What tool to cut Aluminum?

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I don't know anything about cutting aluminum nice...but I'm here to tell you that Knipex are high quality tools. Makes a job so much easier.

I have their piano/barb wire cutters and their 20:1 bolt cutters in my musky fishing boats at all times. They cut through 8/0 treble hooks like butter.
 
I cut aluminum coil in and around that thickness at work with regular hand shears / tin snips / aviation snips. No problems making nice smooth arcs but it's entirely dependent on the user.

Knipex does make nice tools, but those nibblers will only nibble 2mm at a time. You'd be nibbling like mad to keep up with a decent pair of tin snips.
 
I used to to fabrication with .040 aluminum for a living. It works very well with either a jigsaw or bandsaw with a good quality bitmetallic blade. rounded corners are no problem.
Just take your time and let the tool do the work.

Gloves are nice too. Aluminum is an excellent conductor of heat.
 
Originally Posted By: tig1
I have this one. Works fine. http://www.harborfreight.com/high-speed-metal-saw-91753.html


I bought it and it worked for about 40 minutes and died. Seems like the internal seals went. (I'll return it tomorrow)

I went to Home Depot and got a Ryobi saws-all like tool. I already have the +18v batteries and charger for some other tools. Worked great, got the job done and the belly pan installed!
 
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