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Old 09-15-2022, 08:25 PM
Kerry Pinkerton's Avatar
Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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Default New favorite cutting tool

I have just about every sheet metal cutting tool known to man. A 52" Tennsmith pneumatic shear, Kett shears, Beverly shear, lots of hand shears, Wiss, Midwest, and the new little Bessey shears. All have their uses but also their disadvantages.

I'm currently working on a project (to be documented when complete) and need to cut some fairly small and complex shapes off a new sheet of aluminum. None of my traditional tools are doing the job without a lot of waste. I paid $285 including tax for a 4x8 sheet of .063 3003 aluminum two weeks ago so I'm not interested in wasting aluminum or creating a bunch of drops I can't use.

Out of frustration, I picked up my cordless DeWalt Saber Saw with a very fine metal cutting blade. Oh my sweet Lord! This thing is magic! Quick. Impossibly tight corners. Easy clean up. A few small metal chips flying about so eye protection is a must.

I have a thing about deburring cut edges and the saw cleans up as easy, if not easier, than other methods.
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Old 09-16-2022, 01:04 AM
metal manny metal manny is offline
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Kerry, that sounds cool. I have used the saber saw to cut sheet in the past, but not for tight curves in metal shaping. My magic moment in this regard was with my Makita nibbler which is like Pac Man as it can eat its way out of any tight difficulty and has become my sheet metal cutting tool of choice - makes a heck of a mess though!
I'll re-evaluate the saber saw though, perhaps there's a trick I've missed
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Old 09-16-2022, 02:07 AM
Jaroslav Jaroslav is online now
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Kerry, I use a reciprocating saw for some of the cuts.

https://bosch-shop.cz/products/kmita...iABEgLzKvD_BwE
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Old 09-16-2022, 02:52 AM
Peter Tommasini Peter Tommasini is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kerry Pinkerton View Post
I have just about every sheet metal cutting tool known to man. A 52" Tennsmith pneumatic shear, Kett shears, Beverly shear, lots of hand shears, Wiss, Midwest, and the new little Bessey shears. All have their uses but also their disadvantages.

I'm currently working on a project (to be documented when complete) and need to cut some fairly small and complex shapes off a new sheet of aluminum. None of my traditional tools are doing the job without a lot of waste. I paid $285 including tax for a 4x8 sheet of .063 3003 aluminum two weeks ago so I'm not interested in wasting aluminum or creating a bunch of drops I can't use.

Out of frustration, I picked up my cordless DeWalt Saber Saw with a very fine metal cutting blade. Oh my sweet Lord! This thing is magic! Quick. Impossibly tight corners. Easy clean up. A few small metal chips flying about so eye protection is a must.

I have a thing about deburring cut edges and the saw cleans up as easy, if not easier, than other methods.
285 $ US FOR A SHEET OF ALLY ..... that is $ 425 AU, with that much money I could buy here { 5} 8x4 sheets of ally , the amount for 1 sheet is simply ridiculous
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Old 09-16-2022, 05:01 AM
Marc Bourget Marc Bourget is offline
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Sounds like the land of Oz is "Somewhere over the Rainbow!"



I can remember feeling "sticker shock" paying $25 (retail) for a single 4 x 8' sheet of 0.025 2024 Alclad in 1974 or so.


Nothing makes our days like irresponsible economic policy from leadership.


Ours is not to wonder why!
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Old 09-16-2022, 02:41 PM
Chris_Hamilton Chris_Hamilton is offline
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Why is it so much higher in the U.S.?
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Old 09-17-2022, 01:20 PM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
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Agreed.
The saber saw cut method is a niche of its own .... when you have the right blades on hand.

(2teeth engaged in metal thickness - recommended ... sometimes the diamond abrasive blades are ideal.)

BTW - I do like using small plunge/rotozip/ routers on aluminum, with the correct bit. Opens round holes in sheet aluminum to follow a marked line, on finished shaped aircraft cowlings, for instance.

--- Bought a thick stack of various sheet alloys 2 years back. Cannot crack on the current pricing.
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Old 09-18-2022, 12:12 PM
rockable rockable is offline
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I use my Saber saw quite often, especially for cutting round or oval holes in sheet metal. As you stated, blade selection is important. I also have a small pneumatic saw that I use for places I can't get the Saber saw. The main thing is take your time.
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Old 09-18-2022, 06:04 PM
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aluminum prices here are really sticky. when they hit a high even as the market price on it drops the yards here are reluctant to let the prices drop back down. they want to preserve their profits.

I buy about 10-20klbs of aluminum and other metals a month and a few other smaller shops like me have teamed up and gone to our supplier with larger bi weekly orders. Kerry you should go talk to a local machine shop that buys WEIGHT and see if you can add your metal order to theirs. It helps you both.
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Old 09-20-2022, 04:45 AM
billfunk29 billfunk29 is offline
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Default sabre saw blades

I have found that the blade selection is less critical if I use band saw wax. I put duct tape on the bottom of the saw to prevent scratches.
Templates used with a "pac man" nibbler can produce a lot of identical, intricate shapes in short order.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1lw9_jDFqM
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