Cutters for Cutting Metal Roofing

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

I purchased an air powered Nibbler at Tractor Supply for cutting roofing panels to length and for cutting the angles. I am tired of doing it with hand shears and the in-line electric shears don't go over the high ridges well. Tried them out yesterday and they make cutting sheet metal sooooo easy. The shears can cut up to 16 gauge sheet metal which is pretty thick. I am cutting 26 gauge roofing and it cuts like butter. The instructions indicate that you need 7.8 cu ft per min at 90 lbs. My compressor gives me 7 at 90. Works like a champ anyway - might not at 16 gauge, but at the gauge I am working it does fine.

Its so easy to cut that if you had a big long sheet and you drew a scene or words you could cut it out to hang it over a gate or to mount it on a gate. My ranchito is called Siete Robles (7 Oaks). A sign might then read "Siete Robles Ranch" with cutouts of sheep and goats and cactus on either end. AHHHH - if I only had so much extra time.

[Wisconsin Ann]

We (by we I mean Artificer ) built a 40x80x16'high pole building. Started off with the metal shears. moved up to air powered metal shears. then finally got smart and bought a nibbler. holy COW! Even I liked cutting the metal after that. Only thing you have to worry about is drawing your line a bit generously to add in the 1/8" they take out.

Nice tool.

[hotzcatz]

Yuppers! Nibblers are fun.

Another fun tool if you can get your hands on it is a plasma cutter. That will go through roofing tin like a branding iron on soft butter and does the much thicker metals as well.

[Elizabeth]

We put a metal roof on my rental house a couple of years ago. Hubby used a utility knife to cut the metal. He just scored a line where he wanted to cut it and then snapped it till it came apart.

[Macybaby]

We ended up giving up on the nibbler, and going back to the skill saw. DH decided the nibbler was too slow, and left "nibbles" all over the place. He put the blade in backwards in the saw, and it cuts very nice. Also easier if you cut more than one sheet at a time. It's tricky and you have to be very careful, so DH did all the cutting. Saw sure does scream though.

This was the last major metal building we put up. Don't live there anymore though.




Cathy

[sammyd]

I use a sawzall. Don't have enough tin work yet to justify the nibbler. That may change next year. Thanx for the info.

[Ed Norman]

So does the nibbler leave little crumbs or does it spit out a ribbon?

If you needed to start in a blind hole, how big would you need to drill?

[Beeman]

Nibblers work good, they just spit out all of those little half moons. Saws are a no-no for painted metal as the rip the edge and will cause rust. Should always be cut with a shearing action. I have a large pair of Malco shears that work good.

[Shinsan]

Got a nibbler attachment for my power drill and found it to be a fantastic tool. I like the way that it cuts metal without leaving edges that are as likely to scratch you as those cut with shears.

[indypartridge]

Originally Posted by Macybaby

... going back to the skill saw. He put the blade in backwards in the saw, and it cuts very nice. Also easier if you cut more than one sheet at a time. It's tricky and you have to be very careful, so DH did all the cutting. Saw sure does scream though.

That's what we did: used a circular saw with an old blade in backwards. Worked great, and yes it screams. Ear protection is a must!

[tomstractormag]

When I did my shop / office I got the metal for the roof, figured out each side number of pieces. Then made a stack and cut the whole stack at one time with my sawzall. Worked perfectly. Then drilled the holes for the screws while stacked up. When I put it up everthing lined up. Easy installation.
Tom

[tiogacounty]

How about a real low budget technique? A few years back, I was in the Phillipines, working as a volunteer building a new village. Our tools were hand powered, exceptionally low quality, and in short supply. When it came time to rip sheets of "G.I", which is what the locals called five rib galv. sheet, out came the coconut lumber and the tie wire. The sheet was sandwiched, flat on the ground, between two long 2"x4"s. The board were lined up on the cut, then two guys stood on the sandwich. They then wrapped tie wire around two small sticks and left about 14' of slack between the sticks. They looped the wire under the sheet, tight to the wood, and pulled the wire through the sheet while walking toward each other. It is pretty smart, and about the only choice in those conditions. Make me appreciate the power tools in my garage.

[Ramblin Wreck]

We use a skil saw with the blade turned backwards to make cuts, but we always try to put the cut edge where it will not be exposed to the elements (like under a ridge cap). The nibbler tool sounds neat though, and I'll plan to look at one the next time I'm at Tractor Supply.