How To Work With Stainless Steel Sheet

The corrosion resistance of the stainless steel makes the metal easier to maintain than other decorative metal wall coverings like copper mild steel and zinc.

How to work with stainless steel sheet.

Plasma cutters can carve out exact cuts with ease. Here is the right way to drill stainless steel. The best tool for cutting stainless steel will vary depending on the material you re cutting. For thin sheet materials up to about 18 gauge in thickness the lower the gauge the thicker the metal the best ordinary shop tool is electric shears.

Power shears for thicker sheets. Stainless steel is not the hardest of metals in its natural form however as pointed out by chip lawson in his piece know how. Stainless is actually a relatively soft metal at least in its initial state. Heat based hardening will not work with these types of steel.

Drilling stainless steel stainless steel will work harden fairly quickly when heated and one sure way to increase heat is to drill fast. This tool is ideal for cutting very thick stainless steel sheets bars as well as solid tubes. 430 stainless steel sheet 4 finish is the brushed finish commonly seen on kitchen appliances and backsplashes. Tin snips for thin stainless steel sheets note.

These have strong jaws that nibble through the metal cutting out a 1 4 inch wide strip and leaving a very clean edge. Once the stainless steel is work hardened it will become very. To cut a stainless steel sheet you ll need a circular saw with a diamond saw blade. If you don t already have one a diy dust collector might also work well for this project.

Our 430 stainless steel sheet metal meets the criteria for both the 3 and 4 finish. What stainless tends to do is work harden fairly quickly when heated and drilling at high speed creates a lot of heat. Popular grades of austenitic stainless steel include 303 304 316 310 and 321 grades. Once your circular saw is set up clamp the stainless steel sheet to a work table so it s secure.

430 stainless steel sheet 4 finish has a pvc film on one side to help protect against scratching during fabrication and installation. Stainless steel sheets make a durable wall covering for areas that generate a lot of moisture such as kitchens and bathrooms. When stainless steel work hardens it becomes very hard and extremely difficult to drill.