What do you guys do for sheet metal cutting?

[CoconutPete]

Traditionally I have always just had a go at it with hand tools when I needed to cut a custom shape out of sheet metal.

I'll start with an old cereal box, make a template out of that and then transfer that onto metal and have at it with a dremel etc.

These days with 3d printing and god knows whatever else - what are you guys doing?

I need to make a custom license plate / taillight mount. Nobody made one I liked and everybody seems to complain that the NC license plates never fit anything pre-made anyway, so I'm just going to start from scratch.

The question is - when I have the template made up. Should I go at it the old fashioned way or look for someone to do it?

Recommendations?

 

[CoconutPete]

This is one of the "options" I was thinking of:

https://www.ponoko.com/laser-cutting

 

[peanut]

yep thats definitely got to be the best option if you can afford it . A nice polished aluminium license plate mount .
Think of all the other jobs you can do with all the time you save not faffing around fabricating a diy mount

 

[CoconutPete]

This one does stainless and seems to be affordable.

http://lasergist.com/discover/



Downloading FreeCAD tonight!!!

 

[andrsn]

When I have complicated 2D shapes to get cut out I sometimes bring it to a local Laser cutting place. I've shopped a few of them around town and luckily the one right down the street from my house is the cheapest. It's nearly as cheap as buying the material and cutting it myself which is amazing. I just send them over simple CAD drawings and the parts are usually done in a few business days. I'd call around to your local shops and see what they can do.

 

[CoconutPete]

Unfortunately there is no "local laser cutter" near me. They are all giant commercial outfits.

On a side note ... wow... FreeCAD and LibreCAD are NOT intuitive programs. I have a ways to go......

 

[gggGary]

Unfortunately there is no "local laser cutter" near me. They are all giant commercial outfits.

On a side note ... wow... FreeCAD and LibreCAD are NOT intuitive programs. I have a ways to go......

Odds are there is a local hobbiest with a CNC router just BEGGING for projects to cut with his machine. Id' post up a looking for ad in your local CL tools for sale section.

 

[krob]

angle grinder and dremmel! Make one yourself, its more rewarding...i just made one...pretty simple, and thats coming from a guy with little fab experience.

 

[Ratranger]

See if there are any water-jets in your area. I know some metal suppliers, like metal supermarket, have waterjets. They tend to charge $60/hr, so if you can go in with the DWG file ready and enough parts to fill the hour even better.

 

[CoconutPete]

Also no local water jet guys. I found one "Hobby CNC Machinist" but he is still about an hour drive from me.

At the recommendation of one of the graphic designers at work ... I am trying Adobe Illustrator...... MUCH much more intuitive. I actually have my shape mocked up. Going to double check measurements tonight and if I"m lucky I can actually ship this thing off for cutting before I leave on vaca tomorrow.

 

[electra_boogaloo]

tape measure, speed square, angle grinder, blind hope, and a file to clean the edges.

 

[Paul Sutton]

I stick to 2mm Aluminum because it can be cut with a hacksaw and bends easily - But wish I had access to a guillotine and sheet metal bender.