# cutting corrugated tin



## busybee870 (Mar 2, 2006)

I went to lowes to find something to cut tin with, tin snips would work me hard especially in the heat, have small hands, not as strong as they used to be. They found me some blades i could use in a jigsaw. anyone ever cut it with a jigsaw? Is it easy? I have 70 sheets to cut to skirt the house for winter, fall is coming and im getting everything ready now.


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## BobK (Oct 28, 2004)

get a circular saw and install a old blade onto the saw backwards.....do not use a carbide tip blade for this application...note that the saw blade will be ruined for cutting wood......put on some ear muffs and set the saw to the correct depth and you're off to the races.......this is good for cross cutting over the corrugations....if you need to rip it length-wise you can use a length of tie wire tied to a 2x4....run the wire under the tin....stand on the tin and grasp the 2x4 with the tie wire attached and pull up...you might have to make a small starter cut but the wire will slice through the tin very cleanly....and the wire will no doubt break a couple of times but it is still a quick way to cut tin roofing.....or you can use the skil saw to cut it like the cross cut method I described earlier.....hearing protection is a must!!


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

I second BobK, i use a plywood(finetoothed) blade. put the tin snips back in to tool box, unless you need to make curved cuts.


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## cseger1 (Mar 23, 2007)

I put a cut off blade (made for angle grinders) into my circular saw. I need to try the plywood blade trick. I had a circular saw bind up and jump into my gut once. Didn't nick my intestines, but it was a pretty deep gash. Be careful.


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## fordy (Sep 13, 2003)

...............I had to make some repairs on the metal on the outside of my 40 x 40 metal barn prior to putting it on the market so I found a metal cutting blade at HD made specifically for that purpose , it worked very well . But , you had better get yourself some ear protection cause you can't believe how Loud the cutting process can BE , LOL . , fordy


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## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

The reversed saw blade does work but it does mangle the tin some and creates a place for it to begin rustin quicker. I use a Kett electric hand shear or I have used a Malco turbo shear which mounts in your electric drill. Much quieter and safer.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

depending on the type of tin it is, there are shears that will cut the full 3' across (like a giant paper cutter), (not aware one for strong-barn type) also to cut length ways, one can score (deep) it with a utility knife and then fold it and it will snap on the score, (some depends on the gage of the material). (you may want to check where you got the tin from to see if they have a rental unit), (they are uslay sold via the tin supply company, and are not affordable for one or two jobs) http://www.swensonshear.com/

the 3' wide tin can fairly easily be cut with jsut aviation snips, (again depending on gage), and you will not have the potential of rusting like when using a saw,


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

First let me give my disclaimer...I have never tried this but I do intend to try it. I read that one can use a piece of piano wire to cut the sheets. Supposedly a fixture is made where a piece of plywood goes on the bottom and two 2x4s are hinged adjacent to each other on one end for the top hold downs. The metal sheet is sandwiched with the 2x4s across the top of the metal and the piano wire is underneath and fastened on one end to the plywood. The operator stands on the 2x4s and with a scrap of wood used as a handle affixed to the piano wire. To make the cut the operator makes a forceful pull on the wire that is positioned between the gap in the 2x4s and rips through the metal.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

A jigsaw will work just fine but takes some time. Noisy as all get out though. Make sure to wear ear and eye protection. As a kid we reroofed one of our sheds with tin and all we used was a jigsaw.
A sawzall works well, and the aforementioned metal blade in a cirular saw is good. If you have any of those tools laying around.

Using a circular saw blade in a way not intended seems to be asking for trouble, I wouldn't do it or recommend it to anyone.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

you might simply consider renting a set of electric shares for a day about $15 so not much more than a saw blade much quieter and less chance of getting cut on really rough edges . also doesnt blister the panels paint like a saw blade or grinder . be sure to touch up the cut end with new paint to avoid rust.


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

I'm with Pyro on this one. Whoever did the little addition on the front of my place, just bent the existing tin roof up to slide the new addition roof under it, and left it that way. There were water leaks coming in everywhere. I rented some electric shears for one day and trimmed it off straight. Worked great, and was well worth the minimal cost. I got them from a normal tool rental place.


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## rambler (Jan 20, 2004)

Jigsaw will take forever.

Regular saw with a reversed cheap non-tungsen blade is the cheapest. With a specialty blade for cutting tin will be not much more, & leave a neater edge.

Ear protection & eye protection for any of the above!

Renting a shear (big sissors made for the job that cuts all across at once) from a hardware store will by far make the nicest cuts, and fairly safe. This would be the best option.

