Sometimes a power saw just isn’t up to the task. Very thick sheet metal can be hard to cut correctly if you don’t have a tool with enough fine precision cutting power. This is where an air shear comes into play.
This type of compressed air power tool uses the simple but effective power of air to spin a motor
inside the hand held device. The result is a type of “super-powered” scissors after this motor causes a blade to move 1000x per minute for its extreme cutting power.
If you have used any sort of power cutting device the use of this air tool is very uncomplicated task, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be dangerous. Some sort of safety eye protection must be worn during the use of such a device.
Before you start make sure you clear your workspace. Also, don’t forget to mark the areas that need to be cut. To eliminate sharp edges or uneven cuts be sure to leave a little extra room. You’ll just have to file this section down later.
As you start cutting make sure your moving at the same pace the entire time during the cutting process. This help eliminate a lot of the unevenness that may occur.
Practice makes perfect so make sure you do a couple of trial runs on a piece of scrap metal before you cut your target piece.
If you think a professional air shear might be right for cutting jobs in your shop check out the selection of shears at Mechanics Tool Supply.
Relevant Tags:air shears, air tool, power tool
