Welding Tips and Tricks

Hello all, wondering if anyone can help. I'm doing a small artsy project and need advice on how to cut out a cat silhouette
that measures just 4x5 inches. as per the title, the gauge is 16. I can use my angle grinder to remove the large pieces of metal that I don't need, but what can I do to get closer without cutting my fingers off. thanks

This type of electric shear can cut quite narrow curves.
For a non daily use the Harbour Freight version do well, at least if you rough cut first.

https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/boscht ... s-23498-c/

Matita 1602 electric shear
i own one its a great tool
craig

If you only have one (or a few) to do a decent variable speed jig saw with a fine metal cutting blade will make reasonably quick work of it. You can cut pretty tight curves with it. Just support the work well, take your time and wear hearing protection as the sound is quite obnoxious.

If you don't own one already something suitable is reasonably affordable and has lots of other uses.

I use a Dewalt DW892 shear as well as a dewalt 893. Both are pricy but a worth while investment if you are planning on doing a lot of cutting. I’ve had the DW893 for two years now and it has been great only had to rotate the blades once. It has 4 cutting edges on the blades. The DW892 only has one cutting edge so when the blades are shot you have to replace them.

My Cnc plasma table will quick work of that job.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The quickest way to cut sheet metal is with a plasma cutter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Plasma... why stop there? Go straight to water jet. No warpage.

clavius wrote:If you only have one (or a few) to do a decent variable speed jig saw with a fine metal cutting blade will make reasonably quick work of it. You can cut pretty tight curves with it. Just support the work well, take your time and wear hearing protection as the sound is quite obnoxious.

If you don't own one already something suitable is reasonably affordable and has lots of other uses.

This is a reasonable way to get it done. Use some 2" rigid foam insulation board under the metal on the bench to back it up so you don't have to hang the blade off the edge of the bench. Just make sure the blade isn't too long and stays within the thickness of the foam. I keep some foam panels around for doing this when it's my only option. Works with the router also.
When the foam gets beat up, toss it out, doesn't cost much.

Its a lil heavy for a cheapo air nibbler(if you have air?) and a lil too lite for a jigsaw. Choose the jigsaw. Lay the tin on top of a piece of thin plywood, 1 x 4 crap wood or even drywall and cut away.Vibration is what kills saw blades. PERIOD.
Buy a good metal cutting jigsaw blade. The Dewalts at the box stores are pretty decent.All the big names are OK. I have a couple dozen Bosch bits that we use sometimes.... 14-18 tooth I think.They're actually made by Metabo (or vice-versa?/ really means nothing)

Ideally you want at least 2-3 teeth to be in contact with the metal at all times. Choose a tooth count to match your metal thickness.

Homemade wrote:Plasma... why stop there? Go straight to water jet. No warpage.

Done correctly...there is no warpage with plasma. That is usually caused by cutting too slow, or with too much power. Waterjet will produce the best cut and metallurgy, however is the slowest process. Plasma is acceptable for most applications and is the lowest cost per foot of cut. Jim Colt Hypertherm

jimcolt wrote:

Homemade wrote:Plasma... why stop there? Go straight to water jet. No warpage.

Done correctly...there is no warpage with plasma. That is usually caused by cutting too slow, or with too much power. Waterjet will produce the best cut and metallurgy, however is the slowest process. Plasma is acceptable for most applications and is the lowest cost per foot of cut. Jim Colt Hypertherm

i was being sarcastic. But sometimes it’s hard to tell in type form.

I plasma cut on a water table also. No warpage with light sheet metal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

burnttoast wrote:Hello all, wondering if anyone can help. I'm doing a small artsy project and need advice on how to cut out a cat silhouette
that measures just 4x5 inches. as per the title, the gauge is 16. I can use my angle grinder to remove the large pieces of metal that I don't need, but what can I do to get closer without cutting my fingers off. thanks

I bought one of the el-cheapo drill driven nibblers (Walmart’s website) and it will do 16 gauge... .072 or 1.8 mm. I think I paid $25 or $35 bucks for the thing... did what I needed, but it’s not as easy as they show on TV in their ad.

metalman21 wrote:

clavius wrote:If you only have one (or a few) to do a decent variable speed jig saw with a fine metal cutting blade will make reasonably quick work of it. You can cut pretty tight curves with it. Just support the work well, take your time and wear hearing protection as the sound is quite obnoxious.

If you don't own one already something suitable is reasonably affordable and has lots of other uses.

This is a reasonable way to get it done. Use some 2" rigid foam insulation board under the metal on the bench to back it up so you don't have to hang the blade off the edge of the bench. Just make sure the blade isn't too long and stays within the thickness of the foam. I keep some foam panels around for doing this when it's my only option. Works with the router also.
When the foam gets beat up, toss it out, doesn't cost much.

Using the foam insulation under the sheet metal is a great idea. Hard to believe I had not come across that before. I occasionally cut 16 GA stuff with a jigsaw. I can easily see how this would help a great deal.

Good tip, thanks!

Desert Rider wrote: I bought one of the el-cheapo drill driven nibblers (Walmart’s website) and it will do 16 gauge... .072 or 1.8 mm. I think I paid $25 or $35 bucks for the thing... did what I needed, but it’s not as easy as they show on TV in their ad.

I have always wondered how well those things work. I know the real (read: expensive) nibblers work well, but have never seen one of those sub-$30 ones in person. I always guessed the 16ga rating sounded optimistic. I'm impressed that it actually worked for that at all. The stuff you see them cutting in the on-line ads and such looks to always be way thinner than 16.

Have you used yours much? I'd be curious how they hold up although you can't expect too much for 25 bucks I suppose. I have used larger electric ones (old Makita, maybe? been a long time and I can't recall) a few times and the thing was super for certain stuff, except for all of the pointy Half-Moons of Doom that seem to end up everywhere and stick into everything! I remember picking a few out of my foot after they worked there way down into my boot.

Good, you guys have answered my question without having to post it. I will have to make a couple of guards for a lapidary saw I'm rebuilding..I guess I'll have to bite the sheet metal and buy a metal shear. I've done guards at work, retired now, but we had a metal shear.