A powered (electric or air) tin cutting nippers or shear works well if you don't have sharp/deep angles on the tin. You can probably rent these too.

If you have a skil saw the special balde or reversed simple wood blade is cheap.

Renting the giant sissors shear would be the safest & best, imho.

--->Paul

--->Paul


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I've used the reverse saw blade, it does work, but isn't very neat. I have the Malco drill attachment now and that's an excellent tool! Much neater job and safer.


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## busybee870 (Mar 2, 2006)

I can rent shears, for 15.00? wow, i had no clue, if its fats and easy the price is right. thank you im going to go ceck it out today thanks!! I have to do this all myself, so i need the easiest way, and cheapest.


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## Blu3duk (Jun 2, 2002)

Ive got to toss my thoughts in here...

Ive been in the building trade since 1991, and i used a reverse saw in my wormdrive many times, never had a problem with jagged edges or blistering the roofing and none of the cuts to my knowledge ever "rusted" other than the end itself which has that tendancy from the factory cut as well.

A shear works slick, but was way slower by far and the roofing pattern dictates the speed and ease of the ability of the shear to get speed and accuracy up.

Also as a note, I generally used a carbide tip sawblade that was well worn, you knock a tooth off once in awhile but the remaining teeth generally are enough to cut the metal roofing. The really nice benefit of using the wormdrive is being able to set the blade deep enough to cut the valleys out all in a single stroke without twisting and turning and looking like a "monkey loving up on a jug".

The reciprocating and jigsaw will do the work but you may not get the straight line many desire to have..... noise is a factor in any tool, some are worse than others.... the reverse saw is kinda like the scream of a cougar and burrito at the same time, only up close and personal.

WIlliam


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Just a word of caution if you are going to use the circular saw either with a metal cutting blade or a reversed wood blade... make sure you are using a saw with a metal blade guard. The hot metal chips will embed themselves in plastic, and if you are cutting very much, it could melt through


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

I put up a 40x40 shop with 2 cheapo metal cutting blades. Worked fine. I had less than $20 in them both.


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## busybee870 (Mar 2, 2006)

im skirting my mobile with it, i was given about 70 sheets


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## kingfahad (Jul 19, 2020)

I went to Lowes to find some of the cut tin with tin snips that would make me work hard especially in hot, small hands, not as strong as they are used. They found me some blades I could use in a jigsaw. Has anyone ever cut it with a jigsaw? Is it easy? I cut 70 sheets I have to travel by the house for winter, fall is coming and im getting everything ready now.


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## Fishindude (May 19, 2015)

I've built hundreds of metal buildings and there are right and wrong ways to cut the panels.
The right ways to do this in order of my preference would be as follows:
1. A full width shear (looks like giant paper cutter). Company called Swenson Shear makes them.
2. A power electric nibbler or power electric shear.
3. Good Wiss brand left and right tin snips.

Turning a skil saw blade around backwards or using an abrasive or high speed saw blade is a no-no and voids the warranty from all metal panel manufacturers as the high speed cutting with abrasive tools throws hot metal dust and chips onto the panels and winds up rusting them, and damaging the finish. If you don't give a hoot about your panels rusting, a power saw will certainly cut them quick.


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

They make cut off blades for circular saws, I wore out a few of them putting the roof on my house this summer. Wear goggles, and ear muffs.


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## Rodeo's Bud (Apr 10, 2020)

The nibblers and snips roll the galvanizing back onto itself. The saw blade leaves the ends raw and then they rust.

A cheap harbor freight power nibbler is a good tool and will save you a lot of time.

One or two panels, snips are fine.


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## RobertDane (Feb 14, 2020)

muleskinner2 said:


> They make cut off blades for circular saws, I wore out a few of them putting the roof on my house this summer. Wear goggles, and ear muffs.


Don't forget to have a good round file to remove the saw cut burrs..and prolly wear gloves..


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

RobertDane said:


> Don't forget to have a good round file to remove the saw cut burrs..and prolly wear gloves..


I don't worry about rough edges, they are covered by trim or eaves, and not exposed to the elements. Anyone who doesn't wear gloves when handling sheet metal, isn't smart enough to be operating power tools.


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

There was a method I saw on youtube which may be of value It involved A piece of wire and some blocks of wood.If I had a lot to do I would try this even if it meant making up a jig for the corrigations. Otherwise just a good set of metal shears/tin snips.
here it is.


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## SpentPenny (Jun 11, 2020)

Circular saw with the correct Diablo blade. Cannot be beat as it is meant for your application and is not expensive. One Diablo will cut many feet of sheet metal.


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