Drill attachments for cutting sheet metal

Drill bits for cutting metal, sharpening drills, grinding and polishing

Performing construction or repair work, it is often necessary to cut a metal workpiece. To do this, you should use special equipment in the form of a cutter, angle grinder or hand scissors for metal. But it’s not always at hand. Cope with the task can be achieved by using the nozzle on the drill for metal cutting, which will perform cutting of the product of small thickness.

With a wide selection of different drill bits, this versatile device can replace many other tools

Drill bits and accessories

Many masters are accustomed to using the drill for its direct purpose, namely for drilling holes. But not everyone knows that this tool can be turned into a multifunctional device, supplementing it with special attachments, devices and stands, which will make the drill versatile and indispensable in any work.

Angle drilling jigs and fixtures allow you to make a hole where a regular drill can’t approach

With the help of special accessories for the drill, which you can buy at any specialized store at an affordable price, you can drill holes of all kinds of diameters, cutting, grinding, polishing, twisting, mixing and milling. There is also a pump attachment on the drill designed for pumping liquids. The attachment for plucking chickens is simply indispensable in the household. With the correct and competent application of additional attachments, the result will not be of worse quality, as well as when using a special single-purpose device, but the cost of such a universal tool will be many times lower.

According to the purpose, all existing attachments are divided into:

• Drill jigs and core bits;
• scissor bits for cutting metal;
• stops;
• angle attachments;
• grinding and polishing nozzles;
• tools for milling wood and metal;
• sharpening tools;
• Feathering attachments.

The pump bit is used to pump and drain liquids, such as rain barrels and children’s pools

When working with any attachment on the drill, it is necessary to follow the safety rules:

• accessories must be securely clamped in the tool chuck;
• the drill must be held with two hands, which is especially important for powerful models;
• continuously adjust the tool’s pressure;
• Wear personal protective equipment;
• Do not touch the drill bit for a few minutes after the work is complete to avoid burns.

How cricket die-cutters work

To imagine the work of a die cutter is simple enough. in fact, it can be compared to a chisel, which makes punctures in the metal with great frequency. Another comparison might be the modern electric jigsaw, in which the standard serrated saw has been replaced by a punching rod (chisel). This robot principle, combining a punching tool and a jigsaw, opens up a wide range of possibilities and allows the use of this type of tool even for shape cutting of sheet iron. It is for this reason that modern builders use the “cricket” for cutting:

These are not the only reasons why the drill bit attachment has become widespread in the field of construction and repair.

The advantages of this tool

Another strong advantage of cricket is its careful attitude towards the protective and decorative coating of corrugated board or metal. By piercing through the material, it does not injure it at the cutting edges but, on the contrary, rolls it, thus protecting the cutting edge from corrosion. As a result, the metal lasts much longer.

Additionally, the following points can be singled out as advantages of metal cutting nozzle for the drill.

• High output. a 1-metre long cut can be made in less than a minute. Yes, the angle grinder cuts faster, but in contrast to the nozzle, it burns the protective-decorative coating.
• Overcoming almost any obstacle is a real challenge. Waves and different bends are not a problem at all. not only can the torch be guided left-right, but also up and down.
• According to manufacturers, this tool can easily cope with metal thicknesses up to 2 mm, which is quite enough to work with roofing materials.
• The cost of the tool can be called purely symbolic. It is at least five times lower than the price of professional notching shears with built-in electric drive.

The only disadvantage is that it’s almost impossible to get a perfectly straight cut. Basically, it is not necessary, because the edges in most cases overlap with another sheet of metal or special elements. If you try very hard and come up with some kind of guide, this problem can be solved.

The nozzle on the drill for cutting metal. Die-cutting scissors YT-160A.

