| Want to do sheet metal work, but don't know | | | | or cut with an angle grinder. The other metals |
| where to start? Don't know the difference between | | | | mentioned are best sheared or perhaps band-sawn. |
| copper and brass? And what are all those tools for? | | | | They are softer, which means they will easily clog up |
| Let's get you into some of the basics then. | | | | a grinding disc, as well as tend to cause dangerous |
| There are many kinds of metal - mercury for | | | | backlash when using an angle grinder. |
| instance, is a metal, but since it is liquid at room | | | | Casting: |
| temperature, we really don't need to talk about it in | | | | Of all these, steel and aluminum have the highest |
| this context! The most common metals you will see | | | | melting points - not really doable outside of a proper |
| in sheet form, are various types of steel, aluminum, | | | | industrial setup. Bronze, copper, brass and tin are |
| copper, brass, tin and bronze. If you want to get into | | | | much better suited for small scale and hobby casting. |
| jewellery making, silver and gold are also available as | | | | Finishing: |
| sheets or leafs - though usually somewhat smaller | | | | Steel is the most prone to rust - although not so |
| than the less precious metals. | | | | much so as cast iron. Other common metals also |
| Steel sheets are commonly used in many types of | | | | oxidize, but often more slowly. Copper develops a |
| manufacturing, from car bodies to machine parts and | | | | nice green patina when it oxidizes, which is often |
| enclosures. Copper sheet is used for roofing and for | | | | purposely used to effect, sometimes even by |
| many decorative uses. Brass looks a little like gold, | | | | accelerating the process chemically. Bronze art |
| when polished and laquered. It is often used for | | | | objects exist from some of the earliest civilizations, |
| plaques and signs of the fancy sort. Aluminum is light | | | | which speaks volumes about how slowly it corrodes. |
| and well known for the stiffness it provides in | | | | Iron objects only a few decades old can sometimes |
| extruded profiles, but in sheet form it is used for | | | | be found to have almost rusted away, even when |
| roofing, aircraft bodies, cars, etc. Here is a quick | | | | they were originally coated with a protective finish. |
| run-down of how these metals perform in typical | | | | Shaping: |
| metalworking tasks: | | | | The traditional sheet metal working techniques are |
| Welding: | | | | repose and chasing, which basically means hammering |
| Steel welds well, aluminum is a bit more difficult, but it | | | | the metal into shape. The softer metals are great for |
| can be done with a bit of experience and the right | | | | this, whereas steel is generally too hard and brittle, |
| equipment. Brass, bronze, copper and tin is not | | | | and needs to be heated to a red hot state to be |
| normally welded, it is soldered. | | | | worked in this manner. Not always practical for the |
| Cutting: | | | | hobbyist. |
| All these metals can of course be cut - it is a | | | | That was just a short primer of sheet metal working |
| question of the method used. Steel can be sheared | | | | basics - hope you found it to be useful. |