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Flattening small ali panels
Avoneer - 15/5/06 at 08:23 PM

Been busy cutting some smaller ali panels from 0.7mm with my Makita shears and snips and some of the panels have a slight warp and a corner or edge turned up a little.

What's the best way (or a good way) of getting them dead flat?

Pat...


phelpsa - 15/5/06 at 08:38 PM

2 pieces of wood and a vice always worked for me


RazMan - 15/5/06 at 09:34 PM

Cut them again using a nibbler


indykid - 15/5/06 at 11:09 PM

as razman says unfortunately pat.

with them shears, when it cuts, it stretches one half when it rattles it, and makes it go wavy. unless you can shrink it, it'll keep popping back.

you need the fixed blade to run on the piece, and the moving blade to run on the scrap.

.7mm's always gonna wobble all over the place though, no matter what you cut it with.

home made guillotine?
tom

[Edited on 15/5/06 by indykid]


NigeEss - 16/5/06 at 12:37 AM

Jigsaw, fine blade and masking tape to stop scratches.


Gunner1 - 16/5/06 at 04:42 AM

Plasma cutter works great!


planetester - 16/5/06 at 08:49 AM

try a cheap router with a 1/4" cutter


James - 16/5/06 at 10:11 AM

Pat,

I have a hammer that I believe is designed for this job. If it's not, it works very well anyway!

I've no idea what it's called but the entire head piece is a large bar made of what appears to be nylon.

I got it free but it doesn't look like it was very expensive.

Not a lot of help there really I spose!

Cheers,
James

[Edited on 16/5/06 by James]


ayoungman - 17/5/06 at 12:48 PM

When you cut with shears, the metal on the right hand side should be the off cut. This metal is bent as it curls around the shears. The metal on the left should be clamped flat with wood and should not distort anyway. TIP....do not snip to the end of the blade with each cut, only use half of the blade, this stops those small marks from appearing on the edge.

I hope this isn't a grandmother and egg situation !
HTH


indykid - 17/5/06 at 05:29 PM

partially relevant, but it's these beasties i assume pat is meaning.

crick

tom


Hellfire - 17/5/06 at 06:08 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Avoneer
Been busy cutting some smaller ali panels from 0.7mm with my Makita shears and snips and some of the panels have a slight warp and a corner or edge turned up a little.

What's the best way (or a good way) of getting them dead flat?

Pat...


Depends how small they are but a Stanley knife is excellent for cutting thin ali. Just make sure it's on a flat surface. Run the blade down the lines a few times using a steel rule or similar and it's dead easy to seperate. Knackers the blade though, oh and be careful with your fingers.

Phil


02GF74 - 18/5/06 at 01:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Hellfire
quote:
Originally posted by Avoneer
Been busy cutting some smaller ali panels from 0.7mm with my Makita shears and snips and some of the panels have a slight warp and a corner or edge turned up a little.

What's the best way (or a good way) of getting them dead flat?

Pat...


Depends how small they are but a Stanley knife is excellent for cutting thin ali. Just make sure it's on a flat surface. Run the blade down the lines a few times using a steel rule or similar and it's dead easy to seperate. Knackers the blade though, oh and be careful with your fingers.

Phil


IO can confoirmt that works; you can make a score then bend the metal near the cut so it fatigues and then separates.