How To Cut Aluminum Siding With Tin Snips

Tools used were tin sn.

How to cut aluminum siding with tin snips.

A radial arm or bench power saw can help to speed up the process of cutting and installing the vinyl siding. Stabilize the tin roofing with your non dominant hand. Now flip the same pair of snips over in your hand and cut a curve off the opposite corner. This will not only brace it to keep it in place but you ll be able to pull it up as you cut.

Tin snips are a good choice because they are designed for cutting soft metals. Also over time if you cut aluminum siding with a circular saw it may damage the blade over time. Cut a small curve off the corner of a scrap sheet. Hold the side of the metal sheet and put your snips around the edge.

Place the tin snips around the bit of tin you want to cut and then squeeze down firmly. Use curve cutting snips to cut circles. While cutting at the width of the aluminum siding make use of straight tin snips. A pair of high quality tin snips can help to speed up the shaping and cutting of the aluminum siding and is especially helpful in cutting the curves.

Punch a starter hole for a circular cutout with a straight blade screwdriver. As an exercise to demonstrate this either way ability with tin snips try making some practice curve cuts with say the green snips. When it comes to making intricate cuts using the tin snips rather than the saw will give you better control of your cutting that a power tool can t provide. Use a nibbler to cut in a straight line.

Follow the natural curve of the snips while you cut. Pound on the back of the screwdriver with a hammer to puncture the metal and create an opening for the tin snips. With tin snips you will move slowly so you are unlikely to make mistakes. Use your nondominant hand to hold the side of the metal.

The speed along with the vibrating blades ensure that you get a straight cut. A nibbler is made from two small blades that vibrate up and down at a very high speed. Hold the snips loose in your hand and place the two blades around the edge that you d like to cut.