Easiest Way To Cut 16 Gauge Sheet Metal

Make sure you re using metal cutting carbon steel or bimetal blades with your band saw.

Easiest way to cut 16 gauge sheet metal.

If you ask for the nearest option right in your garage without any fancy tools we will go for a handheld grinding wheel. For cutting steel thicker than sheet metal use the raker pattern. And finally use a dremel tool for cleaning it up. They are very easy to use all you have to do is feed the metal into the saw and the blade does the rest.

A hacksaw can cut sheet metal but its shape limits its turning radius and depth of cut. That might be a perfect tool to cut 16 gauge sheet metals. There are three main blade tooth patterns raker wave and straight. Mount a diamond blade in your angle grinder and use it like a saw to cut the mesh.

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. To prolong blade life rub wax along the length of the blade. For a cleaner cut put a strip of masking tape on the top and bottom of the sheet to keep chips from scratching the material. Metal lath and hardware cloth can be cut with a tin snips but there s an easier way.

They use to contain a wire like blade. We recommend using a diamond blade that s labeled as a ferrous metal cutting blade but many tradespeople use a regular masonry diamond blade with good results. Cutting sheet metal with snips can be tricky and frustrating. To cut straight lines use an electric saw.

Open the snips all the way at the beginning of a cut and seat the sheet metal as deep as possible into the opening this provides you with maximum leverage. While cutting a 16 gauge metal sheet with that use the coarse cut method. For cutting out holes in sheet metal it s going to be necessary that you begin with a starter hole this can be formed by using the hammer and chisel method to punch through the metal. The lower the number the thicker the metal is.

But you don t have to be a tinsmith to cut sheet metal successfully. 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.