Start Making With Metal - No Welding!

Welders need not apply! Learn how you can start working with metal with or without specialized tools, along with tips on how I make my vintage signage.
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TOOLS & MATERIALS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO
(Please keep in mind some of these are merely similar to what I own, because some of my specific tools are no longer available. I have not tried all of these specific brands.)
▶ Wen Metal Shear (Similar Item): amzn.to/3xDWPYE
▶ DeWalt 20V Max XR Jigsaw: amzn.to/3VJLSwS
▶ Bosch T118A Jigsaw Blades for Metal: amzn.to/4clOZCd
▶ AFA Tooling Deburring Tool (Similar Item): amzn.to/3XJptCc
▶ Noga DB1000 Sheet Metal Deburring Tool: amzn.to/3XK72xn
▶ Harbor Freight Horizontal Metal-Cutting Bandsaw: tinyurl.com/3z9yjk88
▶ Lenox Diemaster 2 Vari-Raker Bandsaw Blade, 64.5": amzn.to/3W0Gree
▶ Kodiak End Mill for Aluminum: amzn.to/4bs77cn
▶ AccuCutter 13" Heavy Duty Guillotine Shear (4001 Series): tinyurl.com/4dfbr2pv
▶ Astro Pneumatic Nibbler (Similar Item): amzn.to/3W1K6Zk
▶ Crescent Wiss MetalMaster Aviation Snips (Straight): amzn.to/45KKw9v
▶ Crescent Wiss MetalMaster Offset Aviation Snips (Left & Right): amzn.to/4cCUITM
▶ Hyde Plastic Cutting Tool (Similar Item): amzn.to/4bmWVBL
▶ Diablo 10" Laminate/Non-Ferrous 84-Tooth Saw Blade: amzn.to/3W2rvMu
▶ Klein Tools Hand Notcher: amzn.to/37YX4gI
▶ Hurricane Sheet Metal Hand Seamer: amzn.to/4cGpmfc
▶ Midwest Offset Sheet Metal Hand Seamer: amzn.to/3RL3x60
▶ Grizzly 48" Pan and Box Brake: tinyurl.com/8ty5zkzn
▶ Grizzly 12" Slip Roll: amzn.to/4bxOAeQ
▶ Metal Magery Spring Drill Stop Set (Similar Item): amzn.to/3IfELXC
▶ Cleco Fastener Kit for 1/8" Holes (Similar Item): amzn.to/3wCfp33
▶ Cleco Fastener Deluxe Kit (Similar Item): amzn.to/3gkfoW5
▶ Milwaukee Step Drill Bit Set: amzn.to/3zhRdnm
▶ Eastwood Deep Metal Hand Punch: amzn.to/3XJGigA
▶ Lichamp Manual Knockout Punch Kit: amzn.to/4cnrAjB
▶ Parts Express Hand Nibbler (Similar Item): amzn.to/4d0at7J
▶ Harbor Freight 3-in-1 Riveter Kit: tinyurl.com/37f5d76p
▶ Harbor Freight Pneumatic Riveter: tinyurl.com/mpz5yyej
▶ Wintools Pneumatic Riveter (Similar Item): amzn.to/3XF2SH7
▶ Wicks Aircraft 3-Inch Hand Rivet Squeezer Kit: amzn.to/3L7mzjs
▶ Simple Aluminum Brazing Rods (Appears to be the same as Alumiweld): amzn.to/3XLG7Bs
▶ Newborn 250 Super Smooth Caulking Gun (What I use with Thixo): amzn.to/3iMm03u
DIY SHEET METAL BRAKES
There are way too many designs to choose from. Go nuts!
▶ kzbin.info?searc...
CHAPTERS
00:00 And You Can, Too!
01:38 Cutting
05:05 Deburring
06:02 Back to Cutting
15:39 Bending
23:55 Feel Like Makin' Holes
28:26 Let's Talk About Alumium
30:39 Fasteners & Adhesives
37:03 Liftoff!
Note: I may earn a commission from certain product links.

