Sheet metal cutting is a crucial component of metalworking. With the right quality metal fabrication machines and high-grade hand tools, fabricators can finesse accurate cuts through nearly any product material. Different equipment produces varying cuts, each useful to unique cutting requirements. Kaka Industrial knows firsthand about the importance of well-made metalworking machines, understanding the best practices for cutting sheet metal, too. Read on to explore those practices.
First, Consider Your Metal
When choosing the right practice for cutting sheet metal, it’s necessary to consider the type of metal you’ll manipulate. Some cutting tools are more aggressive than others and can ruin delicate metals.
The equipment that’s right for your shop will also depend on how large your sheet metal pieces are. If the pieces are large, you may need equipment that offers support with a table to rest the product. You will be able to cut small and thin pieces with some hand tools in your fabrication shop.
Now that you know to prioritize the metal, let’s consider some common practices.
Electric Saw
An electric saw is great for when you need to produce simple, straight lines. It may seem obvious, but your saw must be sharp. A dull blade will be ineffective and may cause employee injury.
There are safety guidelines to using an electric saw that make the tool easier and more efficient to use, such as ensuring the teeth are the right way. Electric saw operators should always wear protectant gloves and eyewear to shield themselves from inevitable metal sparks.
Tin Snips
Tin snips are the ideal hand tool for highly malleable sheet metal. They come in various types, making them versatile and some of the best practices for cutting sheet metal. The three most common types are color-coded, their colors meaning the following.
- Red handle: Cuts left
- Yellow handle: Cuts straight
- Green handle: Cuts right
Since they serve different purposes, it’s common for fabricators to be equipped with all three so they can accomplish a variety of angled cuts.
Dremels
Dremels are another handheld tool that performs well in the metalworking industry. The smaller size of dremels makes them easy to guide, making them the premier tool for creating precise and detailed cuts in sheet metal.
Sheet metal should be secured to a table with clamps before being operated with a dremel. Sparks are also bound to occur when using this hand tool, making gloves and protective eyewear a must.
At Kaka Industrial, we pride ourselves on our quality of metal fabrication machines. We guarantee a precise metal cut or bend with any of our equipment. With plenty of years in this industry under our belts, there’s no better place to go to secure your fabrication shop with machine and tool necessities.