Sheet Metal

Source: Appropedia Org

Sheet metal can be cut and bent without expensive machines; simple hand tools such as a machete, knife or axe along with a hammer will do the job. Sheet metal, especially very thin tin, can be cut by scoring the metal with a sharp metal point, then bending back and forth to fatigue the metal. When bent a few times along this scored line, the metal will separate very accurately. Thicker sheet metal, from 1.5 to 3 mm, can be cut by cutting a groove with a hammer and a sharp chisel into the sheet metal surface on an anvil. On turning the sheet over the marks of the cut can be seen, and a second groove is then cut with the chisel. Again, bend back and forth along the scored lines until the pieces separate. For still thicker metal plate you will need more force than you can apply using bare hands, but you can get the extra force with leverage. Simply attach one or more levers to the metal plate with the lever(s) arrange at right angles to the scored line but not crossing the line. The levers may be timber or metal, whatever is available, and they can be reused for other projects. The levers can be attached with wire, screws, clamps, rope, whatever you have, as long as you can easily remove the levers from the cut metal plate.