[@yachtsteve]

I was less than 10 seconds into the video before I had to comment on it. No plumber has ever looked at someone else's plumbing and said that guy knows how to plum. I just about spit out my coffee. No mechanic has ever looked at someone else's mechanic work and said that guy knows what he's doing it's so funny and I don't know why it is but it's so true.

[@TheDarkPreacher65]

If you are going to get into riveting, and doing a lot of it, save your hand, invest in a powered rivet gun. Pneumatic, electric, whatever you choose, a powered rivet gun will keep you from having to spend all that rivet gun money on painkillers and wrist braces.

[@higgy82]

"Get in to riveting"...try actually actually paying attention. He has a pneumatic and has been riveting for years.

[@Watthead80]

​@@higgy82 I believe he was talking to those who are NOT already "riveting".

[@staceymccloud6]

Yes, but with any tool, master the hand powered one before buying a powered one.

[@notfeedynotlazy]

Another tip for beguinner riveters: you don't need a rivet squeezer to put solid rivets, you can do it old school with a small ballpen hammer and a hand-held anvil. It _(edit: the squeezer)_ just makes it *so much* easier.

[@wyw876]

...and don't forget the hearing protection. My first day working with an electric rivet gun ended with me being unable to hear my wife that night. I made damn sure I supplied my own earplugs for the rest of that job.

[@kaleygoode1681]

When using tubes like the JB-Weld, don't open the cap: unfold the other end, snip a tiny corner and squeeze the product out, then crimp the end up again with pliers and refold. This is a far more airtight method, especially for highly volatile products like shoe glue.

[@GLACIOUS13]

Thanks!

[@johndeggendorf7826]

🤔 Genius idea…thanks. 🙏🍷🎩🎩🎩✌️

[@michaelhockus8208]

huh interesting!

[@landondavid5773]

I will definitely be trying this. It’s so annoying when the caps crack and then it makes a mess everywhere

[@Geeksmithing]

A 40 min metal working class? Yes please! It's just riveting content from beginning to end! Seriously though. This format is great. Please do more.

[@Nevir202]

Pun intended?

[@you2449]

Yeah, this was my first introduction, and it was amazing.

[@Geeksmithing]

@@Nevir202 always

[@Nevir202]

@@Geeksmithing A man of culture...

[@TheKnightArgent]

I really like this format. Your humor has always been great, but this "I'm showing my brother's kid how to do it" vibe is really cool.

[@MrAlFuture]

Yep I wholeheartedly agree!

[@nathanpowell1500]

The ratio for a caulk gun is the thrust factor that will be applied to the tube plunger from the force of you squeezing the handle. You apply 10 lbs of force, and it will apply 80 lbs to the plunger.

[@stapuft]

Love seeing someone use words like thaumaturgy in an everyday situation.

[@creesenebeker5686]

The first nibbler I bought (to mod a computer case for my nephew) was a hand tool. The window in the computer case was incomplete when I bought my second nibbler. It was an attatchment for a hand drill. Like your pneumatic version, it threw the bites all over the place. Cleaning them up reminded me to wear gloves when dealing with metal. This also caused me to tape a shop vac hose to the drill to collect those bites. The ability to cut straight lines, then curves, and turn tight corners, all without changing tools, convinced me the nibbler was a brilliant invention.

[@eldritchedward]

Agreed! I've helped a friend of mine build a few pieces of Plate-mail (just for show) out of thin steel sheets and without his nibbler some of the work would've just been very inconvenient and even more time-consuming.

[@cwilliams4227]

A trick if you use an air nibbler. Get a small drink bottle with the neck opening the same size or slightly smaller than the nibbler head. force it on maybe with a little heat till it stays. This will catch almost all of chips.

[@skeery2605]

This video sure does make sign making seem more approachable.

[@AerialLensVideo]

Really well done - THANKS! As a longtime metal fabricator, I must say this is the best video on the covered topics of binding sheet metal EVER! In less than 40 minutes, too!

