On 2008-09-30, Tim Wescott wrote:
OK, so I'm looking for a low-ball shear, because I want to cut out some
panels, make one cruddy right angle bend in each one and drill some
holes, and assemble them into a 'U' shape. I'm starting to think that
this'll be cheaper to do in house than to farm out, particularly at
first when I'm making little engineering changes on every part made.

O.K.

So it seems that all the itty bitty iron working machines from Enco,
Horror Freight, and Wholesale tools top out at 20 gauge mild steel. I
don't know why this is a magic number, but there it is.

Because they can use less cast iron and steel to make one than
one for 16 Ga. And that extra weight costs money to ship from China
(which is where all of these you listed come from.)

I may just
spring for one, knowing that I'll be abusing it by cutting thicker
material, but I hate doing that.

The DiAcro shears and brakes are designed for 16 Ga. steel --
which just happens to be 1/16" thick (accident of the numbers more than
anything else. :-) They are no longer made (I believe) and you don't
want to pay the new price for them anyway.

How long a cut do you need to make? How much room do you have?
The 24" brake and shear (I have one of each) are easier to find than the
12" ones, though if you haunt eBay for long enough, you can find the 12"
ones.

I'm not sure where you live, but here are a pair of them (you
can bid on only one) DiAcro Model #3 -- eBay auction 150300285414.

The reason that it matters is that these are pickup only, no
shipping. Location is: Homestead, Pennsylvania

They *look* like 12" -- but they might be smaller. Contact the
seller and ask -- if you live close enough. He is asking $800.00 for
both, or $400 for one (or best offer, and there are two offers already
with four+ days to go. If you have a choice -- go for the one which has
the cross-bar painted white, as that has the auto hold-down clamp to
keep the workpiece from moving during the cut.

Without jumping up from $200 to $2000, is there a tool that will make a
nice straight cut in a 1/16" sheet of mild aluminum?

Not your $200.00 -- but certainly not your $2000.00 :-)

There's a #2 (9" cut) on eBay auction #280269874972
Looks nice -- but probably too small for you. Buy-It-Now,
$449.99

24" shear -- eBay #370089012888 -- $875.00 -- Buy It Now.

All of the above shears should do 16 Ga steel.

Initially I think I'm going to buy a $20 brake from Horror Freight and
use a reciprocating saw to cut out the panels, then use a file and elbow
grease to clean up the cut.

O.K. Your elbows will get plenty of exercise. :-)

Can a power nibbler ($50 from Harbor Freight) make a straight cut, or
will it be a waste of $$?

Which kind? The kind which is mounted on an electric drill type
of motor with scissors fingers, or the kind which is powered from
compressed air and cuts out crescent-moon pieces of metal from the
workpiece?

I'm not sure about the first type -- since it is made for
cutting curves. The second type could work held firmly against a piece
of angle iron clamped to the workpiece. Clamp the whole thing to a
heavy table, make sure that you can press hard against the angle iron
without toppling it, and then cut with the nibbler held firmly against
the angle iron guide. Note that in steel these produce nasty cuttings,
because each has a sharp point on each end, and there are jillions of
them made in a single cut. Aluminum may be a bit less aggressive, but
still cut over a wide spread set of papers or a tarp, especially since
you can't use a magnet to pick up the pieces.

Your opinions, please.

It would have helped if you had put the model number of the
nibbler, so I knew what sort you were talking about.

Good Luck,
DoN.

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