Hey guys I posted this on the Fabrication forum... then realized this is more of a bodywork question. I need to fabricate a panel for the inner wheel well (where it's spot welded to the hatch floor, against the framerail). I'm going to pick up aviation snips tomorrow, and I'd like two things: (1) compound action handles and (2) a full set (with straight, right, and left cutters).

But... Sears doesn't sell a full set of compound action cutters. They only sell a set with a left cutter and right cutter- no straight cutter. I found that Home Depot sells a compound action set, BUT, both the Upper AND Lower jaws are serrated!

Further poking around found that most aviation snips have at least one serrated blade. Trickster said that his aren't serrated, and he found them at Lowe's. I'll have to try that store tomorrow.

But- how do you guys deal with serrated snips? I really don't want to have to deal with grinding away the marks that the serrated jaws will leave, or pounding them flat...

Does anyone have the Craftsman compound action snips? Are the blades serrated? Their website didn't mention serrations...

Thanks!!

 

I have a pair of ProSnip and Irwin straight/left cut av. snips. The Irwins have a very slight serration (for making it easier to cut the metal and keeps the snips from wanting to 'slip' while you cut) and the Prosnip none. Both came from Rural King.
The proSnips had a very mild serration when brand new (a few moons ago) but, there's not too many times I've ever cut a perfect line anyways so usually the edge got knocked down with a grinder or a file (or both sometimes).
In the overall span of a project, an extra minutie or two knocking down a few edges isn't all that bad or time consuming. But, that's just my opinion of course...

 

Hey Tom, you might just get a good pair of tin snips...or, if the metal is to be cut straight, a cutoff wheel. Nibblers work pretty well too. All my aviation snips are serated, I didn't realize anyone made them any other way (mine are Wiss brand I believe).

 

Tin snips tend to distort the metal as you cut it (we don't use them much in the aviation industry) The best thing for what you are wanting is a cutoff disk for a die grinder. Also get a 3M rolock mandrel and some sanding disks for the final touchup.

 

cutoff disk or a nibbler is the way to go

 

Thanks for the help guys! Very true, Deadbird... hell I've spent enough time on the car already, what's an extra few minutes! And Morley, that's funny as hell... I guess the name is for marketing only?

I can't use anything powered because these are going to be small pieces... I'd take off my finger. I want something where I can hold the metal in one hand, slice a sliver off, hold it up against the part, take another sliver off, etc etc.

I searched locally and couldn't find any snips without a serrated edge. It was even harder to find offset jaws! So finally, I bought individual snips from Home Depot- I bought one left cut, and one right cut. I'll get a straight cut later (if at all). They were $15 each, made by Wiss, and besides being offset, they're compound leverage. I don't like to exert myself hahaha