[@notodd1]

I am a pre you tube self taught metal maker since elementary school. I just sent this video to my new apprentice. 40 minutes with you would take months to cover in the normal course of things. Great work, balanced, honest. You earned a sub

[@jeffp5991]

For your holes, you can get any spade bit and grind the sides to whatever shape you want. You can make some interesting patterns in wood using the same technique.

[@MFunkibut]

A Rip Taylor joke!?!?! Oh we are *old* my friend!

[@Smedleydog1]

I was hoping that I wasn't the only one that caught that reference.

[@shadywood6]

@@Smedleydog1 I had a "what year is this?" moment at that!

[@Tony-Tech]

Did you catch the green stamp reference too.

[@elliottrogers-cline6246]

Wesley Treat, for Mayor of all internet woodworkers/crafts ppl. Earnest, smart, no condescension, and a well of useful info and real no bullshit commentary on tools and techniques, not to mention entertaining. You have made me more confident in simply just beginning so many times.

[@notfeedynotlazy]

The trick that 99% of internet experts (and too many real experts, too) fail to mention: Cutting sheet metal with a jigsaw is *noisy.* Not a big deal, but you better plan accordingly. (Example: If you're not working in a dedicated workshop like Wesley but in your own home, warn your spouse before cutting, and try not to do it during times when there is something they want to watch on TV.)

[@kieren7763]

Im a automotive sheet metal worker and coach builder I can't say I disagreed with any of your statements and I watched the whole thing and learnt some things myself

[@texling93]

Great video. I had a seamless aluminum gutter business years ago. What we used to cut sheetmetal straps and splashguards was a swing line maple wood based paper cutter 18". works great

[@angierox6964]

I’m learning for small art and craft projects and watched your entire video because it was fun and interesting! Thank you so much. I recently purchased a few small welding type materials to experiment with. Thank you!

[@beardoe6874]

As a welder and plumber, I have complimented many welders and plumbers. I have also held my tongue many times when a weld looked OK but far beneath my standard or the plumbing wasn't done the way I would do it. But there is a lot of crap out there, welds that looks like bird shit, insufficient penetration, too much heat, plumbing that has inappropriate materials, poor routing, rubbing that might create a leak inside a wall years later, etc. I usually let people know when their welding or plumbing is garbage. Any way, I haven't seen you weld or plumb but if the reaction you get is so bad, you might have some Dunning-Kruger effect going on. Professionalism should include a certain amount of pride in craftsmanship that will make you strive to produce a product that will impress a professional. When I look at something I have made, the things that stand out to me are the details that didn't work out exactly as I planned or the one spot where my welds aren't as pretty as I like. A consumer that isn't a welder or plumber would almost certainly never notice the details that stick out like a sore thumb to me (because I know they are there). Another professional will notice those spots if I point it out or they examine it carefully but I have really fucked up if the first thing a pro says is "what happened here" referring to one of my less than perfect spots. Back to your video, hole saws can be great if you know what you are doing. I like a nice secure arbor to reduce chatter and walking. If you look at the saw material, it's like a bandsaw blade with the teeth pushed in and out in alternating fashion. If they cut a hole a bit bigger than you like, you can grind off a little of the outward bent teeth and sometimes that makes the hole saw cut smoother too. If you have a reasonable budget and need to do stuff like fishmouth thin wall tubes, look at rotary broaches (I think they are also called annular cutters). The cut quality is unmatched but you need a milling machine or a tube notcher to hold everything rigid during the cut. When drilling a hole for a rivet or self tapper, I would lay it out and use an automatic center punch to give your drill something to follow. I would also look at center drills and maybe extended length center drills. They are much more rigid with their large shank and I think the tip is a little better at following a center punch than a standard 118° drill tip. With all that said, I have done my fair share of sheet metal work and while I might have used slightly different tools, the only real.critique I can give is that the nose of the rocket is a focal point and you could have rolled one long piece to the radius of the rocket side, then bent it in your finger brake to create the point of the nose. That would be more symmetrical, less rivets. An average customer might never notice that but as a fabricator, that's the detail that sticks out, not because it looks bad or isn't a fine way to do it, it just makes me ask why. A reasonable answer would be "I didn't have a long enough piece of aluminum" or "I like rivets more than I like symmetry" but a lot of the time I hear stuff like "I didn't think of doing it that way" and I don't like to hear that from an artist or craftsman because that seems like a lack of creativity and the job of turning raw materials in to a quality product should use every bit of creativity you've got.

