Tin snips are useful for cutting thin gauge metal such as aluminum or in metal artwork. Serrated tin snips grasp metal. Use an automatic grinder or mill file to sharpen tin snips. An automatic grinding machine is the fastest method. more »

Learn How to Sharpen Tin Snips in this free tool care series from our knife sharpening expert. more »

Sheet metal workers make it look so easy. They cut large sheets of metal, bending and forming ducts with ease, but when you pick up a pair of tin snips it's a different story. Grabbing them like a pair of scissors, you start squeezing and trying to force them through the metal, only to end up with a jagged mess. more »

Installing a tin roof on an outbuilding is a cost-effective solution for an eco-friendly and attractive roof. Tin sheets are sold at most home improvement stores and are easily cut to size with tin snips. Tin roofing material is fire resistant and durable, making it a wise choice for the roof of your outbuilding. more »

Punched tin ceiling tiles can be trimmed to shape with a sharp pair of tin snips and used to make pinwheels, wastebaskets, tissue box covers and fireplace screens, among other things. Pinwheels can be used to shoo birds and small animals from your garden. Store-bought fireplace screens can be expensive, but they are not always effective at keeping ash and sparks from blowing off the hearth and onto your rugs or floors. more »

Tin roofing is lighter in weight and easier to cut than steel roofing materials. Care should be taken when installing this material as it can fold back on itself and cause a break in the tin. Typically tin roofing will have three small elevated ridges, one at each end and one in the middle. The outside ridges are used to seal the joint between each sheet. Tin snips and circular saws with special blades can be used to cut this type of roofing material. more »

You can make a drum food dehydrator from easily found, inexpensive items. You will need just a few tools and materials, some of which you may already have. The tools to have on hand are a hammer, screwdriver, drill and tin snips. The materials needed are an old hair dryer, a foil-lined and vented cylinder, aluminum pizza trays and a few screws. In less than an hour, you will have your drum dehydrator assembled and loaded with food ready to dry. more »

With this simple plan you can build your own food dehydrator. All you will need is a couple tools and a few easy-to-find materials. The cylinder of your dehydrator can be made from a converted new trash can. Your heat source will be an old hairdryer or small electric heater. Shelves can made from aluminum pizza pans drilled with holes to allow air to pass through. With a drill and some tin snips and a few screws you can assemble your homemade food dehydrator. more »

Trapping crawfish, or crawdads as they're sometimes called, from a seasonal creek can be done using a homemade trap. The materials for the trap are easily obtained from any hardware or home store. Purchase a 2 by 4 foot roll of ¼-inch hardware cloth and a small spool of stainless steel wire. Plastic wire ties will also work. A pair of pliers and tin snips along with a good pair of leather gloves will help you build the trap. more »