Cutting mesh without bending the heck out of it

D

DarkenReaper57

2[H]4U
Joined
Oct 2, 2003
Messages
2,173
Hello everyone,

I recently purchased an AC Ryan MeshxPanel for a modding project. I own a set of tin-snips (straight, left, and right cuts). Will these be sufficient to make an accurate cut without bending the heck out of the mesh? I want to preserve both sides of the mesh, if possible, so I can use the excess later on. Perhaps a nibbler would work better? Or, maybe a dremel with cutting disk - come to think of it, this might be the best choice, as long as I tape up guide lines and such.

I'd love to use a sabre saw or band saw, but unfortunately I don't have access to either of these any longer. They are also too expensive to purchase right now.

Thanks for any suggestions.
 
Dremel.
I tried using saws like that before and it came out worse than just making it look all jaged from using only snips.
 
yea dremel but for the love of god, use a good pair of googles.. esp. with all those shiney sharp metal bits flying about :D
 
Dude, the easiest way to cut it is with pair of wire cutters. Treat each intersection as an individual wire and snip it. A Dremel for this is overkill. Wire cutters will leave a little bit of an edge that you'll have the sand down if it isn't covered by something in the end.
 
SarverSystems said:
Dude, the easiest way to cut it is with pair of wire cutters. Treat each intersection as an individual wire and snip it. A Dremel for this is overkill. Wire cutters will leave a little bit of an edge that you'll have the sand down if it isn't covered by something in the end.
Click to expand...

Well, for a wide-hole mesh, I would agree. The AC Ryan MeshxPanel holes are very small, and the metal is thick. If I use some wire cutters like I think you are suggesting (holding them perpendicular to the surface, as though the mesh were a plane) I'm not so sure they would be able to each all the way around a gap. I will definitely keep it in mind though, especially for future larger-holed mesh cutting.

I think I'm going to just use a dremel and a metal bar/straightedge as a guide, as well as tape up the cutting area. Thanks for the suggestions/confirmation guys.
 
If you have a hard surface (and I mean hard, not concrete, steel or equivalent!!) to put the mesh on, and have a halfway decent aim with a hammer, a sharp cold chisel would give you a nice neat cut. It's slow, but you don't bend the bejeebers out of the metal next to the cut, and it's cheap.

I learned this one from an old guy I used to work with, that would cut 1/8" thick steel expanded metal stock with a chisel and a hammer, just about as fast as he could with a torch!!

Oh yeah, if you're worried about hitting your hand (that you're holding the chisel with), clamp it in a pair of vice-grip style pliers, and hold those......it removes your hand from the area where the hammer hits, and pretty much ensures you're not going to hit yourself without a really bad aim!! Make sure to wear eye protection and gloves are a good idea too! :cool:
 
I was referring to the hexagon hole stuff.

I have access to a sheet metal brake, that I used to cut the round hole stuff.
 
I've used the AC Ryan Mesh-X, and found the easiest method by far to be a jigsaw!

What I do is clamp a gate on the mesh (measure from the blade to the edge of the foot of the jigsaw and clamp a straight piece of wood that distance from your line) and cut along that. When cut I just run a deburring tool along both sides and it's ready to go.

The second best method I've found is to use a dremel. It's more time consuming by far than the jigsaw but it will give a pretty good edge.

I would suggest that cutting with tin snips would deform the edge quite a lot.
 
What gauge (thickness) is the mesh you are working with?

If 20 gauge or thinner (higher # = thinner) a good set of snips shoud be OK if they have not been abused (far too common)
and the blades are set correctly.

In addition to the metalworking trades in my sig, I also worked as a "sheet metal mechanic" for a time. It has been my observation
that snips are one of those simple tools which are often used, but seldom used correctly. All it takes is once or twice to deform the jaws.
Then they will never cut quite right again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top