[@HBSuccess]

TLDR

[@beardoe6874]

@@HBSuccess I'm glad that you know your limitations.

[@OldSneelock]

Creativity is honed by experience. Experience is paid for with mistakes or given by a teacher. Good thought about the rocket nose treatment. Metal cutting hole saws can be run in reverse to cut aluminum without grabbing. The angles are aggressive for steel and may be too steep for aluminum. A drop of peanut oil on the blade will improve cutting. 40 years ago I installed a number of coolant applicators on swing saws at UTC in Coldwater, MI. The big takeaway from that was the special coolant they were selling at $25.00/gallon was just peanut oil. It stops aluminum from smearing on the cutting edge.

[@beardoe6874]

@@OldSneelock thanks for the peanut oil trick. You probably know ths but a great lube for cutting acrylic and other plastics is kerosene. It's especially useful on clear plastics because it leaves the surface almost polished instead of cloudy.

[@yukonica4560]

Top notch. Learned new approaches for manipulating the material. Usually I work with Dibond (or similar) for simple photo panels but you opened an option I haven't considered.... yet. Thank you.

[@MrBlackdogBarker]

I am a sign maker that cuts 063 aluminum all day long. Spiral up metal single flute bit with 60 to 70 Inches per min. 20000 spindle speed. Light oil or misting fluid. But the key is a vacuum table. Stick it down so it can’t move at all and you will be an aluminum cutting pro…

[@WesleyTreat]

Yeah, that's my holdup. I hate using lubrication on the CNC, because I use it for wood, too.

[@AndreasBested]

​@@WesleyTreatwouldn't a sacrificial sheet of mdf help? From what I've seen just a few drops of WD40 goes a long way as coolant

[@KeithOlson]

@@WesleyTreat Another option is what a lot of woodworkers use: cut close to the line with a jigsaw/etc., then use a pattern bit in your router--with the pattern stuck on the sheet to guide it--to trim to final size. You'll get a perfectly smooth cut and surface with just two passes.

[@LiqdPT]

​@@KeithOlsonhe said he tried that a long time ago and hated it.

[@travers114]

@@WesleyTreat I do the same all day every day and use a single flute endmill with no coolant because I use a sheet of mdf as a spoil board. It honestly works great. If your spindle isn’t rigid, go slower than 60ipm, and make sure your tool stick out is short, and the endmill you use has a short flute. I cut 1/16in typically and use tools with a 1/4in flute length on a vacuum in a single pass. Also, my greatest purchase ever was a bench top buffing machine with a scotchbrite exl deburring wheel. The wheels are expensive, but last for a good time, and you will never want to touch sandpaper or files again.

[@throngcleaver]

Great video, just subbed! For deburring, my go-to is a convolute wheel mounted on a pedestal grinder. Some people call them ScotchBrite wheels or Beartex wheels, but there are several brands, widths, diameters, hardnesses, and grit types to suit your application. I use my 1"w x 6"d wheel for deburring sheet metal, machinings, structural metals, sharpening knives, polishing hammer faces and bucking bar faces, and many other uses. With a full sheetmetal shop, weld shop, and fabrication shop, that wheel gets used more than any other tool. They're not cheap, but if you get the right one for what you're doing, it will last a long time. They work better and much faster than any method I've found.