Hello!! Tool manufacturers produce more and more various additives for power tools, thus expanding their functionality. So, for example, today you can easily convert a chainsaw to an angle grinder (angle grinder), an angle grinder to a drill, and a drill to scissors. The latter will be discussed below. Naturally, such “improved” tool is inferior to the original one in ergonomics, probably in performance, well, in general, in convenience of use. And most likely are not aimed for professional but for home use. Because it is much cheaper to buy an add-on (module) to an existing drill than to buy a separate tool for a specific function. However that may be, there will always be fans and opponents of such modernization. I first thought about buying the device. this summer. There was a need to cut 250 m2 of metal tile thickness 0.5 mm, for a four-pitch roof with skylights (who knows. knows that the cut is decent), and since the manufacturers are prohibited to cut steel tiles angle grinder with abrasive wheel, is a choice between electric scissors and conventional hand scissors (such as “Pelican”). Looking through ads for sale electric shears, I was attracted to the nozzles on the drill similar to the sabzha. Admittedly then I did not buy it in the absence of real reviews from the masters, and the commercials somehow do not trust. Rejected the idea of buying expensive tools, bought a quality hand scissors. good thing the crew just had a guy with strong hands and an empty head, that actually determined his role in the work). And now, half a year later, I got this device for review. It is possible that many readers will be confused by this fact, but it cannot be changed. I apologize for wasting time on such a long introduction. I will try to give the most objective and informative description of my impressions of the device and its work. Let’s go! The hero of the review is packed into a blister: a cardboard backing on one side shows examples of use, a description of the device and an operation manual on the other side The tool is also supplied with a universal key (“horn” 12mm and 4mm. hexagon) for disassembly and assembly of the device. The manufacturer gave the following characteristics of the tool: the maximum thickness of material to be cut. steel of usual quality.1.8 mm stainless steel. 1.2mm copper, aluminum. 2mm plywood, plastic. 2mm Cutting speed. 2m/min at 3000 rpm. The minimum cutting radius is not specified. No recommendations for drill specifications, except for rpm (3000 rpm). General view of the tool The working part consists of a matrix and a movable punch, driven by an eccentric mechanism. By the way it is not exactly scissors as working elements cut out the material forming a chip and the cut is certain width (4mm), that goes against classical understanding of scissors. As you can see in the photo. the punch (rod) has a ledge, and it is this ledge that is the cutting part. The material is “bitten” between the lug on the punch and the die and then is stamped out. I think the principle of operation will become clearer after watching the clip:

