Best way to cut sheet metal to shape?

"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5) 06/19/2016 at 13:50 • Filed to: None

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So I took a good look at the Barracuda today, and MAN is that thing rusty. I’m going to have to make quite a few sheet metal patches, but I don’t know the best way to go about cutting them.

Happy Father’s Day to this guy, my dad Ray. Best guy there is.

I’ve seen them shaped by drawing your shape on cardboard, and then transfering that shape to the sheet metal...but what tool do you use to get a clean cut? Bearing in mind all of these panels will remain unpainted, I want it to look shitty but neatly done, you know? Like a cheap repair done well.

The floors are also not nearly as solid as they were stated to be. I need one patch on the passenger side and two on the driver’s side...at least that’s what I’ve seen so far. The actual mounting of the seats is excellent and solid, so that’s a plus that I won’t need to do anything with those.

I also got the engine out of my truck and into the garage, so I can start looking at that soon.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 13:59

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I use an angle grinder and tin snips usually.

Invinciblejets > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 14:04

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Angle grinder.

XJDano > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 14:11

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If you are talking flat sheet metal metal shears work well.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 14:33

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Best: Beverly shears

Good: cut off wheel or plasma torch for rough cut and aviator snips to finish accurately

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 14:54

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I’ve got a little guillotine that I’ve mounted to some floorboards which works very nicely. Also, a pair of good tin snips and a cutting disc on an angle grinder does pretty much anything I’d need to do :)

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 15:13

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Expensive, but surgical precision in hard to reach areas. Everyone I know who owns one has never had second thoughts about the purchase.

GasolineLollipop191 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 15:14

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Accuracy is the result of a patient user. Cut off wheels work nice. Band saw with metal blades. Jig saws. I tend to use a cut off wheel to within 1/4" of the line and final trim to the line using tin snips(aviation shears). The trick with tin snips is to never cut more than a 1/4" of material. The excess should curl into a nice roll.

Frank Grimes > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/19/2016 at 23:30

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a shear like this harbor freight has a cheapo version you can cut probably any shape and should save a ton of time. I need one myself.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/20/2016 at 12:33

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4"/4.5" side grinder with 1/16" steel wheels for some work, a shear for fresh metal:

The fun thing about the shear is that it makes little 1/4" strips of metal that can be used to add metal to a mis-matched seam.

crowmolly > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms 06/21/2016 at 19:20

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Just saw this. The answer IMO is different tools for different stuff.

Plasma cutter for funky shapes, saber/jig saw with metal blade for things that are oddly shaped but not as funky, cutoff wheel for straight cuts.

Biggest thing is that something bladed will be guided whereas a plasma cutter is freehand.