Metal shears: types, differences, selection criteria

Working with metal is very labor intensive. To process this material, mechanization is needed. Metal shears are used to cut steel sheets. There are many types of this equipment. For effective use, it is important to know their main characteristics.

General classification

Modern tools for cutting steel, iron, and other metals cope with material of any thickness. This is due to the variety of shapes and types of products, divided into several groups according to characteristics, including:

• cutting principle;
• principle of operation.

According to the cutting principle, metal scissors are:

• knife;
• die-cutting (notching).

Based on the principle of operation, they are distinguished:

• manual (mechanical);
• electric scissors.

Cutlery is a “classic of the genre.” They have two single-edged knives and cut metal only from the edge of the sheet. Nibblers work on the principle of hollowing out material and are more often used for profiled or corrugated sheets. With their help, metal is cut from the middle of the workpiece.

Knifes are divided into several groups:

• in the cutting direction (left/right);
• according to the shape of the cut (straight/curved).

Products with a right-hand cut have a marking line to the right of the cutting edge; scissors with a left-handed cut are the opposite. Cutting metal with scissors is carried out according to the applied markings, with the upper blade located above it. Straight metal scissors cut the workpiece strictly in a straight line, while curly ones allow you to maneuver and obtain products of unusual shapes.

Metal nibblers

Now let's take a closer look at hand scissors for cutting metal. They are more common than others, and the classification is supplemented by several subspecies.

Splined

They consist of two knives that take part in the process of cutting metal. It is somewhat reminiscent of the previous type, only the active working element does not cut out metal fragments, but cuts them out in the form of chips, which are removed by the cutters built into the structure.

Advantages of slotted electric scissors:

• Cutting is of ideal quality, without further surface treatment;
• You can perfectly, accurately, precisely carry out figured cutting;
• It is easy to work with both profile and smooth metal;
• You can start cutting metal from anywhere;
• Ideal for cutting holes;
• Can be used where it is impossible to reach with another tool (hard-to-reach places);
• Can be used both during installation and finishing work.

There are few disadvantages:

• Capable of cutting thin metal up to two millimeters thick;
• The turning angle is quite large (there is a high risk of moving off a flat line);
• The moving cutting element wears out quickly.

There are battery-powered models of electric scissors. Their huge advantage is that they allow greater maneuverability during operation and eliminate the risk of damage to the electrical cord on metal edges. There is only one downside to this type of tool - quick battery drain and short operating time.

Types of hand scissors for metal

The task of the tools in question is to cut workpieces using human physical strength. The group includes:

• ordinary;
• lever;
• roofing (chair);
• hydraulic;
• disk (roller);
• sheet metal scissors.

VIEW Sheet metal cutting shears on AliExpress →

Chair scissors

Lever metal shears

In conventional models, the cutting edge and handle are made of the same material by forging. The efficiency of the tool is affected by the applied force, the length of the cutting edge, and the length of the handle. Conventional hand metal shears are divided into:

• pass-through (straight cut);
• curly (curvilinear);
• ideal (universal; cuts both straight and curved).

Lever metal shears differ from the above mentioned ones in that they have a hinged connection between the cutting edge and the handle. This creates an additional lever that facilitates the work of the master. The required force to cut the workpiece is less, and the quality of work does not suffer. They have one drawback - they don’t work without being attached to a workbench.

For materials of medium thickness (2-4 mm), roofing devices are used. The design allows them to be attached to a mechanic’s workbench so that the master spends less physical effort. The name indicates the compatibility of the tool for cutting profiled sheets (used for roofing) and similar products of complex shape.

It is important to know that among manual devices there are no die-cut ones. The remaining types of scissors have a complex design and therefore require separate consideration.

How to choose scissors, their prices

It is difficult to say how necessary these tools are in everyday life; it depends on the household and the amount of work that needs to be done. When the metal work is one-time, for example, you need to make a roof from metal tiles, then hand-held shears for cutting metal are quite suitable. This tool costs from 50 to 2000 rubles .
More expensive professional scissors made of forged steel using alloy metals. This tool can cut black sheet steel up to 1 millimeter, stainless steel up to 0.5 millimeters.