As you can see there are two working parts. After working off the resource of one of them, we simply twist the handle to the other side. There is a thread at the base of the die for that. Surprisingly the thread turned out to be a standard metric 16×1.25 mm. You can find a nut for it at any hardware store, and I found 3 of them in my garage. I mean, if you ever need to fix a sub or make some kind of device for it, there is no problem with it. I would also like to mention the detachable handle. I found it very fragile. I have not managed to break it yet, but I have experience of using tools with handles made of similar material. Going back a little bit. Both dies are attached to the aluminum housing with hexagonal socket head cap screws. They don’t screw in, they just slide right in. They have a groove at the bottom, and it is in this groove that the bolt rests. By rotating the die around its axis, it can be fixed in any position. The punch here is one, in a housing to which is screwed one part of the eccentric mechanism (which converts the rotational motion of the shaft into a translational punch), the second part is a shaft having on one end a ledge (through which the punch is driven), and on the other shank in the form of a hexagon 7 mm for connection to the drill. This is how it looks when disassembled: Let’s move on to direct use. The first thing is to grow a third hand, because with one hand you will be holding the drill and the other one is the tool itself. That is, you will not be able to hold the material to be cut. But if seriously it is necessary to understand beforehand and to provide for presence of a vice, clamps or the partner. I plan to operate the sabot permanently. Temporarily (for tests), from hand-made materials, built here is a device for mounting on a sheet of OSB thickness of 10 mm drill as recommended 3000 rpm (at least so written) fastened all this stuff on the plate view from the other side For tests took a steel strip of 1.5 mm (1.8 unfortunately could not find), aluminum plate. 2 mm, profiled sheeting. 0.45 mm thick, and some other junk. Working with all these materials can be seen in the video at the end of the review, but now I’ll share general impressions. Surprisingly all of the above materials were cutting quite easily, and most interestingly the drill loads are minimal even when cutting steel 1.Probably, that is why there is no recommendation in the manual about the power of the used drill. I decided to try to use a cordless electric screwdriver instead of the drill, with an idle speed of 750 rpm (I don’t remember the power, but not more than 300 W). It cuts very slowly, but with enough power. Whatever it is, I don’t recommend it at all. By experience, I determined the minimum cutting radius of about 10 mm. Concerning the speed. Cutting speed listed in the specs is 2m/min. But the depth of the ledge on the punch is 0.5 mm, i.e. 0.5 mm of material removed per pass, as confirmed by chip measurements. So in ideal conditions, if your drill gives out 3000 rpm (under albeit small, but still a load), then in one minute you can go a maximum of 1.5 meters. Naturally in practice this distance will be even less. I made the measurement, cutting steel thickness 0.45mm wall thickness, I ended up with a speed of about 1.3 meters per minute. Very sorry that I did not have a piece of metal, because I wanted to test the tool to pass all of its curves, especially since many commercials is for cutting it and position it. And what is most interesting is the passage of these same bends (many) present montage in the roller. I decided to make my tests on an aluminum profile with a wall thickness of 1.2mm. On the material of such a thickness, the bends to pass quite difficult, but it is still real (though not beautiful) curves on profiled sheet to go quite easily, but again, with a good fixation of the sheet. I liked very much the cleanliness of the cut, no burrs, no sharp edges even on sheet of 0.45mm thick. In many cases, post-processing is not necessary if the manufacturing process does not require it. Examples of cutting are visible on the micrometer photo, and add a few more photos below, especially feel the difference in comparison with the cutting angle grinder abrasive wheel (I am aware that it is not recommended to cut with an abrasive wheel on metal. aluminum) and here is the form of shavings is obtained at the output Below outlined the basic dimensions, maybe someone will find useful. And the promised roller:

Benefits of Using Drill Nozzles

Drill bits, when compared to such a popular tool for metal cutting as an angle grinder, have a number of advantages.

• The quality of the cut is outstanding.
• No need to purchase additional consumables when using the metal cutting bit attachment, which significantly saves money.
• Using of such a nozzle provides high productivity of the cutting process.
• The drill bits are characterized by their great versatility.
• Due to the fact that this tool is equipped with a special handle, the process of cutting with its help is very convenient.
• These attachments are suitable for both electric and pneumatic drills.
• The convenience of these tips is undeniable, both in application and maintenance.
• With these tools, you can perform cuts of almost any configuration.

Although these attachments are simple to use, they require a certain amount of skill and dexterity on the part of the user.

Popular models and applications

Modern models of nozzles on the drill allow for cutting sheet metal not only in a straight line. With such a handy and easy-to-use device can also perform shape cutting, which is often required when installing roof structures, ventilation ducts, as well as gutters and other elements of the drainage system.

Using these nozzles on the drill, you can make cuts in almost any spatial position. Equally important advantage of these nozzles is that they do not require presetting.

This nozzle turns the drill into an electric scissors, working on the principle of cutting, but not cutting out

Among the most popular models of drill bits for metal cutting presented in the domestic market are the following:

EDMA NIBBLEX metal and plastic sheet metal cutting bit

The difference models of nozzles on the drill consist not in the principle of their work, and in the maximum thickness of the cut metal and a number of other technical characteristics. Modern models of drill bits allow you to get smooth and accurate cuts with sharp, even and unmarked edges. The protective coating applied to the sheet metal surface is not damaged and fully preserves all its functions.

“Cricket”

One popular attachment to the drill, which is a compact cut (notching) scissors, is a device called “Cricket”. This head, which produces a smooth and accurate cut, can be used to cut both flat and profiled metal sheets.

The “Cricket” cutter head is designed to work with a pneumatic or electric drill (electric screwdriver) of at least 420 W

With the help of “Cricket” scissor head you can cut not only metal sheet, but also thin sheet products made of polycarbonate and other polymeric materials. The thickness of products for cutting which these compact die-cutters can be used can be up to:

With the “Cricket” drill bit, you can cut sheet material horizontally and vertically, as well as make internal cuts into the surface of the sheet.

