Metal Cutting Tools | CRATEX Abrasives

Metal-cutting tools are tools that you'll use to remove material from a metal workpiece through shear deformation. You can cut metal with a single-point or a multi-point tool and using the right one is essential when cutting any kind of metal.

The most important features of a metal-cutting tool are toughness (resistant to fracture or chip), hardness (resistant to heat) and long working life (wear resistance). Other important features are the angle of the cutting face, the number of teeth (TPI) and the teeth width.

Important for a metal-cutting tool is to be made of material that is harder than the material that needs to be cut, as that will ensure the tool will withstand the generated heat. Therefore, choosing the right metal cutting tool depends on the composition of the metal, the material size, the desired characteristics of the cut and the intended use of the workpiece.

The key to cutting almost any kind of metal is to match the blade to the metal. Since there are two types of metal, ferrous (containing iron) and nonferrous (most common are aluminum and copper), most cutting blades and discs are labeled for cutting either the first one or the other.

There are three methods to cut metal:

• Hand Cutting Method – Used for small cutting jobs and projects that involve more pliable metals, such as thinner-gauge aluminum. As the name suggests, here you'll use hand tools, such as snips and hacksaws;
• Machine-based Cutting Method – Used for larger projects or projects involving thicker or more robust metals. For this method you can use grinder, lathe, punch, water jet, flame and plasma;
• Laser Cutting – This is one of the newest and most exciting cutting methods that involves applying an intense bean of light to the metal and cutting it after it passes its melting point. The method is perfect for projects that require extremely high degree of precision but is slower and more expensive than other methods.

As for different metal cutting power tools, there are a lot that you can choose from. Some are easier to use, some require more skill, some are faster and some slower. Nevertheless, all tools have the same purpose – to help enhance the precision and speed of metal fabrication work.

We created a list of 10 metal cutting tools that are most commonly used in a garage of an average metal worker, so check them out below.

10 Most Commonly Used Metal Cutting Tools

Metal Cutting Tool #1: Sheetmetal Snips

Sheetmetal snips are hand tools used to cut flat sheets of thin metal, sothey won't help much with cutting sandwiched layers of sheet metal. With snips you can make a nice straight cut or quite delicate curves.

They often leave sharp, ugly edges that require a lot of work to smooth over, so be careful with metal workpieces that can be easily ruined (car body metal). They are rather used for duct work or quickly cutting metal patch panels.

Sheet metal snips are typically sold in sets of three: a pair of straight, clockwise and counter-clockwise cuts.

There are two broad categories of sheet metal snips:

1. Tin (Tinner) Snips – These are one of the most popular types of snips. They look like common scissors - long handles and a short blade, usually with extra wide jaws, made of drop forged carbon steel. Most commonly used snips are: straight-pattern (for straight cuts and gentle curves) and duckbill-pattern (for cutting curves and circles or shapes; lighter-duty snip for up to 25-gauge mild steel), circle-pattern (for cutting circles) and hawk's-bill pattern (for cutting small radii on the inside and the outside of the circle);
2. Compound-action (Aviation) Snips – Developed to cut aluminum in the aircraft's construction. They have a compound leverage handle system that increases mechanical advantage without increasing the length of the snips. These snips can cut aluminum up to 18 gauges, mild steel up to 24 and stainless steel up to 26 gauges. There are 3 cutting styles: right (typically green), left (typically red) and straight.

Price: $10 - $40 (per piece)

 

Metal Cutting Tool #2: Hacksaw

Hacksaw is the most basic and commonly used hand tool for cutting metal and if you choose the right blade for your job, it will deliver maximum efficiency and cutting performance. It does however require a lot of muscle and patience.

The tool looks like a C-shaped frame that is attached to a pistol-grip handle, with a thin, slightly flexible blade that runs across the open portion of the frame. Standard hacksaw blades are 10-12" long, and the blade can be as small as 6".

The number of teeth per inch (TPI) is important for obtaining desired results. For example, hacksaws with blades that have small, dense teeth are designed to provide fine cuts through soft or thin metals, such as aluminum and copper without getting hung up in the material.

