Cutting Aluminum Sheet Metal Secrets

Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.

Cutting aluminum sheet metal secrets.

This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line. An air powered sheet metal nibbler or a nibbler head attached to a power drill can cut through galvanized corrugated aluminum sheet as well as flat sheet up to 16 gauge. Noise sheet vibration and the finish edge quality are common draw backs of power shears. It s suitable for a small amount of aluminum cutting and hobbyists who want to cut aluminum sheets at home.

Hand held micro shears are very effective for cutting aluminum sheet metal because they can be directed across the sheet with relative ease. These tools move much faster than the hand powered version more about that later. With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet. Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards.

This method can reduce the number of strokes effectively and make very accurate long cuts only with a knife and bending brake.