How to Cut Metal Sheets
Sheet metal is a very useful material. It's used for ducts, flashing on roofs and around chimneys, stove pipes, platforms on bird feeders and squirrel-resistant platforms and more. Knowing how to cut metal sheets is a useful skill for when you need to cut these sheets to size. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Green offset compound snips (right-handed)
- Red offset compound snips (left-handed)
- Straight-cut tin snips
- Large straight-cut snips
- Screwdriver and hammer
Instructions
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Use green-handled offset compound snips to make cuts round a duct from the right side, or in a clockwise direction. Compound snips give you more leverage when cutting, which allows you to cut through fairly thick sheet metal. Remember to open the snips as wide as they go, then make long, deliberate cuts for the smoothest cuts. If you need to cut from the left side or are left-handed, use the red-handled offset compound snips.
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Cut thick pieces of metal sheets with straight-cut tin snips. These snips do not work well for cutting curves. Open the snips wide and lodge the metal sheet well inside the V of the blades. Cut the metal sheet with long, smooth cuts.
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Use large straight cut snips for making long cuts in metal sheets. These work well if you need to cut across very long sheets. Remember to open the blades wide and make long, deliberate cuts for the cleanest results. As you are cutting, gently hold the excess sheet metal out of the way so it doesn't interfere with the snips. These snips resemble the large scissors tailors use to cut large swaths of fabric.
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Cut circles with compound, offset snips. Trace around the duct to draw a circle. Start the cut by holding a screwdriver at an angle and tapping the handle with a hammer, piercing the metal sheet. Pierce the metal four more times, joining each of the piercings together to make one continuous line. When you have a hole large enough, slip the blade of the offset compound snip into the hole and continue cutting around the circle. Use the green-handled snips if you are cutting to the right and the red-handled ones if you are cutting to the left.
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Tips & Warnings
Always wear eye protection and heavy leather gloves when working with sheet metal. The sheet metal is sharp and can easily cut your hand. Eye protection prevents slivers from sheet metal from lodging in your eyes.
