How to cut a circle in a sheet of metal

Marking the metal

Before you cut a circle in the metal, you need to draw a marking. You will need a mallet, a puncher, a compass and a marker.

  • Place the workpiece on a flat surface.
  • Mark the center of the hole with a punch and mallet.
  • Draw a circle of the desired diameter on the metal with a compass.
  • Draw the contour with a marker.

circle, sheet, metal

Notice! The cutting line must be on the outside of the circle. This is necessary in order to get the part with the required diameter.

How to cut a circle in metal with a jigsaw

You can use the jigsaw to cut a circle in a sheet of metal of small to medium thickness. The process looks like this.

  • Consider the thickness of the metal, find a suitable blade for the jigsaw.
  • Equip your power tool with a fixture.
  • Mark out the workpiece before you cut the circle in the sheet metal.
  • Drill a hole with an electric drill where you start cutting circles.
  • Turn on the jigsaw and get to work. Cut a circle in the metal strictly on the contour.

Important! Consider the following features when using jigsaws to cut circles in metal.

  • The fewer teeth on the blades, the better. The line of the cut will be more accurate.
  • Circle-cutting in sheet metal with a jigsaw is reciprocating.
  • Control the angle of the blade carefully to avoid mistakes and inaccuracies.
  • Cutting a circle in metal greatly increases the chance of the blade breaking. Just in case, buy some cutting tools.

Picture : cutting a circle in metal with a jigsaw

One more point! Do not forget to use coolant.

How to cut a circle in metal with a welder

Note! Welding machine with a maximum current of 150 amperes can cut sheet metal up to 4 mm thick. To work with thick workpieces, you need a power tool with increased power.

Welding machines use thin electrodes to cut circles in metal. This saves time. But thin electrodes need to be changed often. This requires warming up of the metal after installation of new consumables.

Photo : Powerful domestic welder (max amperage 400A)

Classification of drills for square holes

The name “square drill bit” comes from the shape of the hole the nozzle is able to drill. Externally, such drills have a triangular shape (tip), but with their help it is possible to obtain openings with a square shape. The considered bits are classified according to a number of the following features:

  • Type of working material. it can be wood, metal or plastic
  • Material from which the nozzle is made. Depending on the material in which you want to get a square opening, nozzles are made of alloy, carbon or high-speed steel
  • Type of nozzle production. they are of two types: one-piece and compound type. Composite bits have an articulated (cardan) shank, through which the load on the tool chuck is reduced. Today, gimbal nozzles are extremely rare

Square drills of domestic production are produced in compliance with the standards of GOST 886-77, GOST 4010-77 and GOST 10902-77. However, foreign-made drills are very popular, which are manufactured in compliance with the relevant standards. The marking is indicated on the tail of the cutter, which provides information such as diameter, manufacturing material and company name.

Cutting out a circle in thick metal

In order to outline the exact contours of the figure that will be cut from the metal, you should use a ruler, a marking compass and a marker.

First, using a ruler, set the required width of the circular cutter so that it corresponds to the required diameter of the circle.

Then the center point of the circle is marked on the metal plane.

From it, using the compass, the contours are outlined.

To make them clearly visible during work, they must be drawn in with a marker.

Using a gas torch

A circle in the metal of medium thickness can be cut with a gas torch. The work is done in several stages:

  • The contour of the circle is drawn.
  • The tool torch is ignited.
  • The flame is adjusted.
  • Carefully and slowly the torch is driven around the drawn outline.

Using this method, you can cut an opening in the metal that is about four or five millimeters wide.

The marking of the metal

Before you can cut a circle in metal, you need to make a marking. For this you will need a mallet, a puncher, a compass and a marker.

  • Place the workpiece on a flat surface.
  • Mark the center of the hole with a punch and a mallet.
  • Draw a circle of desired diameter on the metal with the compass.
  • Draw the outline with a marker.

Pay attention! The cutting line should be on the outside of the circle. This is necessary in order to get the part with the required diameter.

How to cut a circle in metal: the best methods and valuable tips

Any construction, whether in your home or in production, involves working with metal.

Often, during the use of this material, the question may arise: how to cut a circle in the metal?

It deserves attention, because the choice of the right tool and technology directly affects the labor intensity of the process of performing the work and the quality of its result.

Marking the metal

The contour of the hole must be marked on the metal and cut out. Cut a round hole in metal is not as difficult as drilling a hole in the glass, but more troublesome. Marking is done with a marker, a ruler and not a compass marker. For a hole consisting of straight lines, the marking is carried out by means of a ruler not a marker. To mark the round hole use the compasses. To make the oil more visible, it is directed with a marker.

Using the jigsaw

If you need a perfectly straight circle, you can use an electric jigsaw to cut it.

  • First determine the thickness of the metal and select the appropriate saw blade for an electric jigsaw.
  • Before you cut a circle in the metal with the jigsaw, the contour of the circle to be cut is marked on the working plane.
  • Using a drill and drill bit (with a diameter of eight to ten millimeters) cut a hole, which will begin the work.
  • In the resulting gap is placed a saw blade jigsaw and cutting continues according to the outlined drawing.

Cutting with this tool is not time-consuming or labor-intensive. What’s more, you can cut a circle with perfect edges with a jigsaw. But this tool is used only for metal of minimum or average thickness (e.g. 2. 3 mm).

How to cut a circle in metal with a gas cutter

The gas cutter is the best tool for cutting circles in metal. This tool can be used to cut both thin and thick workpieces. This cutting method is characterized by maximum productivity and precision. Let’s describe the technique.

  • Before you cut a straight circle out of metal with a cutting torch, mark out the workpiece.
  • Light the torch.
  • Adjust the flame.
  • Slowly and accurately cut the circle in the metal along the marked out contour.

Picture : cutting metal with a cutting torch

Marking Metal

Make a mark before you cut a circle in the metal. To do this, you will need a mallet, a puncher, a compass and a marker.

HOMEMADE DIY Circle Cutter for Metal out of an old file and vice grips

  • Place the workpiece on a flat surface.
  • Mark out the center of the hole with a punch and mallet.
  • Draw a circle with a compass on the metal with the required diameter.
  • Draw the contour with a marker.

Note! The cutting line should be on the outside of the circle. This is to get the part with the required diameter.