It takes some getting used to, but you’ll figure out what works best for you. A 90-degree offset handle can be great to have for tight spaces or if you need to cut upside-down. Using heavy gloves, like thick leather, when cutting metal is wise, as the edges can be dangerously sharp. Let’s face it, it’s fun to own power tools They make quick work of any project and who doesn’t like quick work? Always cut so the jaw is facing the off-cut or waste side of the material – always! With the right tool and a few simple techniques, you can make almost any cut with ease. Aviation snips. However, DIY’ers will generally want to use basic tools – an not have to invest big money in tools that may get used for only a single project. Combine red and green snips for difficult cuts. Avoid cutting with the full length of the blade, as it can create a dimpling effect. Aviation sips are made with a double pivot and are spring-loaded, with a safety lock on them. The metal sheets used to form the roof need to be cut to fit your roof before you can install them, but fortunately, this is easy to do with a few different tools. Longer tin snips and compound snips are best for heavy corrugated metal. Making a circular cutout in a duct is simple using the techniques shown in Photos 5 and 6. Straight tin snips can do some curved cutting, but what makes it handy to have slightly offset snips around is that the offset handle means your hands are above the cut, not in line with it, and so it’s easier to do long, straight cuts. Cut a round duct from the right-hand side with green-handled compound snips. Straight cut version shown. The edges are sharp, the cutoffs are stiff and get in the way, the snips bind or you just can’t seem to negotiate the curve. It’s important to understand what the colors mean and to use the right one for the right job. Planning is integral to every construction project and it’s no different when cutting metal roofing. Before long, you’ll feel comfortable and in control of your cuts. And narrower blades on yellow straight snips make them good for cutting tighter curves. Before you start cutting the “real” material for your job, try doing some practice cuts. If you’re left-handed, approach the cut from the opposite direction with red-handed snips (Photo 2). First, if you want to cut a duct near the middle and use both ends, mark and cut the duct before snapping it together. Tin snips function like scissors for cutting metal panels. Now, flip the same pair of snips over in your hand and cut a curve off the opposite corner. Sharp blades are important for this too. To compensate for how metal may curve or bend, cut a strip out where you use red snips for one side and green snips on the other, cutting 2 inches at a time on alternating sides – so, two inches up the right side, two inches up the left. Then cut a gradual curve until you reach the curved line. Long, straight cuts are easier to make with large tin snips. The metal must feed straight in, and the blades must cut straight down. Notice the clockwise and counterclockwise directions of the curved starting cuts (Photos 1A and 2). Then use the technique shown in Photos 1A and 2 depending on which color snips you’re using. Even if you succeed, the resulting hole will probably have a ragged edge. First off, you need to plan your cuts before you do anything else. Then when the time comes you can decide if it’s worth investing in another pair of snips to simplify your job. If you’re straining to make cuts, it’ll result in chunks or curves in the metal, which isn’t ideal. Cutting sheet metal with snips can be tricky and frustrating. The larger cuts are more likely to produce a jagged edge. Use tin snips or shears to cut … We feel that’s the case with cutting metal panels. Once again, you may need a hacksaw to cut the thick seam or use the technique shown in Photo 3. Always have the snips blades perpendicular to the metal sheet you are cutting. This is a great video to watch for some technique ideas. Now let’s get into the details. This is an easy cut to make with the curve-cutting snips shown, but making it with straight cutting snips would be a challenge. But there is a RIGHT way to do it! How to Cut Metal Roofing. Always wear leather or other sturdy gloves when you’re working with sheet metal. Offset compound tin snips left or right handed. Punch a starter hole for a circular cutout with a straight-blade screwdriver. The double-pivot with spring-loading means it’s easier to use over the course of a long day. You should be aware that there are different types of tin snips. Use curve-cutting snips to cut circles. Nestle thick material deep into the wide-open jaws before you squeeze the handles. White handles or a white strip can indicate a seaming or crimping tool. You don’t, but it’s handy in terms of controlling the off-cuts or waste cuts better throughout projects. It cuts metal almost as easily as a scissors cuts paper. Mark round ducts by measuring in from the end at intervals and drawing a broken line with a permanent marking pen. It’s better to cut in short, consistent strokes. One snips can do it all … well, almost There are at least a dozen types of tin snips, and choosing just the right one can be confusing. The off cut will be on the left side of the cut. They look like, say, gardening shears, but they’re intended to cut varying gauges of aluminum, steel, tin and even vinyl siding. But, with red and green snips, whatever side the jaw is (the bowed-out wider part of the shears on the bottom), that’s the side where the off-cut metal will curl up as you cut. Always choose a proper snip for the project you want to finalize. Compound snips have added leverage in them, making them well-suited to heavier-gauge metals, particularly things like ducts and seams. There are many kinds of tin snips, like “aviation snips,” that are named after their importance in the manufacturing of planes and other aircraft. Use this snips if you’re left-handed or in tight quarters. It’s painstaking, but you’ll have a better-quality finish. Maintenance & Repairs, Metal Roofing Installation. If you only need to trim a few inches from a round duct, it’s just as easy to snap it together first. Now let’s get into the details. Planning is integral to every construction project and it’s no different when cutting metal roofing. Green aviation snips cutting a right-leaning curved cut. As an exercise to demonstrate this either-way ability with tin snips, try making some practice curve cuts with, say, the green snips. They come with red, yellow, and green handles, or a strip of each of these colors on the handles, and sometimes there are white snips too. Say you’re cutting a long 30” piece of flashing in half. There are different tools that you can use to cut metal panels. You can use the snips with either hand, but if you’re right-handed you’ll find it easier to use green snips for many types of cuts (Photo 1A). Step #2 Put Metal … Most of our DIY customers successfully use them. To get a grasp of what snip cuts which way, practice on scrap metal for a bit.