Cutting Stainless Steel Screen

[Bill McNiel]

Client brought in a 5 panel maple door for me to remove the panels and replace them with this SS Screen to allow for ventilation for the electronics in the closet behind. The material is approximately 1/16" thick. My field of expertise is wood, not metal, so I am requesting suggestions on techniques to cut the SS Screen to size. Thanks for any ideas.

328353

[Kent Adams]

Jigsaw with a straight edge as guide or a bandsaw. Use a metal cutting blade.

[John K Jordan]

Bill,

Do you know anyone with a plasma torch? That would be my first choice but then I have one in the shop. I've cut all kinds of things including some stainless expanded metal - just lay down a straight edge and glide the torch down the line.

Also, any fab shop could trim that with a shear in about 60 seconds. That would give a nice straight edge.

Otherwise, I might try a thin cutoff wheel in a side angle grinder but I haven't tried that with stainless. My last choice would be a toothed metal-cutting blade in a recip saw or jig saw - I've had unpleasant experiences with certain kinds of stainless destroying the teeth rapidly.

JKJ

[Marion Smith]

Stainless will kill a jigsaw blade in no time imo.
Use a slower speed if you try it, stainless work hardens as well.
Now, I have to ask. Why on earth would the client want that stuff anyway just for ventilation? I would suggest hardware cloth instead, it's lighter, offers more open area for air flow, and you can cut it with tin snips.

[peter gagliardi]

Angle grinder with cutoff blade would be best.

[Bruce Page]

Find a local sheet metal shop and ask them to cut it with their shear. 2 cuts, a couple minutes time and you're done.

[Brian Henderson]

Angle grinder. Wear eye protection. Takes no time at all.

[Tom M King]

No contest. 4-1/2" angle grinder with stainless cutting blade. Lowes or Home Depot should have the blade. I have a shear, but probably not heavy enough for 1/16".

[Martin Wasner]

Take it to a sheet metal fab shop. They plop it in the sheer. Bang, clunk, done.

If I had to do it myself, plasma cutter would be my first choice. Death wheel in a grinder a distant second.

[Peter Quinn]

You said all the magic words for me...client, metal, wood worker not a metal fab shop.....I'd mark it and take it to be cut if possible, pass along the cost or savings versus your own shop rate, could wind up cheaper to out source) to your client. I too am a wood worker not a machinist or sheet metal fabricator, so when I'm working for clients, I handle the wood and sub out any metal. We did a pile of similar metal last summer for a large job, bit more decorative, same basic idea, screens for a bunch of upper cabs on some wet bars, took it all to a metal fab shop...they cut it in minutes, clean, accurate, guy who brought it in said they chopped it like it was paper. Huge shear...wham....straight cuts, no burrs, no metal chips in the eye, no burning from dull blades, no exploding grinder wheels..

[Kent Adams]

Bill, here is someone cutting 1/16 sheet steel with a jig saw. Easy in my opinion. The only issue I'd see is stopping vibration on your piece but the straight edge should help with that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWpHzf1I0BI

[Bill Ryall]

My order of preference- shear, plasma cutter, angle grinder.

[Bill McNiel]

Thank you all for the replies/suggestions, they are greatly appreciated.

No plasma cutter availability but I do have several jig saws and angle grinders.

Peter- you nailed the concept, my issue was that I have always held to a basic business concept of presenting my clients with solutions as opposed to problems. This particular client has commissioned several relatively expensive and emotionally rewarding projects in the past and I wanted to try and "save" him some hassles and money.

Again, my thanks to all.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Run to Harbor Freight - but first, go to their web site and print out the coupon for the 4.5" angle grinder ($11.11).

I find mine invaluable. While at Harbor Freight, pick up a pack of cutoff wheels for it.

$7.99 for the 40 grit metal cut off
$8.99 for the assortment

Having one pretty much equates to - - "If you had an angle grinder, we wouldn't be having this conversation".

[John K Jordan]

Having one pretty much equates to - - "If you had an angle grinder, we wouldn't be having this conversation".

I very much agree but would change that to say "If you had a good angle grinder..." :)

I'm certainly not a tool snob but the experiences of a few friends have driven home the lesson to avoid buying things with electric motors from Harbor Freight unless they will only be used casually. One friend bought and burned up two HF angle grinders. He never learned and bought another one.

I know there is a praise story to the contrary in any group of at least three people but life is too short for me take the chance. If the cheap grinders were good economy THERE IS NO DOUBT big industry would use them. I did not see a single cheap grinder in my years as a welding and steel fabrication inspector, either in the shop or in the field.

I use my grinders a lot in my little weld shop and for farm maintenance so I buy Makita, Hitachi, Dewalt, etc. I think I have 5 or 6 at the moment, I'd have to count. Some are cordless for that gate or shed a long way from power. I like to keep several different grinding wheels/brushes mounted at once, especially when welding up a big project.

BTW, another tool in the "can't do without" class is a good reciprocal saw, i.e., Sawsall. The Milwaukee "The Torch" metal-cutting blades can cut through thick steel bar or plate, the bimetal blades wood-cutting can cut through nails in wood, and the long wood-cutting blades will trim the top of a 6x6 post. For this tool I tend to use the cordless ones a lot more than the corded. Ain't no way I'd start on the next barn without them!!

JKJ