On the other hand, blades with large, widely spaced teeth allow more material removal and clean-out with each saw stroke. They are suitable for coarser cuts through hard or thick metal, such as steel or iron.

Here is an overview of TPIs suitable for various metals and thicknesses:

• Thick Metal - 14 TPI - 1/8"-½"
• Heavy Metal – 18 TPI - 1/8"-½"
• Medium Metal – 24 - 3/32" - 5/16"
• Thin Metal – 32 – less than 1/8"

Some of the most famous hacksaw blade brands are Starrett, Stanley, Nicholson, M.K. Morse, Milwauke and Klein.

Price: $5-$20

 

Metal Cutting Tool #3: Angle Grinder

Angle grinder is one of the most useful and affordable fabricator tools aside from a drill. You can use different types of abrasives that are designed for different applications: cutting, grinding and sanding.

One of the main advantages is that an angle grinder can cut or grind any metal regardless of its hardness, which is something that even the most expensive saw blades can't accomplish (e.g. 0.045" wheels will cut through pretty much any thickness of steel).

Angle grinder is a rough cutting tool as it can require a lot of arm strength and control, because the tool can bind and jump off the workpiece, which can cause damage to the surrounding area. Also, since the spinning of the cutting wheel will create heat in the metal, make sure you are not using the tool to cut through painted metal or any metal workpiece that needs to maintain its look after cutting. Since your workpiece will require some cleanup and smoothing, angle grinder is best used on raw steel projects.

Price: $40 - $80

Tip: When doing shopping, look for a 7.5-amp motor and a comfortable handle and a switch that causes least fatigue. Also, never buy cheap cut off wheels, as they are of poor quality and can be dangerous.

 

Metal Cutting Tool #4: Chop Saw

Metal chop saw is a one-wheel cutting tool that rests on a stationary base. To use it, you'll place the metal workpiece on the base beneath the blade, activate it and lower it through the material.

It is a raw and inexpensive tool. Since the cuts are usually not very square and cutting can get messy, the tool is efficient and more suitable for rough cutting. Also, the chop saw makes a lot of sparks that get shot everywhere, especially straight across the room along with abrasive dust and metal bits, so it's a tool that is more suitable for outdoor use.

Most chop saws use 14-inch abrasive cutting wheels. You can find them almost anywhere and for under $10. The lifetime of a chop saw wheel is hundreds of cuts before it wears out.

Price: $100-$200

Tip: Look for a chop saw with at least a 15-amp motor and a sturdy vise.

 

Metal Cutting Tool #5: Die Grinder

Die grinders are something like miniature angle grinders that can be used with various attachments such as small drill bits, small endmills, small abrasive cut-off wheels or small disc-shaped saw blades. The cutter is usually held in a collet, which allows quick change of cutters.

The tool is widely used for all sorts of cutting and grinding operations by welders, sheet metal workers, millwrights, ironworkers, boilermakers and many others. One of the advantages of die grinders is that you can make sharper turns, because it has a smaller blade.

It is a perfect tool for complex and detailed work and getting into tight spots. You can use it for cutting bolts, bad welds or tack welds. If you are cutting aluminum, use cutting oil or wax to prevent the sharp edges of the tool from becoming clogged with metal.

Price: $20 - $60

 

Metal Cutting Tool #6: Reciprocating Saw

Sawz or reciprocating saw is basically a hacksaw with motor on it. It is an aggressive cutting tool with a whole lot of power and is therefore, not suitable for precision cutting, as you'll have trouble making both a clean and straight cut, especially in sheet metal. It's rather used for trimming reinforced areas of multiple metal sheets that are spot-welded together and is the ultimate power hacksaw for cutting pipes, bolts, rods and angle iron.