[@VideoSampleAccount]

Thank you this and every other video you have made, it's been incredibly valuable for my growth as a maker. I made my first 14' illuminated sheet metal marquee sign last year and it was incredibly satisfying, especially spraying it with the weathering fluid you suggested. One thing I've been doing with my aluminum project enclosures is flow drilling, it lets you make a tapped hole in thin material and saves on rivet nuts. I appreciate you!

[@WesleyTreat]

Awesome!

[@SmithDrewSmith]

Great video! I built a thermoforming oven a few years ago and this would have been extremely helpful. Thanks!

[@jeffreysnethen9586]

I went to one of the top welding schools in the country at the time, had recruiters from underwater welding schools asking me to go to there school after getting my 2 year degree, been welding for over 40 years, a lot of difficult jobs, learned a lot but no matter how much one thinks they know someone always knows a different way :) built a cabana once with no welder & I felt lost, what you are doing is old school cool! , yes there is a skill set but also some artistic talent to what you are doing! the cool thing about no welding is no distortion control, the rivet look is very cool! the only small thing I can add about Aluminum is cleaning with acetone works great for my tig welding, thanks for the cool video!!!!

[@clintgosch2306]

All good information! You are correct, It's not as difficult as most people think. the most difficult part of getting into metalworking projects is to stop overthinking things. Thanks for sharing!

[@makingtolearn]

Outstanding video! A lot of really useful tips and tricks, even for experienced metalworkers. Subscribed!

[@dqauto500]

Great video!!! Thank you!!! I love working with aluminum for all of the reasons you mentioned! Great ideas and techniques! I’m going to use those!!!

[@adamwg80]

As a machinist and a casual maker in the DFW area, I'm glad to have stumbled across your content. Not sure why it took me so long to get here, but I think I'll stick around and check it out.

[@beachcomberbob3496]

Regarding hole saws, my job as an industrial electrical engineer (since the mid 1970s) meant I had to use them on a regular basis. I never found one type that really pleased me - thin replaceable blade ones used to burn out the teeth and thicker bladed ones (e.g.Sandvik etc.) were darned expensive (and still burned out teeth!) Recently though, after decades of going through all sorts of arrangements, I found the ABRACS brand. With one arbor, you can fit many hole size cobalt blades (virtually without tools) and I've cut even 2 inch holes in steel I beams` without any tooth damage. Worth the investment, and you don't have to buy all the sizes at once, although they do make sets with multiple sized blades, arbor and pilot drill all in a handy case. I'm not sponsored - just very impressed!

[@jdrumbold990]

Love the video Wesley! I actually loved watching your doughnut sign video and makers sign video so much that I started making a Marquee sign in February. I found spade bits with the fangs on Amazon and they were great. I drilled about 100 holes. Keep up the great work!🔥

[@Attoparsec]

A good horizontal bandsaw was the first big investment in my shop, and I still use it all the time. Definitely worth the extra cost to get a swivel head style, in my opinion, it makes changing the angle sooo much easier.

[@kylemccabe6578]

Hi Wesley. Great video, brother. As for end mills that will cut your aluminum in a single pass… I used 3/16” and 1/4” single flute end mills by Onsrud. This was at a large sign company that constantly kept the CNC running. The end mills lasted forever months and never seemed to dull. I only replaced them if they broke, which admittedly, would happen every couple of months. But yeah… single pass on 5052 aluminum, mostly .063 and .090 thickness… no problem at all.

[@uncleremus64]

Nice work. You explain things beautifully. Came to see an expert craftsman and left with a vocabulary lesson.

[@IstasPumaNevada]

I used those big metal shears (yellow handle, straight cut) to make aero mods for my cars out of galvanized sheet steel flashing, flat and l-shaped aluminum bars, pop rivets, and slotted hex washer head sheet metal screws. Used pliers, screwdriver, and hammer to fold over the edges to keep them nice and safe. Purely for fuel efficiency. Got 4.25% improvement in mpg at 55mph out of my 05 Accord from a subset of the mods.

