Easy Way To Cut 16 Gauge Sheet Metal

That might be a perfect tool to cut 16 gauge sheet metals.

Easy way to cut 16 gauge sheet metal.

To cut straight lines use an electric saw. While cutting a 16 gauge metal sheet with that use the coarse cut method. Aviation snips and tin snips are a common method of cutting thin sheet metal for hobbyists. The method you choose to cut sheet metal depends on the thickness of the metal and the type of cut you plan to make.

And finally use a dremel tool for cleaning it up. You can cut mild steel up to about 3 8 in. In our test it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. Thicker steel like pipes tubes and plates may require the use of power saws and torches.

Cutting sheet metal with snips can be tricky and frustrating. Steel comes in many different forms and thicknesses. It may not be an obvious choice but fitted with the right blade a circular saw is a great metal cutting tool. These tools are good for cutting soft sheet metals such as tin aluminum and brass.

They use to contain a wire like blade. 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. Hot metal chips will fly. 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.

Commonly known as aviation snips or tinsnips these scissor like tools are great for cutting soft sheet metals such as tin aluminum brass and thin gauge 24 gauge or thinner steel. 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. Thick using a ferrous metal cutting blade. These problems are common for those of us who don t work with sheet metal every day.

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. Depending on the cut shape you ll use left cut right cut or straight snips typically indicated by the handle color. The lower the number the thicker the metal is. If you ask for the nearest option right in your garage without any fancy tools we will go for a handheld grinding wheel.

Cut metal with your circular saw. Red for left green for. Thin gauge steel like sheet metal can be cut with a large variety of tools.