I need to cut my ally floor pan into a curved shape, whats the best tool to use?

James

nibbler or jigsaw

Jigsaw with plenty of lube on the blade.

Or nibbler.

I have a nibbler but it takes a bite of about 2mm each time, it'll take years!!! I think a jigsaw will just rip and distort the panel - it's only 1mm

James

Plasma cutter!

Nibbler but will leave evil bits.

Jig saw and spray the blade and alloy with WD40 or light oil

One of these ?
Well..........it's what I use at work

Hand nibbler - slow, but accurate and clean cutting.

Remember to oil the nibbler too.

1mm is easy to cut shears or snips --- tinsmiths snips, aviaton shears, air shear or bench shear or a bench wheel cutter.

BUT 1mm aluminium alloy sheet is way too thin for a floor --- without doing the maths a 2 mm floor would be about 6 times stiffer in bending a still only half the weight of 1.5mm steel.

Its got to be a band saw, clean cut and ali is supported so no distortion.

Steve

Ive got the plasma, air niblers and jigsaw ect but by far the best tool for the job was a good set of tin snips

did you gat it pained in epoxy ? I am interested in your results.

for 1mm ally tin snips has to be the best easiest and quickest of all!! Make sure its a decent set.

If you have a compressor then one of these air shears will do the job lovely.



Cheers

Rich

Cut all my ali with a stanley knife.... easy just score 2/3 times then wiggle it and snap. Nice clean cuts. You need a new blade as well.

Aviation snips, its what they are designed for, just regularly dip in parafin to give a really sharp cut.

I agree about the 1mm ally - only suitable for wrapping up a turkey