These photo steps show that it can be done using a utility knife.
How do i cut aluminum sheet metal.
First if you want to cut a duct near the middle and use both ends mark and cut the duct before snapping it together.
Various tools can be used to cut lightweight metal sheets.
The illustrations are for a small bracket but i have cut 3 foot long pieces using this method.
Using a softer piece of material such as wood as a backer will allow the chisel to push through the metal and prevent wear on the chisel s tip.
Clamp the aluminum down.
Sheet aluminium can be cut without the need for a guillotine or tin snips which tend to deform the metal.
2 mark the start and stopping point of your cut.
Straight cutting compound snips work best for cutting thick or doubled up sheet metal.
Cutting aluminum sheet metal with a hammer and chisel is relatively straight forward line up the edge of the chisel along the line you wish to cut and strike the chisel with a hammer.
Place the fracture line over the edge of a table and bend the overhang slightly downwards.
With the aid of a straight edge and a sharp knife score both sides of the aluminium sheet.
It is an inexpensive lightweight yet highly resilient metal.
Tired of getting fingers cut on sheet metal while using tin snips.
Set the piece of aluminum on a table or over sawhorses and position it so the cutting area has open space underneath it.
This makes it suitable for various construction jobs in the home.
If you use metal shears to cut thin sheet metal such as duct metal it curls and can be difficult to flaten properly.
They don t cut curves well.
If possible choose a saw blade that creates narrow kerfs the notch or slot made by the saw.
Although you could conceivably use an alloy that can be bent it may just end up cracking.
This weakens the aluminium and creates a fracture line.
Check out this video.
Select a fine toothed blade and don t cut aluminum with a wall thickness of more than 1 4 inch 0 64 cm.
There are two ways to cut round ducts.
To cut the sheets of metal rathe.
Use a wood cutting saw with carbide tipped blades to cut most aluminum.
Aluminum is one of the most widely used metals in home improvement projects.
It can be used for duct work roof flashing soffits siding or gutters.