Mechanical hydraulic shears will obviously be needed when cutting reinforcement. You can, of course, cut the rod using a grinder, but not every facility has electricity. Then this tool will help. Their price is about 1.8-2.8 thousand rubles . By and large, this is a multi-purpose tool, therefore, even then, during the further construction of a bathhouse or other building, or the arrangement of a site, there will definitely be work for them.

With electric scissors - slotted or mortise, you can cut metal tiles or corrugated sheets without much effort and very quickly. They create a smooth edge and do not harm the coating of the material. There is a very wide range in the cost of power tools, in this case you need to look at the description and photo. It, like everything else, is divided into professional and household. The latter are inexpensive, but have a short operating time due to the use of cheap materials.

Features of hydraulic products

The products are designed for cutting metal structures (rods, profiled iron, scrap, fittings) using an evenly distributed force along the length of the blade. Conventionally divided into two groups:

• small-sized;
• large-sized.

Hydraulic shears are actively used by rescue services

The first ones are also called manual. For example, the following are manual hydraulic shears NGR-20 “KVT”. Their purpose is to cut armored cables, fittings, and steel ropes. The main characteristics include:

• permissible thickness of the cut product is 20 mm;
• high-strength cutting blade (60-62 on the Rockwell scale);
• maximum force - 5 t;
• length - 36 cm, weight - 3.2 kg;
• the presence of a rotating guillotine type head;
• addition of a pressure release lever to the design;
• cost about 20 thousand rubles.

VIEW Hydraulic Shears on AliExpress → Large tools are bolted onto the base machine. Intended for:

• scrap metal cutting;
• recycling of cars, buses, trucks;
• dismantling of metal structures;
• cutting and recycling of rolling stock;
• cutting of boats, ships, boats.

Impressive hydraulic shears for cutting metal are available in several series. For example, AD class models dismantle steel structures, MP-T is suitable for longitudinal cutting of metal (sheet), DS for reinforced concrete, and so on.

Makita JS 1601

Main characteristics:

• Tool type - sheet (cut);
• Power - 380 W;
• The number of strokes at idle speed is 4500 strokes/min;
• Minimum cutting radius - 250 mm;
• Weight - 1.4 kg.

Type of scissors and design. The tool is equipped with a spline type working head. It has a reliable gearbox in a metal casing and a thin plastic body that can be held in one hand. Weighing 1.4 kg, the model is lighter than most analogues, which is important for intensive work. The 380 W motor is connected to a standard 220 volt network.

Working head Makita JS 1601

Functionality and purpose. The machine is used for cutting sheet steel and aluminum. Due to its large turning radius, it is best used for straight cuts. The model is suitable for precise and accurate work in cramped conditions and hard-to-reach places.

Ease of use. The product has a pointed working head with a good view of the cutting area. The shape of the body prevents the instrument from slipping out of your hands. The slide-type starting switch is fixed in extreme positions. The resulting chips are carefully twisted and taken to the side.

Pros of Makita JS 1601

• Quite high performance;
• Ease;
• Ergonomics;
• After passing through the material, smooth and non-sharp edges are obtained.

Cons of Makita JS 1601

• Not suitable for shape cutting.

Disc tool features

Disc shears, also known as roller shears, are a more advanced design. The working bodies are roller knives, which, when rotated in different directions, are pressed into the workpiece and cut it. Mutual friction between the metal and the disks causes the sheet to move along the tool.

Roller metal shears

Typically, disc shears have two rollers - top and bottom. Their relative arrangement is of three types:

• parallel;
• with one inclined roller;
• with both inclined rollers.

Manual circular shears with a parallel position of the working parts are used for cutting metal into strips. The second group is used when working with ring or round workpieces. The third is for them, but with a small radius.

The distinctive properties of the tool are its speed of operation and the absence of the need for additional processing of the cut edge. In addition, roller shears for cutting sheet metal cost in an acceptable range from 20 to 40 thousand rubles, thanks to which they have become very popular among consumers.

What materials are electric scissors designed for?

Electric types of tools are most often used for the following materials:

• metallic profile;
• sheet metal;
• plastic;
• various types of roofing material;
• fittings of various diameters.

