Cutting tin roofing sheets.

scooby1 · 31 Mar 2015

I need to cut a few tin roofing sheets. The sort found on modern farm buildings which have a profile. I haven't got many to do, a couple of stables and outhouses. Not looking for the really professional tools.

My question is what are the nibblers like that you can put in an electric drill ? I have cordless drill and drivers that would make the job easier.

TIA for any help.

Burnerman · 31 Mar 2015

I'd go for a 4 1/2" angle grinder with a thin slitting disc......nibblers don't like a corrugated profile very much!
John

scooby1 · 31 Mar 2015

Burnerman said:
I'd go for a 4 1/2" angle grinder with a thin slitting disc......nibblers don't like a corrugated profile very much!
John

Thanks for that John. But I've just had a new farm building put up and the chaps used nibblers to cut any sheets and I thought that an angle grinder might burn the plastic coating off the sheets. But I've got angle grinders so will look into thin slitting discs.

Burnerman · 31 Mar 2015

Disc or nibblers scoob, there will be a raw edge left.
Naturally disc cutting will cause heat but that is pretty minimal.
I can't say I've actually seen an industrial type nibbler to be fair, but I would have thought that DIY types would have a hard time, especially if the corrugations are curved.
Hope the job goes well!
John

scooby1 · 31 Mar 2015

Thanks again John. The sheets are "corrugated" but with definite angles instead of curves like the old corrugated galvanised iron sheets that used to be put on barns. I have watched a couple of YouTube videos that show nibblers and to my way of thinking the professional jobbies are hell-ish expensive and they cut a narrow strip of steel out of the sheet, that's how they work and that can be a nuisance causing punctures, etc. But when they were doing my latest shed they made very nice straight cuts.

I have heard some people talk very highly of Wiss hand tin snips. I wonder what they are like ?

Burnerman · 31 Mar 2015

I'm sure they will be excellent quality and you could probably get away with them if you were just cutting an edge, but for cutting mid sheet the snip jaw has to bend the metal out of the way.....definitely hard going!
I have a pair of hand Monodex nibblers somewhere, but these too don't like heavier material.
John

scooby1 · 31 Mar 2015

Thanks again John. I have only got to cut 0.5mm thick poly coated tin sheets but I take your point about having to bend metal out of the way when using snips.

My problem is that my experience of cutting tin sheets with tin snips is not good.

I've got the scars to prove it.

Dave54 · 31 Mar 2015

You can get various types of electric shears. I've heard tell that you can use the "nibbler" type, but the type I have is a sort of reciprocating shear, and i don't think that's be much use on corrugated.
I've used a jigsaw in the past, but beware the kick if the blade comes out of the cut.
Doing it now I'd use an angle grinder as John says.

scooby1 · 31 Mar 2015

Thanks to both of you for your input. I've got the angle grinder. Any idea what discs I should be using please ?

Burnerman · 31 Mar 2015

Something like Toolstations 35514 would be fine......1mm cut, 115 dia and 22 mm bore.
You'll get minimal heat build up with these and they cut really well......no good at all for grinding, of course!
John

scooby1 · 31 Mar 2015

Thanks John. I'll go and get some from my local branch. David.

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Cutting tin roofing sheets.

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