The “Cricket” works on the principle of a die-cutting scissors

It should be borne in mind that in the place of the sheet, from where the internal cut will be carried out, it is necessary to pre-drill a hole.

“Cricket” is a good drill attachment for cutting metal tiles and profiled sheeting. When using this device to cut metal, the surface of these materials is not deformed, and the cut itself is obtained smoothly and accurately. Easily cope with the nozzle “Cricket” and with such complex tasks as artistic cutting and creating holes in sheet material of large diameter.

“Steel Beaver.”

Another popular attachment for the drill, with which you can perform metal cutting, is a device called “Steel Beaver”. The principle by which such attachments to the drill, similar to how the punching scissors function. When using this device in the zone of cutting sparks do not form and there is no thermal effect on the metal sheet, respectively, does not burn the protective coating that is applied to it.

The steel beaver metal cutting attachment comes with an interchangeable die and punch

Among the technical characteristics possessed by the nozzle on the drill of this type, it is necessary to emphasize the following:

• The effectiveness of such a nozzle is ensured by the rotation of the drill chuck at a speed of 1500-3000 rpm.
• Maximum thickness of work pieces is 1.8 mm for sheets of regular steel, 2 mm for copper and aluminum sheets, 1.2 mm for stainless steel sheets.
• The angle by which the cutting direction can be changed is 360°.
• Minimum cutting radius 12 mm.

When deciding what tool to choose for cutting sheet metal. a jigsaw, angle grinder or drill bit. you must first assess what tasks you need them for.

Drill bits are a good option for do-it-yourselfers and small construction teams. When the amount of work for cutting sheet metal is insignificant, the use of such a nozzle is the best solution. Choosing this device, special attention should be paid to the fact that the characteristics of the drill, in the set with which it will be used, correspond to the characteristics of the tool itself.

Cutting nozzle cricket for cutting metal

Cutting sheet steel and non-ferrous metals has always been a pressing issue in heavy industry, automotive and railway workshops of various ranks, as well as in the household. To date, there are only two methods of such processing: thermal and mechanical. Cricket for metal cutting refers to the mechanical type of attachments in the form of a modified chisel. The rhythm of such a tool closely resembles the chirping of the insect of the same name, hence its name.

Working with a cricket

By now, in the age of high technology, steel and base metal is only pierced and cut. no one has invented anything more original. All of these methods have many disadvantages: first of all, there are problems with accuracy and speed. Nevertheless, working with a “cricket” nozzle for cutting, you can minimize these losses, though not 100%. Some may say CNC laser machining is more accurate, but you won’t cut just the one shape you need if you have to pre-set the software?!

Capabilities and Specifications

The “cricket cutter” can be purchased in a store or other retail outlet as follows. one of each item:

• two-head nozzle;
• replaceable type matrix;
• interchangeable punch (chisel);
• combination wrench (wrench/hedge wrench);
• plastic handle;
• metal case;
• user’s manual.

Note: the list above should also be in the manufacturer’s instructions. When buying, it’s a good idea to check that you have all of these items in your kit.

See the table below with the main technical characteristics of the nozzle “cricket” on the drill.

The rotational speed recommended by the manufacturer	3000 rpm
Desired power of the tool	≥420 W
Minimum cutting radius	12 mm
Changing direction while working	360°
Cutting of stainless steel sheet	≤1,0 mm
Cutting black sheet steel	≤1.6 mm
Cutting nonferrous sheet metal	≤2.0 mm
tool dimensions	180x75x55 mm
Net weight	400 г

Important: As you can see from the specifications of the nozzle, it can only be used with a corded or pneumatic drill. Even professional cordless screwdrivers like the Makita have insufficient engine speed and power for cricket.

Do not forget what not to do:

• cut metal sheets thicker than the recommended parameters in the table;
• do not use the tool for its intended purpose;
• tool design;
• Start working until the drill is at full speed;
• Turn off the drill while cutting metal.