Such equipment can be used for cutting other metal elements. A distinctive feature of electrical devices is their motor, which provides enough power to cut objects of various thicknesses.

Features of Sheet Shears

The operating principle is reminiscent of conventional household analogues.
A static knife is mounted on a rigid support, and a movable knife is mounted on a perpendicular plane. The support zone is adjustable, allowing the user to select the desired gap between both blades to suit the thickness of the workpiece. Sheet metal shears cut the workpiece only from the edge; from the middle the design will not allow. Shaped cutting is also difficult to achieve.

The demand for products is due to the correct ratio of the thickness of the sheet being cut and the cost. For example, sheet metal shears Makita BJS160Z cost about 10 thousand rubles, and have the following characteristics:

• maximum cutting thickness for steel - 1.6 mm, aluminum - 2.5 mm;
• minimum cutting diameter - 0.5 m;
• battery power;
• stroke frequency - 4300/min.

This tool is sufficient for standard home and garage work.

Domestic manufacturers offer products with similar parameters and lower prices. For example, sheet metal shears Caliber-Master ENN-500 with a maximum cutting thickness of 2.5 mm will cost the consumer 4 thousand rubles. However, user reviews indicate that foreign manufacturers (Makita, Bosch, Metabo and others) supply more reliable equipment to the market.

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The best die cutting models

This is the tool that allows you to make not a thin, but a wide cut. A passage of 1 to 3 mm is formed. There is also equipment for chips and their removal. These models are used to make grooves and cutouts in any metal when installing slopes and ebbs. But how can you choose, given the average price, which company is better? For this purpose, a rating of quality devices is presented.

Knipex KN-9055280

Nowadays, a high-quality battery model is one that is produced in Germany. The company equips the device with double blades that cut metal up to 1.2 mm thick. You can cut a groove in plastic even if the thickness of the workpiece is 2 mm. The scissors are made of steel alloy and are not subject to corrosion. There is also a bracket-style chipbreaker that will allow you to process edges without problems. The grip is 2.7 mm. Now many people may like these scissors, thanks to their excellent quality and long service life as described. That is why they are included in this rating. The material is cut through with just a single press, which reduces the number of different procedures. With these scissors you can work quickly and deftly.

Knipex KN-9055280

Advantages:

• Good producer;
• The handle consists of several devices;
• Convenient security add-ons.

Flaws:

• Too expensive device;
• You need to train on workpieces to learn how to work with this device;
• Short duration.

Independent production of products

Since cutting metal with hand shears is so easy, some craftsmen don't see the point in buying expensive equipment. This is especially true for roller models - expensive and attractive. However, it is not difficult to make homemade metal scissors if the material of the knives is a durable alloy, the strength of which is higher than that of the material being cut.

It is common to use bearings as rollers. Their ends are pre-sharpened. The drive roller is fixed to the handle, with pressure on which the tool is pressed into the workpiece. Next, the user only pulls the sheet of metal towards himself, keeping the handle pressed to the base.

No matter how easy it may seem to make metal scissors with your own hands, it is not recommended. Equipment from well-known brands will ensure safe operation when cutting workpieces and will last longer. In addition, there are models on the shelves that do not require additional units for operation (homemade lever scissors for metal, for example, work only in conjunction with a machine).

Which scissors are best to use for working with corrugated sheets and metal tiles?

Spline and sheet tools will do an excellent job with various types of corrugated sheets and metal tiles. The electric motor will provide fast and accurate cutting in the required direction.

Hand scissors are also convenient for small amounts of cutting. If you need to process a small area, such tools will be excellent assistants in your work.

Tips for choosing

Before purchasing, the consumer studies the characteristics of the tool:

• power;
• battery capacity (when selecting class models);
• ergonomics;
• maximum metal thickness;
• maneuverability;
• protective functions;
• execution of the starting unit;
• functionality of cutting parts.

The user must remember the safety precautions and check the serviceability of all components of the unit before starting work. When using electric shears, give them breaks to allow the motor to cool down.

The above classification of products for cutting metal blanks will help novice craftsmen navigate the variety of existing models.