Sheet
metal tools do not normally see much use
in the home hobbyist workshops. This discussion
is meant to introduce some of these sheet metal
tools, which are more commonly used in metal
fabrication shops. Sheet metal is any metal
that is less than 3/16 of an inch thick. The
most common sheet metals are sheet steel and
sheet aluminium. Sheet copper is also used
in a number of applications. One tool necessary
for working with sheet metal is a sheet metal
brake. This is a tool designed to bend the
metal sheet into the form or shape required.
There are different sheet metal brakes for
different applications.
Sheet metal also needs to be cut. The small
amount of sheet metal used by hobbyists is normally
cut with hand shears. Band saw metal cutting
is one of the cutting techniques used in the
sheet metal shop. Another is using a power shear.
Metal
Working Drill Press Is Vital In Many Shops
The
sheet metal shop will also use a metal working
drill press. This machine often needs to make
a number of repetition holes in the metal sheets
being fabricated. The drill press allows these
holes to be made quickly and more uniformly
than hand drilling.
There are also special drill bits for metal.
The cutting edge on these bits is less severe
than for wood. The edge is designed to shave
a thinner bite into the metal with each rotation
than a wood bit. Metal bits are also tempered
to a greater hardness than metal bits. Some are
even carbon or diamond tipped for additional
hardness.
While
the DIY and the home hobbyist do not commonly
use sheet metal tools, sheet metal does have
a number of uses around the home. Sheet metal
is used to protect the cutter edge of roofs,
extending up under the first row of shingles
and down behind the rain gutters. Sheet metal
is often used for soffets and as a repair material
for walls. Sheet metal is often used to line
doors, door frames and windowsills that are exposed
to weather. This work is much easier to do with
the proper sheet metal tools.
|
