Hand Tools for Metal

A variety of hand tools are available to cut metal.

Trying to work metal with the wrong tools is aggravating and time consuming. You need tools specifically made for the job at hand. There's a wide variety of hand tools made for working on metal. Understanding how and where to use these tools will save you time and energy.

Hacksaw

Cut metal with a hacksaw.

A hacksaw is ideal for cutting metal pipes and tubes, high tension metal cutting and cutting in tight spots. The blade has numerous fine teeth and is fixed to a high tension frame with an ergonomically designed hand grip. The normal length of a hacksaw blade is about 20 inches. The blade can be turned sideways and locked on the frame for difficult cuts. Metals are cut with this saw by pushing the hacksaw in forward strokes across the metal.
 

Chisel

Pound on metal with a cold chisel to shape or cut it.

The chisel has a cutting edge blade at one end and a wooden handle at the other. The chisel is normally held perpendicular to the metal and hit with a hard flat instrument like a hammer. Chisels used for cutting metals come in two basic varieties--hot chisels and cold chisels. To use a hot chisel, the metal to be chiseled is first heated to a certain temperature in a forge, thus making the metal soft and pliable. The chisel is then used to make the necessary cuts. A cold chisel is made from tempered steel, and it is used to cut metals without heating them. Cold chisels come in different sizes and are used for chipping and cutting cold metals such as wrought iron, cast iron, unhardened steel, copper, brass and aluminum. The hardy cold chisel is a variant of the hot chisel. It has a square shank and is normally used with its cutting edge facing upward. Both types of chisels dent the metal to the point where the metal can be snapped off using a pair of tongs.
 

Shears

Cut sheet metal with tin snips.

Shears are used to cut sheet metal. There are many different kinds of shears, including power shears, alligator shears, guillotine shears and bench shears. Shears have square edges to provide extra strength and durability. The metal to be cut is placed between the shears' two blades, and pressure is applied by pressing the handle. This action is similar to that of a pair of scissors cutting paper.

Taps and Dies

Taps and dies are used for cutting threads in metals. The tap is bolt-like and makes female threads, while the die is nut-like and makes male threads. There are three types of taps--bottoming, taper and plug. Plug is the most commonly used tap. It has a steep taper at its pointed end that cuts deep threads with a few turns.

References

• Second Chance Garage: How to Hacksaw
• YouTube: Creasing Sheet Metal With Cold Chisel
• Autonopedia: Chisels and Gouges
• Advantage Fabricated Metals: Shearing