Recommendations for die and punch replacement

• Undo screw with Allen key.
• Check (visually if possible) that there are no foreign objects (chips, filings) under the screw.
• Pull the matrix smoothly out of the housing.
• Insert the other diaphragm in the reverse order.
• Remove the retaining ring and take the cover off.
• Loosen the lock nut of the fixing screw by two or three turns with the open-ended wrench.
• Undo that screw and remove the punch.
• Position the other punch in the ram so that the retaining screw can enter the recess.
• Tighten the lock nut of the retainer screw.
• Close the cover and fix it with the retaining ring.

Advice: if the punch edge is blunt, do not rush to change it. In most cases it is sufficient to rotate the die by 90-120°. To do this, loosen the fixing screw and turn the die at the desired angle, then clamp the screw again.

Safety precautions

Of course, the biggest risk when using such a tool, “like a cricket” for cutting metal, is cutting your hand or fingers on the edge of the cut sheet metal. But there are other possibilities of getting hurt. One of the causes can be chips, especially from stainless steel: it has a high hardness and resilience, therefore easily piercing not only work gloves and clothes, but also the soles of shoes. Usually, such chips are scattered in the form of small crescents, but there may also be small pinpoint fragments that get under the skin and sometimes they are not paid attention to, taking them for a scratch.

These fragments are easy to injure, especially if they are stainless steel.

• The most affected area when working with such a tool is the feet. Often the skin on men’s feet is coarse, and a person does not immediately feel a small wound. The result can be cracking or even festering, which leads to loss of ability to work. Even if you work with closed shoes (boots), the floor should be swept at all times.
• Also a danger can be the impeller of the drill, which serves to cool the motor. Metal fragments, getting into the air flow, forcefully thrown outward and easily penetrate the skin on the face or hands (this is why it is important to use protective goggles). If the cricket on the drill will be used for a long time, you can take some safety measures: cover the radiator of the tool with ordinary women’s pantyhose.
• Metal shavings scattered around the yard, are exposed to corrosion, and this can cause minor trouble in the form of ruined paving tiles (rust stains) or a punctured bicycle tube.

When buying a tool

We can say that all the punching or die-cutting cricket shears have the same design, because they are used for the same purpose, that is, it is not a universal, but a unique type of tool. This indicates that there are no additional options or lack of any functions there, therefore, all requirements will be the same regardless of the manufacturer.

Most of all you should pay attention to two things:

• The country of manufacture. The Germans, Italians and Americans have proven to be the best, but the domestic models also do not arouse criticism from the majority of experts. In addition, you should remember that the Chinese assembly is not always a bad thing: they make goods not only for general consumption, but also professional tools. Therefore, one and perhaps the most important indicator of the quality of the tool is its price. In these cases you should not be stingy so as not to pay twice, to paraphrase the proverb.
• Case kit. If the goods have a license, then in developed countries you can not even check this parameter. the manufacturer will take care of the complete package, as provided by the factory. But we, unfortunately, in the trade do not always work decent people, and something in the case may be missing. it will be immediately noticeable by an empty cell. As a last resort, you can check the kit by the documents. if the cricket is sold in a store, and not from hand, the papers (or one of them) should be in Russian.

Sorts of nozzles

Drill bits vary in purpose:

Parallel stop is used to adjust the depth of the drill. And there are also special racks for drilling, thanks to them you can safely fix the tool without getting hurt.

The drill not only has a drilling function. It can be used to make blind holes, for example, to install hinges in wooden furniture. For this operation the Forstner drill bit is perfect. The hole will be flat and the edges will be absolutely smooth. And you can also use feather drills instead of Forstner.

Cutting bits

Surely those who have used an angle grinder in their work, have noticed how sloppily this tool cuts the material to be processed, there are jagged edges. But if you use a special drill bit that is capable of cutting metal, you will notice that the work will be done more delicately and without damaging the metal. Such a device is driven by the chuck of the tool on which it will be mounted. If you need to cut metal, it is better to choose a drill with the number of revolutions, which is about 2800 rpm.

