Cutting Sheet Metal With a Paper Cutter

**tmate3** · Feb 14, 2021, 07:34 PM

I have an old fashioned Olsen paper cutter I retrieved from a dumpster about 35 years ago. It has a wood base and is quite sturdy. I have used it regularly to cut sheet metal up to about .020" thick. It will cut about 12" easily, and if a longer cut is needed, I just go at it from both sides of the sheet.

Since you can make partial cuts, it has the same versatility as hand shears, but without the curling. Anything thicker than .020" gets tough on the cutter.

A "Premier" 18" or 24" paper cutter, available at globalindustrial.com, would probably get the job done too.

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**DIYer** · Feb 15, 2021, 04:41 AM

Thanks tmate3! We've added your Sheetmetal Cutter to our Metalworking category,
as well as to your builder page: tmate3's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Sheetmetal Cutter by tmate3

tags: sheetmetal, cutter

**Baddog** · Feb 16, 2021, 03:04 PM

I have a Milton-Bradley (who knew?) Popular 5215. Not as beefy as yours, but cuts card stock and very thin aluminum quite well. Not sure I want to use it on steel though.

**Paul Alciatore** · Feb 22, 2021, 03:04 AM

Been using my old paper cutter for sheet aluminum up to 0.032" for quite a while. The main problem is holding it down well enough to not make a curved cut.

Poor man's sheet metal cutter!