Tips to Choose, Bend and Cut Sheet Metal

Whether you are building an enclosure or working on a giant robot to terrorise the neighbourhood, there is a huge chance that sheet metal in Brisbane will play a part. Needless to say, sheet metal comes in varieties of sizes and types. If you are unsure of how to get this shiny sheet into your desired shape, here’s a few tips and tricks for you.

Thickness

While working with sheet metal, one of the most important decisions that you have to make is the thickness you will need. Just as the case with wires, the thickness of sheet metal is measured in gauges and where a higher number indicates a thinner sheet. There are tools easily available in the market which will show you the measure of the thickness both in thousandths of an inch and gauge number. One important note that you have to remember is that although both ferrous and non-ferrous sheet metal can have the same gauge, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they will have the same thickness.

Bending

Sure, bending sheet metal can be a tricky affair, but with the right tools, it can become easy. People who work with it regularly usually have a bending brake in their possession. But if you are a hobbyist, this tool can turn out to be extremely expensive. Fortunately, there are many pocket-friendly options these days which can get the job done.

You can fashion a bending brake by using the length of wood, the edge of the workbench, a mallet and two clamps.

Cutting

There are several tools available which can cut sheet metal, and each one of them has their own strength and weaknesses. Although they represent a very small number of options, here are some of the more common tools:-

• Snips: These scissor-like tools are often called as “tinsnips” and “aviation snips” and are perfect for cutting soft sheets like that of aluminium, brass, tin and thin gauge steel. You will be using right-cut, left-cut or straight snips depending on the cut shape. It’s usually indicated by the handle colour. For optimal cutting, make sure to fully insert the metal into the throat.
• Hacksaw: Although they can cut sheet metal, its depth of cut and turning radius is somewhat limited due to its shape. You need to rub wax along the blade length if you want to prolong its life. If you want a cleaner cut, you need to put a masking tape strip both on the top and bottom of the sheet.
• Nibbler: If you want more control over the cut, the Nibbler should be your preferred choice, but it comes at the expense of cut width. It’s a repetitive process where a tiny piece of sheet metal is punched with every cut.

These are 3 of the many options for sheet metal cutting that you can choose from. But before all this, you need to acquire quality sheet metal from reputed steel suppliers in Brisbane. Invest your time into finding some of these suppliers and ask for a quote. The chances are that you will get good quality products at cost effective rates.