Light gauge tin snips

[arcturus]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stanley-S...0AAOSwoW1ceUVh
Making a heat shield out of light gauge 0.5mm galvanized steel sheet. I have a left and right set of snips for the curves. Is this what is required for cutting the sheet into pieces,ie a 10" straight cut? Don't want to waste my money.I was under the impression that they should be crankes so that your hand was above the sheet.

[blueosprey90]

I suppose I would normally try a saber (jig) saw with a fine tooth-ed metal blade.

You might do a google search for a "shear" or a "nibbler". A friend has an electric one and it does a very good job cutting straight and curved lines in metal.

See https://www.tooled-up.com/blog/nibbl...g-sheet-metal/

For an example of a hand held see https://www.eastwood.com/supercoup-n...er-shears.html

[Derek UK]

Much cheaper https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Silverlin....c100005.m1851

[Army]

My advice is slightly different.

"Left" and "Right" tin snips doesn't mean they can only go in a left hand or right hand curve - either of these types will cut straight lines too.

The "Left" and "Right" refers to where the waste is meant to be.

Tin snips are not meant to be used for cutting down the middle of an effing big sheet. For that you need a shear or a cutting wheel or a guillotine or a nibbler...

...these tin snips are designed for TRIMMING. So you cut to an approximate size and trim off the waste which for convenience sake so you don't have to turn either the work piece or yourself round you can use the appropriate "Left" or "Right" snips depending on the side at which the waste will be.

The thickness / width of the waste should be about 1cm or less - when cutting with the snips the waste should be curling round in a nice curl of swarf.

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If you already have the left and right snips and say an angle grinder and a cutting wheel I'd cut roughly with the cutting wheel - then trim with the snips you already have.

If you don't have a grinder and a cutting wheel then the nibblers would be good - though to be honest a grinder is a must have tool that I would recommend above a nibbler.

If you want a really good grinder for a low low price have a look at the Lidl offerings - they are surprisingly good for the money - 30 euros - 125mm - variable speed. Can hardly go wrong at that price.