Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565008
01/18/14 01:02 PM
01/18/14 01:02 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
|
Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
|
I used a sabersaw with a fine blade (as you described) to cut a circular piece of metal out of the side of a washing machine sitting in the back yard for an anticav plate. The cut was nice & smooth & I dont have much metal working experience. I was surprised that it came out that nice. Go slow & keep your eye on the blade, keeping it on your circle
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565010
01/18/14 04:07 PM
01/18/14 04:07 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
DAYCLONA
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
|
Quote:
What is the best way to cut the two 4" scoop holes in a Demon hood? Too big for a hole saw and I'm affraid a jigsaw will be a rough cut even with a fine blade.
Well you can hack your way through the hood with hole saws, jig saws, etc, or you can do it professionally, find someone that does Industrial Electrical work to borrow a Greenlee set, or perhaps there's an Agricultural/Industrial tool rental store in your neck of the woods, use a Greenlee hyd. punch/knock out set, simple to use, drill a 3/4 to 7/8" dia hole in the center of the hole you want to open up, install the dies upper half on top, thread the lower die on the shaft untill it hits the underside of the hood and all the slack is taken up from the die, then just pump the handle of the jack, and presto, nice clean hole, no burrs, no chipped paint, no metal distortion, nothing, just a clean hole...practice the set up on a piece of scrap metal until you learn how to assemble the die, and any spacers required, because you want to do it once, and do it right
FYI, you want an Industrial Grennlee set up, as they range up to 6" hole dia.'s
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565014
01/18/14 04:40 PM
01/18/14 04:40 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
DAYCLONA
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
|
Quote:
Thats pretty slick..
Gerry, if you decide to use a Greenlee punch set, I'd use a Uni-bit to drill the required hole for the arbor...and you could also generate a hole using a small "hand" Greenlee, that requires a 3/8" dia starting hole, then you use the "hand" Greenlee to open up a hole for the arbor shaft on the hyd unit
FYI...Greenlee's are also available to make square and rectangular and oval holes in sheetmetal
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: dirt]
#1565017
01/19/14 01:45 AM
01/19/14 01:45 AM
|
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 784
Florida
cbusters
super stock
|
super stock
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 784
Florida
|
Quote:
you could try it with offset aviation snips. I have cut 8' lengths of 18 GA steel with them and you can also cut fairly tight curves . you would just need to cut a hole to get them started .
midwest aviation offset snips
Snips will stretch the metal and a hole saw will heat and warp the metal. Use the knockout punches.
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: DAYCLONA]
#1565018
01/19/14 02:45 AM
01/19/14 02:45 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,651
Hamtramck, PA
Alaskan_TA
Fluffy Balladeer
|
Fluffy Balladeer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 29,651
Hamtramck, PA
|
Quote:
it takes longer to drill the 7/8" dia hole required for the arbor than it does to punch a hole
Start small. Drill a small hole for a 7/8" punch, then move up to the big punch with the larger arbor.
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565020
01/20/14 12:24 AM
01/20/14 12:24 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 654
MN
astrobuf
mopar
|
mopar
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 654
MN
|
I've actually had very good luck trepanning sheet steel using a Malco circle cutter. http://www.amazon.com/Malco-2-Inch-12-Inch-Cutter-Accessory/dp/B000289542The Greenlee punches would be great, but very expensive. I've used my Malco to cut up to 8 inch diameter circles using a hand drill. It worked surprisingly well. Astrobuf 
So, are you really a Rocket Scientist?
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565022
01/20/14 01:30 AM
01/20/14 01:30 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 654
MN
astrobuf
mopar
|
mopar
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 654
MN
|
Just practice a time or two before you do the real surgery. Go slow, have someone help you, say by spray oiling the cutter as you work your way around. Test the cut radius as I've noted the scale on the tool is off by a a bit (1/32 or so on 8 inches diameter in my case)
Astrobuf
So, are you really a Rocket Scientist?
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565023
01/20/14 02:00 AM
01/20/14 02:00 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
DAYCLONA
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
|
Quote:
I do like the greenlee but it is a bit expensive for the limited times I may use it. The Malco cutter looks like a more affordable alternative.
Dude,...google is your friend, Sunbelt Equipment and Tool Rental in Hilliard Ohio, your home town, rents Greenlee equipment 5274 Cemetery Road Hilliard Ohio call them at 614 876 2605 
Mike
|
|
|
Re: Sheet metal cutting
[Re: GKMOPAR]
#1565025
01/20/14 07:49 PM
01/20/14 07:49 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
DAYCLONA
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 18,157
Mass
|
Quote:
I checked it out online with Sunbelt Saturday and did not see it listed. I called them today and they did not have one local but could get it. It would cost about $100 for them to ship it from another location and rent to me.
Gerry, sounds good! if you go this route, you'll need the 3 1/2" Greenlee punch as the actual hole size punched is 1/2" larger, I measured my set, the 3 1/2" punch will give you a hole dia of 4.020", just a whisker (5 human hairs actually) over 4" the Greenlee pn# for the 3 1/2" die pcs are:2982AV for the punch, and pn# 2981 for the die, make sure the set you rent has those, as Greenlee makes multiple set cases up to 6"
Mike
|
|
|
|
|
