Cut Through Thin Aluminum Sheet

If you use metal shears to cut thin sheet metal such as duct metal it curls and can be difficult to flaten properly.

Cut through thin aluminum sheet.

These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife. Cutting aluminum sheet metal with a hammer and chisel is relatively straight forward line up the edge of the chisel along the line you wish to cut and strike the chisel with a hammer. Check out this video. If possible choose a saw blade that creates narrow kerfs the notch or slot made by the saw.

The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot. Using a softer piece of material such as wood as a backer will allow the chisel to push through the metal and prevent wear on the chisel s tip. Tired of getting fingers cut on sheet metal while using tin snips. To cut straight lines use an electric saw.

Then grip the saw with both hands and push the blade through the metal to cut it. For thin sheets of metal you can use tin snips to cut through it. Cutting thin aluminum should require no more than a few basic tools and is therefore a task that can be easily tackled either on the spot or from any reasonably well equipped garage. Use a wood cutting saw with carbide tipped blades to cut most aluminum.