Advantages and types

The cut will always be very even, it is comfortable to work, the nozzles are easy to maintain and use, no adjustments are required.

There is a very convenient snap on the drill, called “Cricket”. It is a cutter with two cutting heads. Such a device is used in order to cut thin sheet metal:

“Cricket” is very helpful to the owner of the site, who has decided to install a fence of metal profile.

Apply “Cricket” for sheets of materials that have such parameters:

After processing, the surface will be smooth, no nicks will remain, the coating will be completely intact.

If you need to make a good even inside cut, you must first drill a hole there.

The milling head is permanently rotating, which means you can work with it on vertical as well as horizontal surfaces. To use the tooling, it is recommended to buy a drill that has a 3k. rpm. The minimum number is 1500 rpm.

To cut profiled sheet metal or tiles, you can use the “Steel Beaver” attachment.

The principle of operation will be similar to the previous nozzle, but the cut will be carried out with the help of frequent reciprocating movements of the punch, which will bend the metal and tear it against the matrix. With the help of such a tooling it is very easy to make straight cutters, and, if necessary, also curves.

cutting radius is 1.2 cm. What makes this tool different is that you can work with it at absolutely any angle. If you compare it to the “Cricket”, it is able to cut metal, which has a greater thickness. 1.8 mm. The advantage of the nozzle is considered a very even cut, as well as during the work there will be absolutely no sparks, and the metal will not be deformed.

When the cutting of the metal is finished, it must be moved very carefully as the cut edge will become very sharp.

nozzle construction

The eccentric mechanism is at the base of the scissor design. For it needs to be turned on a lathe from a steel round bar the shaft for the installation of 2 large bearings.

On one side of it a shank is turned through so that it can be clamped in the drill chuck. It is necessary to leave thickenings on the second end of the shaft, which serves as a limiter for the bearings.To the long shaft, on the side of the diameter extension, a short shaft is welded with a slight offset, corresponding to the planting diameter of the smaller bearing. The result is an eccentric on which the bearings are mounted.

It should hold part of the shaft with the bearings, while the shank remains on the outside. If no pipe with a suitable inner diameter can be found, it can be partially counterbored.Next, the inner rings of the bearings must be welded to the eccentric. The outer ring of the outermost large bearing is welded to the tube.

In the next step the sliding shear knife is cut out of thick sheet steel. On one side in its end a fork is made equal in width to the diameter of the smaller bearing.

The workpiece is run between the lugs on the bearing. To allow it to move during the rotation of the eccentric, it is necessary to make a longitudinal groove for it in the tube. Using the results of the measurements, the lugs and the blade itself are drilled, and then it is cut to the correct shape.

Next, the second fixed lower knife is made. Unlike the first one, the escapement is led out on it and the sharpening is made.

Making a nozzle

The eccentric mechanism is the base of the shear construction. For it needs to be turned on a lathe from a steel round bar the shaft for the installation of 2 large bearings.

On one side, a shank is ground on it to allow it to be clamped in the drill chuck. On the second end of the shaft you need to leave a thickening, which will serve as a limiter for the bearings.To the long shaft, on the side of the diameter extension, with a slight offset is welded a short shaft corresponding to the seating diameter of the smaller bearing. The result is an eccentric piece onto which the bearings are mounted.

This should hold part of the shaft with the bearings, leaving the shank on the outside. If you cannot find a tube with a suitable inner diameter, it can be partially counterbored.Next, the inner ring bearings are welded to the eccentric. Also the outer ring of the outermost large bearing is welded to the tube.

In the next step, a movable shear knife is cut out of thick sheet steel. On one side a fork is made in its face equal in width to the diameter of the smaller bearing.

The workpiece is tried between the lugs on the bearing. To make it move when the eccentric piston rotates, it is necessary to make a slot in the tube for it. Based on the measurement results, the eyelets and the blade itself are drilled, and then it is cut to the correct shape.

Then the second fixed bottom knife is made. In contrast to the first one, the descent is led out on it, and the sharpening is made.