I was a Sheet Metal Worker for 39 years (till I retired) and all I ever used was snips. I would carry 4 pairs R&G straight jawed and R&G offset (not the 90* ones) and that cut 95% of whatever was needed. We all carried (what you called scissor styled) straight jawed pattern snips in our tool buckets for bigger longer heavy cuts. If you use both the R and G snips you can make a relief cut next to the lines you were drawing, that was the style that was used to cut spiral duct or circles of any diameter. The grinder was only used when a heavier gauge of metal was being cut and then we used a full sized circular saw. The other stuff was nice but really it is all just a novelty and a way to separate you from your hard earned money.
@@davidbriz7066 I was a big fan of Klinks and the old Sear Craftsman brand… really any snip that does not have a “sprung” jaw is fine. I know a lot of mechanics that will use tools from the tool truck but it does not make them a good mechanic. The best snips are a good quality one that you practiced with. For the longest time I would use Weiss snips and get great results. Just practice, don’t roll your cut (keep the metal square in the cut of the snips) & practice as much as possible
I’m an HVAC installer and cut sheet metal everyday. As the OP said, 95% of my cuts are done with either reds and greens in straight or 90 degree offsets. I’m partial to Midwest Industries because the jaws are heavy and the action is smooth. I find others have too much serration and tend to break the thinner bladed models.
The best way to cut sheet metal is double cut shears, i use milwaukee m18 14 gauge double cuts, midwest snips and a scribe. I was a union sheet metal worker for 10 years. Love your channel. Thanks!
Thank you for this, just started a sheet metal lab and I was wondering why my cuts were terrible and glad I'm not the only one who found scissors annoying to try and use.
With all due respect, being a retired Journeyman Tinner, and realizing technology has changed since I retired, I have never used your type of nibbler for any sheet metal work, although I have used a different type of electric nibbler in shop work. However, I got faster and better results using a good pair of left and right snips. I've never used a grinder on sheet metal, except when I've installed heavy, corrugated type commercial/industrial metal (decking/siding/etc.) and I either used an electric circular saw (with a metal cutting abrasive blade), gas-powered saw (with a metal cutting abrasive blade), or occasionally an acetylene-oxygen torch depending on the thickness and type of metal. When I made straight cuts, I used a long-handled pair of (Wiss) long-jawed, straight snips (for leverage) and for heavier gauge metal, I use a type of long-handled, short-jawed snips (Wiss), what tinners call "bulldogs".
Much respect to you good sir! I don't do a lot of sheet metal work as I have always been on the service side of the business. So needless to say, your opinions on sheet metal cutting are far superior to mine. I am sure that regardless of what "advanced" tools us green horns may be using, you would outperform us all. Especially since your username is Lefts nRights 😄 Thank you for sharing the tools you used and the situations where you would use them.
Great tip on the grinder - I have an 8 inch vent hood duct in an attic I need to cut off and was going to try a multi tool with metal blade - grinder will be much faster and straighter!
I liked the way you focused on tools. I am removing a cool air return from an old farmhouse in a crawl space so there isn't much room. I was using a Makita reciprocating saw but it's heavy and hard to maneuver. I was planning on trying snips but I think I'll try a grinder as well. Most tools aren't meant to be used lying on your side.
What you really don´t want to do is use the grinder indoors to cut some zinc protected material. Because it will evaporate the zinc and you will get zinc fever, this is why nibblers and stuff are better. You also forgot to mention the jigsaw.
Thanks for sharing this info! I think the biggest problem with your circle cut was the unsupported side. You'd have a lot more control if you'd place it across two support pieces. That said, I didn't even know a drill powered nibbler existed!
I believe you are very right! I thought I could get away with it as long as it wasn't hanging too much off the table but that wasn't the case. The grinder and nibbler would have been quite a bit easier to use if I secured the metal better like you suggested. Thank you for accurately pointing it out and I'm happy I was able to show you a new tool! 😄
Haha I had a feeling I might get some raised eyebrows for that one. It was actually really hot in that room... And I did end up with some metal shavings in my foot 😇
Hello Jay, you made me very nervous. Barefoot and no gloves, at least you were sober. Please- please don't ever do that again. I had sliced my hand wide open working metal, the stuff is razor sharp. All I could think of was you cutting an artery or something. Ok, I'm not going to lecture you any longer. Your great at what you do, enjoy life and stay healthy, your family man. They count on you!
