a lot to get a precise cut from a thin piece of metal.

But the discs wear down quickly cut slowly and shrink in diameter as you use them. Hacksaws are another non conventional tool to cut sheet metals but there are some limitations along with it. Relax and do not force it let the saw do the work. Instead we recommend using a diamond blade that s rated to cut ferrous metal.

Always wear eye protection and gloves when cutting metal. The edges are sharp the cutoffs are stiff and get in the way the snips bind or you just can t seem to negotiate the curve. Also you should know that the blades of a hacksaw only cut in one direction. Another tool is a plate shear for cutting slightly.

First of all the shape and type of the blade in a hacksaw limits the turning radius and depth of the sheet metal. How to cut sheet metal with a hacksaw 1. Select the correct blade for the project being undertaken and ensure it is securely inserted in the frame handle with the teeth facing either forwards or backwards depending on preference. You are limited in turning radius and depth because of the geometry of a hack saw.

Align the snips with the line you want to cut with the upper blade of the tin snips touching the sheet metal. One tool is a foot shear or a jump shear. Hacksaws or jeweler s saws are another basic hand tool which can be used to cut sheet metal. Cutting thick materials like metal requires a blade with small teeth.

But you don t have to be a tinsmith to cut sheet metal successfully. Your cuts will also be cleaner if you use a strip of masking tape and tape it on the top and bottom of the sheet. I find scribing two lines either side of the desired cut easier to follow than a single line that is obscured by the blade and chips. Check the blade is rigid correctly aligned and taut.

A hand hacksaw is no different than a power saw a worn blade will not cut straight or be easily controlled.