How To Work With Stainless Steel Sheet

430 stainless steel sheet 4 finish is the brushed finish commonly seen on kitchen appliances and backsplashes.

How to work with stainless steel sheet.

Get free shipping on qualified stainless steel sheet metal or buy online pick up in store today in the hardware department. Once the stainless steel is work hardened it will become very. Power shears for thicker sheets. Once your circular saw is set up clamp the stainless steel sheet to a work table so it s secure.

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. Heat based hardening will not work with these types of steel. To cut a stainless steel sheet you ll need a circular saw with a diamond saw blade. Tin snips for thin stainless steel sheets note.

Stainless steel sheets make a durable wall covering for areas that generate a lot of moisture such as kitchens and bathrooms. Don t use a different kind of saw blade since it might not be strong enough to cut through stainless steel. 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. The best tool for cutting stainless steel will vary depending on the material you re cutting.

Drilling stainless steel stainless steel will work harden fairly quickly when heated and one sure way to increase heat is to drill fast. What stainless tends to do is work harden fairly quickly when heated and drilling at high speed creates a lot of heat. Plasma cutters can carve out exact cuts with ease. When stainless steel work hardens it becomes very hard and extremely difficult to drill.

Stainless steel is not the hardest of metals in its natural form however as pointed out by chip lawson in his piece know how. Here is the right way to drill stainless steel. 430 stainless steel sheet 4 finish has a pvc film on one side to help protect against scratching during fabrication and installation. Popular grades of austenitic stainless steel include 303 304 316 310 and 321 grades.

If you don t already have one a diy dust collector might also work well for this project. Stainless is actually a relatively soft metal at least in its initial state. This tool is ideal for cutting very thick stainless steel sheets bars as well as solid tubes.