Bro you don't know how helpful you've been to me. I've been killing two birds with one rock with your great videos. I've been learning English and air conditioning watching your videos. I'll finish my HVAC/R on March 3rd, and these videos have help me a lot. I hope to find a job in the field and do it like in my country. Thanks a lot for your outstanding job.
That's great Fernando! Glad to hear that my videos have been helpful for you! I am sure you will find a good job, the HVAC career is a good choice. Congratulations on finishing your schooling in March! 🎉🎉🎉
I hate sheers. I use a grinder with a diamond wheel, like you did. That nibbler seems good for small holes. Sometimes I use one of those 5 in one tools with the blade that goes from side to side. Not the best way. Great video.. I went horse back riding when I was in highschool. One time I got the horse 🐎 in a galopp and couldn't slow him down. There was a curve coming up and the horse went left, but I kept going Straight...ouch 🤕😂
Awesome video Jay, thank you and great timing! Just removed about 10 feet of drywall on a center load bearing wall in our Eagan rental to open the dining area to the living room. In that wall cavity are two return air ducts that I need to relocate to nearby walls. And I was noticing the lack of good videos out there with instructions regarding best practices as it relates to sheet metal cutting and manipulation. I purchased your nibbler (already have the Milwaukee grinder that looks a lot like your Rigid) and handy odd looking aviation snip using your provided Amazon link. That estimated $1 partner bonus Amazon will share with you should definitely help offset some of the higher Hawaiian expenses. Given the wear on some of those tools, it looks like they made the journey west with you - special tools. Thanks again for the content!
Haha thanks Holt! Yes, I did take some of my tools with me 😎 I wish you the most of luck with your remodeling project! I'm sure it will be a breeze for you 😤
Great Video. I like grinder, I was replace kitchen sink water faucet , it stuck . I have to use grinder cut the faucet . it did the job. Have a nice weekend . Thank you for sharing ^_^
At 09:14, failing to maintain DOWN pressure, of the CUT-OFF tool's 'FOOT SHOE', upon the material being cut, is the cause of ROTARTY CUTTING TOOL, 'WHEEL CLIMB' & FWD SURGE. Simply KEEP DOWN PRESSURE to prevent this. Also, place two 2x4's, side by side, ON TOP of the cutting table. Then make your cut BETWEEN THE 2X4'S, not out in the air beside the bench.
Offset aviation snips is all you need for any of these kinds of cuts. Knowing how to use one tool in more than one way is far better than having one tool for each type of cut. You will never see a professional commercial duct installer (tinner) use a grinder to cut sheet metal. It isn't cutting anything just burning the metal away and leaving a messy edge. A sawzall is far superior instead for those long cuts assuming you have the correct blades. - Commercial Journeyman Tinner
At 10:58, after drawing your cut line on the metal, then draw over the line with a 'Needle Oiler'. This will lubricate the nibbler's bit and SAVE THE BIT. Otherwise, the bit will WEAR OUT FAST.
The best tool for long straight cuts is one you didn’t show.. it looks like an electric drill except the chuck is different , it has a chisel shape with a cutting slot scissors action in the middle..this cuts a narrow strip that rolls in a circle as you cut
Hello buddy 👋 good to see you Jay 👍 I was thinking about you yesterday I haven't seen you in a while. Well we had a major ice storm here Sunday and then we had a big snow storm and we was without power for a couple of days so much happening since I talked to you last bigfoot aspirated into his lungs and got pneumonia and I couldn't get to the vet to get his medicine so my vet left it on her door hanging out in case I got to come but I couldn't get out of the driveway my brother was able to bring it to me the next day but I had to set up with him the whole night because he was stop breathing from the pneumonia it was like bubbles coming from his mouth and it would come up and block his airway it was a very tough time.. he also was swelled up huge in his abdomen with fluids so she gave him fouresmide and he quit eating and hasn't eaten anything in five days and I got pedialyte and chicken broth to keep him going but he finally started back eating day before yesterday he lost a lot of muscle not eating he still is very heavy but I can feel all of his bones now it's kinda weird because he still looks big he got over the pneumonia which was a miracle my vet said especially for a very old fellow but he has trouble with bloating when he eats anything and I think I got that part under control due to his congestive heart failure his heart got weaker because of the pneumonia and I have to give him the fluid pills and it's just a very hard time trying to make everything work for him extremely difficult but I'm hanging in there buddy 👌 I can't complain because he is still here and was here for my birthday 🎂 I don't know how much longer probably not much for him. I hope all is well with you and your family tell everyone I said hello and love everyone ❤️ 🐕 🐕 Arnold say hello 🤙 bigfoot is asleep
