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View Full Version : General Metalworking Metal Shears--Pneumatic or Electric?



Eric DeSilva
09-19-2011, 4:07 PM
I need a handheld metal shear--the kind that work up to about 18 ga. and peel up a thin little curl of metal. I see a relatively cheap Porter Cable (PTX6) pneumatic tool ($53) on A'zon, but also note there's a Grizzley electric (H5503) for not too much more ($86). The pneumatics look lighter, which may be a bit of a consideration with one handed operation. My inclination is that pneumatic will work better too--that is what I've used before and typically see around. The only downside is that I hate how loud my compressor is, so if the electrics work as well as the pneumatics, I'd rather go electric. So... Anyone used both electric and pneumatic? Have a recommendation?

mickey cassiba
09-19-2011, 4:28 PM
The pneumatics are good, no doubt about it...but they are air hogs. If your working with a small compressor, your going to be cycling...a lot! DAMHIKT

Ed Harrall
09-20-2011, 2:51 PM
I have both and the electric works good also and not as loud as the air compressor

Carl Winterbauer
08-18-2013, 3:01 AM
I picked up a freebie Milwaukee 18 gauge shear missing the cutting head, spent $56 for the head.
Out of the box they are sloppy with manufacturing, lapped the two sleeve spacers down allowing almost zero clearance between the movable center cutter plate and the two outside stationary cutters.
Cuts binder paper without folding over as well 38 gauge (0.0062) vs the sloppy manufactured clearances.
An electric powered shear allows way more freedom than dragging around an air hose and compressor outdoors plus r
it's rather quiet JMO.


http://www.tylertool.com/milwaukee-6852-20-18-gauge-shear/miln6852-20,default,pd.html?ref=froogle&origin={adtype}&zmam=31282435&zmas=47&zmac=478&zmap=miln6852-20

Keith Outten
08-18-2013, 11:07 AM
I own two electric shears, the first one I purchased from Northern Tools for a small job at home. The shears broke in the first hour we used them.

My second one is a Milwaukee shear, the motor is larger than the Northern Tool shear but the cutters are identical. In fact both sets of cutters have the same ID numbers cast into the pieces and they are interchangeable. I purchased a replacement set of cutters for the Northern Tool Shear from Milwaukee and it seems to be reliable at this point.

There are rare exceptions to the rule but whenever I have a choice between an air tool and an electric tool I purchase the latter. It makes little sense to me to run a 3hp motor to run a small tool. Situations where an air tool is far superior are the exceptions to the rule.
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