In article , Tony Williams
writes
In article ,
Chowny A.K.A. Mr 6000 SUX wrote:

How neat will a job like this done with tin-snips be? And how
tired will my hands get. I need to weigh that against the cost of
gettings somebody to do it for me. Its only going to be a piece
about 60cm wide (24 inches), but about 20 cm high (8 inches) with
rounded corners. Something like this :

http://www.chowns.net/cab/panelshape.jpg

Last time I cut sheet steel it was with a hand
nibbler, an Eclipse 2000 "Goscut".

This was an 8x4 sheet (yes, 8x4ft) of 1mm zinc
plated steel, I think tradename "Zintec", and by
golly it was hard work.... the thing nibbled in
only 1/4" mouthfuls, and at the end of the job I
had forearms like Popeye.

But (and this was important), it got a nice clean
cut, with the swarf tidily curling up and away, with
no distortion of the workpiece, and minimum finishing
of the edges.

One ambush built into the "Goscut" though. The hardened
blade is quite brittle and is easy to snap if carelessly
bent sideways, eg by trying to turn a corner too sharply.

I've had one of those since sometime back in the 60's and it still is as
sharp as ever and still works a treat. Can't remember just how much ally
that's been through but these days the jigsaw is the weapon of choice
for sheet ally and steel of which it does a very good job especially on
ally, if U get the right blade!.....


--
Tony Sayer