Ideas & Advice

Most metal working projects will require cuts to be made during fabrication. There are many different cutting methods and equipment options available ranging from simple hand tools to industrial specialist machinery. Although all methods will result

‘Score and snap’ is a hand-cutting technique that is simple to complete on light gauge sheet metal and thin aluminium and steel profiles. This technique needs very little equipment and is very quick. The only equipment you will need i

A jigsaw is a hand-held power tool that is operated by a squeeze trigger in the handle and is designed to cut sheet metal, pipework and wood. As with most power tools, jigsaws vary in the features they offer; for the hobbyist or DIY enthusiast a stan

Pipe cutters are a simple hand-held tool that easily cuts through steel, copper, bronze and aluminium tube sections. The tool is constructed in a ‘C’ shape that has rollers and a cutting blade set within the inside edge. Some models need to be

Circular saws work on the same principle as a mitre or chop saw, however, a circular saw is not fixed to a cutting plinth; this gives complete freedom over the cutting movement to enable freehand straight and gently curved cuts to achieved. As with m

Bandsaws are a power tool that have a looped metal cutting blade tensioned over 2 pulleys. The top pulley retains and guides the blade, while the lower pulley varies the speed. The blade runs in one direction rather than with the ‘up and down’ mo

Hacksaws are a hand tool that is a very versatile addition to any workshop. Hacksaws work by simply moving the blade through the metal backwards and forwards in a regular ‘sawing’ action. The C shaped handles are relatively cheap to buy and the w

Most home and commercial workshops contain an angle grinder as they are one of the most versatile tools; by simply changing the disc you can quickly and easily perform a range of tasks such as cutting metal, stripping rust and paint, deburring, prepa

Plasma cutting was discovered in the 1960’s when welders tried to turn the gas up on their arc welders to improve speed and productivity; what they discovered was that once you reach a certain intensity, the equipment no longer joins metal, but cut