Hi David! We have been busy so I wasn't able to post a video last week. Wow, sounds like a lot has happened in the last 2 weeks! That massive snowstorm and power outages across various states is crazy. I hope you had a backup heat source and were able to stay warm during the outage. Sorry to hear the bad news about Bigfoot but it's amazing that he is still hanging in there! Even made it past your birthday... (Happy late birthday by the way!!! May God bless you and yours abundantly!!) May Bigfoot feel better in this upcoming week. Say hello to him and Arnold, aloha from Hawaii! 🐕🐕👨🤙🤙🤙👨👩👦
Hi Jay, nice to see you again. Hope all is well. Question about “A “ coil enclosure sheet metal. I’m thinking about making an access hatch in the sheet metal on the short side (A side) of the enclosure for cleaning / testing. What are your thoughts / advice , pro or con. Thanks
Hi Paul! All is well 👍 There is no clear-cut way to get to an A-coil. It's almost always a pain. Same with an access panel, nobody really talks about it. I think it would be fine to add an access hatch as long as you are able to seal it back up with minimal air leakage from there. Be careful not to cut any of the small capillary copper tubes though, otherwise it will become a much more expensive project than anticipated... If you cut the duct, I would use a tool that only protrudes a small amount. An abrasive wheel in a small circular saw with the wheel protruding 1/8" should be safe. Leave enough on the duct so that you can put a piece of sheet metal over the opening you cut out and then secure it with short sheet metal screws. Tape alone is not going to last.
so, when cutting a larger hole in the plenum or return drop, you're supposed to cut a rough smaller hole first and then finish it off? never seen that before. every time i've cut sheet metal, it's turned out crappy.
It’s so that of you have to cut some sheat metal out and you don’t want to cut the metal you wanna leave there so you could use a step drill bit to put a hole or take a large flat head and beat a hole in it.
Whatever you do. DONT offend the nibbler people. I tried one of those drill mounted ones...and for my application, they failed...miserably. I was cutting sheetetal from a 74 Ranchero...so yeah, thick, but within what they said you can cut. It would not work, at all. I didnt have the die grinders yet, which would have helped a lot. I also offended the Dremmel people..but the new Dremmels also dont have to guts to cut through 12ga steel. The sad thing is that I RIPPED the sheet metal with the Vampliers pliers...yes, freakn pliers. But, is it dumb if it works? lol. Anyway, those vids were my most downvoted (also some of my most viewed...guess people love to rageclick huh)
Hi Jay, Hope all is well on the island. I have a 100 year old house that had an old 1940 Niagara furnace that replaced an old 1924 coal burner. The newer 2019 Air/furnace uses schedule 40 PVC instead of the old chimney. I was thinking of using the old brick chimney to install an air return from the third floor to the basement. then capping it from the roof. It seems I could use what you taught me here thanks and what do you think of that idea. there is no vent from instant hot as it is vented with PVC also. Would this be of any advantage for efficiency?
Hi John! All is well on the island 👍 An 100 year old house sounds pretty epic! I have never done what you described before so I don't have any experience anything like that. So are you thinking of doing this because you do not have any air returns on the third floor? One can never have too many returns so I don't think it would have any unwanted side-effects. It would help keep the third floor temperatures more even. In regards to efficiency, it might cause the furnace temp rise to slightly decrease but the energy savings would be very small. If efficiency is why you would do this, I don't think it would be worth it. Also, keep in mind that this is just an opinion of a tech that rarely does installs 😇
I didn't take the time to secure that piece of sheet metal on both sides. I think if I did that, the grinder and nibbler would have been much easier to control.
I hate sheers. I use a grinder with a diamond wheel, like you did. That nibbler seems good for small holes. Sometimes I use one of those 5 in one tools with the blade that goes from side to side. Not the best way. Great video.. I went horse back riding when I was in highschool. One time I got the horse 🐎 in a galopp and couldn't slow him down. There was a curve coming up and the horse went left, but I kept going Straight...ouch 🤕😂
Haha you are not alone with your lack of love for sheers 😅 Oh yikes! That horse experience sounds painful, I'm glad you made it okay! I used to work with race horses so I saw firsthand how dangerous a cute horse can be... They're great animals but one needs to exercise some caution. I had one step on my foot and I COULD NOT get it to get off for a good 10 seconds or so. Fractured my pinkie, it was purple and thrice the normal size the next day. 😱
