Best Tool To Cut Steel Sheet

To cut straight lines use an electric saw.

Best tool to cut steel sheet.

But we ll also indicate the best tin snips to use for each type of cut we show. A hacksaw can cut through sheet metal but its shape limits the types of cuts it can make. Make sure the plywood is larger than the steel plate you will be cutting. Cut metal roofing with electric shears electric metal shears come in two varieties a standard plug in in power tool or better an attachment for your impact driver this is best done with malco tools shears are a cheap tool that can quickly cut sheets of corrugated metal in straight lines with little effort.

The best tool to cut sheet metal is an electric nibbler tool it cuts corrugated iron sheet metal and even metal car panels easily. You can cut mild steel up to about 3 8 in. To cut using this tool place the stainless steel up against the power shear s jaws and then squeeze the trigger. A tool like a nibbler is fast and easy to maneuver around to cut circles corners and angles in sheet metal work with out jamming like electric shears or tin snips would.

We ll recommend a pair of tin snips that will get you through 90 percent of the jobs you ll run into. Place a piece of 3 4 inch thick plywood flat on the floor. But you don t have to be a tinsmith to cut sheet metal successfully. A handheld cutting tool fitted with a metal cut off wheel will easily cut through sheet.

It may not be an obvious choice but fitted with the right blade a circular saw is a great metal cutting tool. The cuts may also be a bit rough you won t be able to maneuver the saw much and its blade can t cut very deep. For cutting steel sheet and flat materials they are easy and fast. Laser or waterjet may yield nicer edges but they are much more expensive to purchase and to run.

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. Then grip the saw with both hands and push the blade through the metal to cut it. Hot metal chips will fly. The plasma cutter is best used for cutting through thick sheets of stainless steel.

Jigsaws and metal cutting band saws are more work but can make most cuts in light to medium sheet metal. In our test it cut through rebar like a hot knife through butter. Cut metal with your circular saw. Set the steel plate on top of the plywood.

For thin sheets of metal you can use tin snips to cut through it. With the right tool and a few simple techniques you can make almost any cut with ease. Plasma is definitely one of the best ways to go if you re cutting shapes from plate.