It can cut thick or thin metal and thanks to its shape, get into tight spots. The saw blades tend to bend (with is great for getting into tight spots) and therefore, break a lot, so make sure you always have plenty for backup. Use these guidelines when buying a recip saw:

• Thin Metal – 20-24 TPI
• Medium-Thickness Metal – 10-18 TPI
• Thick Metal – 8 TPI

You can choose between corded and cordless models. If you are going for a corded reciprocating saw, go for at least 9.5-amp motor, and if a cordless model is more convenient, keep in mind that more volts mean more cutting power. If you want to decrease the weight of your tool, look for a model with lithium battery. Lithium batteries also prolong the running time and have longer battery life.

Price: $50 - $130

Tip: Extend the blade life by keeping the recip saw's speed slow. Look for bi-metal or carbide-tooth blades as they have longer blade life.

Metal Cutting Tool #7: Jigsaw

Jigsaw is a power tool that has a motor and a reciprocating saw blade. It was originally designed for wood, but it can be used to cut 1/8-" mild steel, no-iron pipe and sheet metal up to 10 gauges thick. You'll just need to load it with the appropriate bi-metal blades (bi-metal blades last 10 times longer and are less likely to break)

There are different types of jigsaw blades with different number of TPI. For example, for cutting sheet metal you're going to need a finer blade with 21-24 TPI, and you'll need about 14 TPI blade for cutting pipe and mild steel.

Also, there is a blade edge for cutting soft materials, thin blades for cutting tighter curves, push stroke cutting blades that avoid damaging the top surface, cranked blades to allow flush cutting.

The downside of jigsaws is control. Since the blades are weak and unsupported at the lower end, you'll need blade rollers to achieve good cut control.

Price: $30 - $150

Tip: To cut sheet metal without shredding it, clamp it tightly between two thin sheets of plywood. Go slowly when cutting through the plywood sandwich.

Metal Cutting Tool #8: Circular Saw

A circular saw is a very common cutting power tool used for creating straight, very accurate cuts through most types of metal that are up to ¾" thick (this means that you can easily cut a welding table in half with one of these things). The saw is typically fed into the workpiece horizontally while the material is held in place by a vise.

The circular saw can be a great metal-cutting tool if fitted with the right blade. There are two types of wheels that are used: abrasive wheels for cutting solid bars or tube stock, and steel saw blades for cutting aluminum. Steel blades are inexpensive, so although carbide-tipped abrasive cut off wheels are more expensive ($8 - $40), they last up to 10 times longer. Carbide-tooth blades can be used for non-ferrous metals, such as brass, copper, lead or aluminum.

Price: $40 - $150

Tip: Get a blade with higher TPI for cutting thinner materials, and with lower number of teeth per inch for thicker ones.

Metal Cutting Tool #9: Air Saw

Air saws are ideal for trimming and general cutting, because they are small, light and maneuverable. It does however take some skill to cut a straight line, but it's not impossible to learn. The tool is not suitable for thicker materials, such as sandwiched spot-welded sheet metal, as they will slow the air saw down and quickly chew up the teeth on the blades.

You should rather use more powerful tools for the thicker materials (angle grinders or reciprocating saw) and finish up with the air saw. All you'll need to do after that is run a file over the freshly cut surface to smooth rough edges.

If you need to cut painted material, simply mask the area with 2-3 layers of masking tape to protect the paint.

Since air saws consume a moderate amount of air, you'll need to make sure your compressor can keep up – the saw's consumption needs to match the compressor output.

Price: $100 - $130

Tip: Since hacksaw blades are much cheaper than the air saw blades, buy a hacksaw blade and break it down into 4-5 smaller blades and install them in the air saw.

Metal Cutting Tool #10: Cut Off Tool

Cut off tools are perfect for precision cutting and trimming. They are most suitable for smaller jobs and thinner materials thanks to their size and design. You can also use the tool as a mini grinder for working in tight areas.

Trimming painted metal with this tool isn't quite recommendable, as there is a possibility of burning the paint.

Price: $20 - $70

Tip: Since most cutoff tools use massive amounts of energy, you'll need to match the compressor output and tank size to the cfm requirement of the tool.