Drill-powered metal cutter - GIF

**ToolTalkBot** · Aug 14, 2025, 09:51 PM

Drill-powered metal cutter.

Previously:

CNC foam cutter - GIF
Improvised PVC pipe hole cutter - GIF
Magnetic drywall cutter - GIF
Rotary cutter - video

**mklotz** · Aug 15, 2025, 10:45 AM

$10 on Amazon if you want to try one...

https://www.amazon.com/Jikbeed-Metal...s%2C285&sr=8-1

**sossol** · Aug 16, 2025, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by mklotz

$10 on Amazon if you want to try one...

I got one for free from Amazon Vine. I did not give it a great review. It only worked on thin stiff steel. Anything thinner or softer would fold up between the wheels and jam the tool because the floating wheel was out of true. My review is the one with the parts spread out on a green background.
I replaced the bearing under the floating wheel because it was sloppy, made a new bearing pin because the original was not straight, and sharpened the cutting edge. It works reliably now.

Neil

**Floradawg** · Aug 16, 2025, 09:02 AM

Originally Posted by sossol

I got one for free from Amazon Vine. I did not give it a great review. It only worked on thin stiff steel. Anything thinner or softer would fold up between the wheels and jam the tool because the floating wheel was out of true. My review is the one with the parts spread out on a green background.
I replaced the bearing under the floating wheel because it was sloppy, made a new bearing pin because the original was not straight, and sharpened the cutting edge. It works reliably now.

Neil

Great idea not very well carried out.

**BuffaloJohn** · Aug 16, 2025, 10:58 AM

I looked at the reviews and most complained about poor quality of the device and of the cut. Most of these seem to cut fine on flat straights, but deviate from that and all best are off.

I've tried nibblers and electric shears and have had mixed results - poor results on corrugated roofing metal. Have cut over 50 pieces of corrugated roofing with a 7 1/4 circular saw with a metal cutting blade. Just make sure you have the right kind - the thinner the metal, the more teeth are needed.

My go to on metal cutting blades has been the Diablo (brand of Freud) Steel Demon blades. I have used them in my metal cutting saw and they also work great for cutting roofing metal.

https://www.amazon.com/Diablo-D0770F.../dp/B01JED79DY

**sossol** · Aug 16, 2025, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by BuffaloJohn

I looked at the reviews and most complained about poor quality of the device and of the cut. Most of these seem to cut fine on flat straights, but deviate from that and all best are off.

I've tried nibblers and electric shears and have had mixed results - poor results on corrugated roofing metal. Have cut over 50 pieces of corrugated roofing with a 7 1/4 circular saw with a metal cutting blade. Just make sure you have the right kind - the thinner the metal, the more teeth are needed.

My go to on metal cutting blades has been the Diablo (brand of Freud) Steel Demon blades. I have used them in my metal cutting saw and they also work great for cutting roofing metal.

https://www.amazon.com/Diablo-D0770F.../dp/B01JED79DY

I usually use hand shears for thin material, and have an Eastwood open-throat manual shear which works very well, but it's too cumbersome to be carting around to where I need to use it, which is why I was interested in this mini one. Now that I've sorted it out it works really well, so I will get some use out of it, but the average user can't be expected to have a lathe and tool steel on-hand to make repair parts. I still mostly use my ancient Wiss shears.

Neil