Quote Originally Posted by Ralphxyz View Post
Imagine shearing 7" cold steel!

Ralph
Recalling what we've seen of MESTA equipment, could be their compact model........

Compared to shears that descend guided at each end, this is a variety known (perhaps colloquially) as an alligator/ aka high angle shear. Both use the inclined blade angle just like scissors do. The blade clearance on the MESTA was probably not good for sheetmetal, but smaller bench shears do it easily.
Never sheared 7" but can report a 6' wide 'gator nipped hot rolled stock for welding coupons 1-1/2" and 2" thick, hardly making a sound. 25-30 minutes or so, would supply a big pile of them. Then handful of guys would eat 50 pound boxes of electrodes running multi pass weld samples.
Neither one a bill I'd like to foot.