nwksremodeler

I was on here about two weeks ago, asking for input on rotary cutters for cutting 26 & 29 gauge steel sheeting and didn't get much responce. I am guessing from the lack of responce and from my searching the net and tool supply stores and finding next to nothing, that there isn't such a tool out on the market anymore. After just finishing a 30+ sq metal roofing project with 5 hips and 1 valley I have concluded there has to be an easier way to cut those angle cuts. The rotary cutter that I currently have will with a bit of help and play cut through the corugations/ridges in the tin. But is tempramental at times, and distorts the shape from binding at times. I also tried a big set of tin scissors, and snips they made a better cut than the rotary but take alot of time and hand power in a day. So now I am thinking that maybe a metal cutting circular saw might be the next best thing to try, but was interested in what everyone thinks before spending the money. I am wondering if a saw will want to peel or tear the sheeting more than cutting it, how bad of a problem are the sparks and noise? I am sure that a person will have to build some time of jig to clamp it down while cutting to eliminate some of the movement/lifting of the sheet during cutting. Let me know what the pros and cons are to these saws, and what brands would be the best to look into. Really would like to find something better for the next job! Thanks

mickeyco

Try this link.

Link

__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

TempestV

Freud makes a blade in the Diablo line called the Steel Demon that is supposed to cut up to a 1/4" of steel. it's available in 7", 12", and 14" sizes.

http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/DIAB...s-Metal-Blades

dlcj

we use the craftsman twin cutter. It works good but im not real crazy about craftsman power tools. It was the only thing available when i bought it. It has two counter rotating blades that eliminates binding but we burned up the first one i think cause the blades are to tight together and put too much drag on the motor. The replacement has been fine. It is loud as hell though. It is the 5" model and paid $200 for it 4 years ago now there only $89. Must not be very popular?

WarnerConstInc.

festool makes a blade for that, but you need their saw to dial in the speed.

house bldr

We just use a fine tooth panel blade and a set of ear plugs, cuts fine.A carbide blade will work but tends to throw small peices at you.A plywood guide with a saw kerf in it will help protect your paint from scratchs and make life a little easier.

nwksremodeler

dlcj,

On that twin cutter, what makes the blades spin in opposite directions?? So basically it cuts out like a 1/4" of material per cut??? When your using the twin cutter in metal sheeting does it perform well or does it leave something to be desired??

jiffy

Metal cutting circular saw that Makita makes.

dlcj

the blades are mounted on two separate shafts one inside the other and has only one nut to hold them both on. The blades are fairly thin and are tight together so id say less than 1/4" kerf. Blades are carbide tipped but the tips are not wider than the body of the blade. $50 pair last time i bought some. There is no base plate or guide so you have to hold it free hand like an angle grinder. For cutting across the ribs, especially high rib on an angle, nothing else comes close to the ease and speed of cutting. For ripping length wise we still use milwaukee electric sheers if for no other reason but quieter

joasis

And I said we use this: http://www.toolsforless.com/product/...SA_16G_Nibbler

Replacement dies and punches are cheap...it is effective, works well, but does require some skill to make dead on straight cuts.

A saw will leave the edges in a prime condition to rust....a nibbler tends to "burnish" the cut and it isn't prone to rusting.

I have been where you are several years ago, and tried a lot of different methods, including plasma....we still use the nibbler.

__________________

nwksremodeler

talk about so many options (different cutting tools) and not the slightest inkling of which way to head, as usual no sure fire one tool answere!!! Not that I was expecting one. Everyone has thier theory and sticks with it. Starting to sound like a trial and error period with buying one setup and see how a person gets along with it.

dlcj

joasis ,does that Hitachi nibbler really cut corragted and ribbed metal as good as the ad says? We got tired of the noise of the saw too and i bought a cheap chicago electric nibbler (under $50) just to see if it would work. It does not! I did not see the hitachi when i was looking. Only the one i got or some that where $500+ or air powered. The C.E. does good on the flat but is a little agravating crossing the ribs. The saw is still faster.

mickeyco

A good nibbler, aside from the cool name, will cut corragted just fine, rent a decent one first and see how it works for your application, just watch out for the half-moons, quite sharp.


.

__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

tgeb

I have one of these, a Milwaukee 8" metal cutting circular saw.

http://www.toolsforless.com/product/...utting_Saw_Kit

I have used it to cut corrugated metal decking and it works very well. It leaves factory clean edges, no sparks and cuts quite fast.

__________________
Tom

www.gebcon.com

joasis

Yes....The Hitachi is the cheapest out there, a lot less then the Fein or Milwaukee I also own.....and the quality is as good, plus the replacement punches and dies are cheap, compared to the others.

__________________

nwksremodeler

so what is the expected lifespan of a punch and die on a nibbler, versus a metal cutting circular saw blade??

joasis

We usually get 300 to 400 feet of cutting 26 gauge metal with per punch and die.....and usually die once for every 2 punches....just how it works out.

Doing metal panel roofing is a great business....but don't try to re-invent the wheel. Some of the things I have learned with several years of trade with metal:

Nibbler is the most effective means of cutting high or low rib metal.

When doing a complex roof, lay it out on the ground and duplicate the area (hip, valley, etc) that you are sheeting....lay our every slope on the roof and pre cut the entire roof.....then you will not have surprises with your reciprocal slopes that you must use the cut offs.....

Screw with long woodgrips into decks or straps....we use 2-1/4 inch screws...only through the ribs. This allows a "flex" to allow for expansion of the sheets.....screw the flats at the eave only.

When using chalk lines to mark screw rows, wipe it off as soon as you shoot the screws....a dew on the roof will make the chalk permanent. We pre-mark all the screws with a dot from a black marker.

__________________

nwksremodeler

Well Joasis I guess you have persuaded me to take the plung and buy into the nibbler world. I understand what u mean by tring to reinvent the wheel. I was probably making this harder than needed, just wasn't wanting to spend $$ on something that wasn't going to help the situation. Other carpenters in my area aren't very sociable about what they use for tooling, and costs( which are understandable), but also makes it a pain in the butt when you're having a dilema such as trying to find a good solution to cutting metal sheeting.

I always predrill my holes on the ground after cutting sheets to size, and when several, no more than 5, can be drilled at once I do that. I think that takes the guessing game out of screw placement. We generally place screws about every 16" in the field of each sheet, and on the seam ridge. Maybe that is alot of overkill screwing, I have seen alot less screws in tin jobs, but have also seen those guys called back, not me ...