[@alankott3129]

Sandpaper on Aluminum edges seems a great way to come up with new cuss words.

[@Tinker001]

Only if you forget to pay attention & let your fingers hit the edge before the paper does.

[@notfeedynotlazy]

@@Tinker001 That's why a simple metal file (highly sofisticated tool) can be yor best friend.

[@Tinker001]

@@notfeedynotlazy Yet not as easy to use for the task as a simple bit of sandpaper.

[@notfeedynotlazy]

@@Tinker001 My own 30 years of experience using files tend to disagree.

[@wouterke9871]

Use textile backed sandpaper, not the cheap paper back sandpaper

[@mjh7577]

So, I don’t really have any experience with any of this but occasionally using a pop rivet or tinsnips, yet found this video interesting and entertaining….thank you Wesley! Seems like something I would find enjoyable to try making something out of aluminum.

[@jonchalk3855]

I just learned a lot today. Did not know that there are so many different bending tools and metal cutting tools. The v-cutter is one of the most interesting one. So, yes, it is possible to bind metal without welding. My brother-in-law was a master welder until a massive tornado caused a major injury. Now he does other projects.

[@PleasantRanch]

Great video as always, Wesley! A tip about feeds and speeds: I use the “tools today” tool database, which is available on their website. It has all the feeds and speeds for every Amana bit they sell. Not using an Amana tool? Simply choose the tool with the same attributes as yours (say, a 1/4 radius, 2 flute, down cut bit) and you’re golden. This database has never let me down and has saved me hours and money for sure.

[@nicknimocks1792]

Thanks for all the tips! Always amazed by your sign work and patinas you do on each one.

[@Victoria-jo3wr]

Awesome video Wesley, thank you!! You answered a lot of questions that I've had.

[@VWKID61]

Wesley you are contributing to my tool addiction 😳 not to mention my skill set. I thank you sir. 😎

[@alanm3438]

My friend, Jonni Good from Ultimate Paper Machi, forwarded you video to me. I used to work in a small steel fabrication shop. I was a laser operator, and I would look the things that I was throwing away. What can I make with this??? Later on, I bought a small CNC plasma cutter and a welder. I made and sold some metal art. Some things were dog silhouettes on a rod, and other things were multiple parts and 3D to make a flower. My sales friend and I started the business, but COVID shut me down. The sheet metal scraps from work saved me a lot of money. I sure miss making things with my CNC. I made a lot of custom programs. Your work is a little different than mine. Thanks for the video. I love watching people create things.

[@kristinev7671]

❤ Jonni Good

[@lloydsims1573]

as a handyguy, I appreciate your inclusion of simple tools. creative!

[@Sendrim]

This video couldn't have come at a more perfect time. I just got over 30 000 rivets last month and I don't know what to do with that many. Now I know something I can use them for and at the same time fill my walls with fun stuff! :D

[@dirtapple1716]

For hand sanding, Festool makes a great foam backed sandpaper. I recently got some for a table I built and it is a game changer. For things that have protrusions or corners the foam helps the sandpaper conform. I used to have a hard time not sanding the finish off corners when I was finishing things but it really is a game changer. Not cheap though! but a good product to be aware of.

[@clintturtle]

I really loved this video!! As someone with zero knowledge of the subject, it's really cool to see so many different ways to do the same thing. I'd love yo see more videos in this format!

[@akbychoice]

I have a nibbler like the manual one you show about 3/4 way through the video, it’s very handy. I also have a manual cutter that cuts like your electric shears but for more intricate cuts.

[@davidhyson9910]

That is the most I have leaned in the shortest period in a long time! I had to set some counter sunk rivets recently in .100" aluminum. Using an 1/8" Dewalt countersink tool made for wood worked just fine. Getting the rivet flush is more of making a diameter Gage as a "check tool" (or a caliper) and matching OD as you plunge the taper. Also bonding metals can also be done as you say. My go to is 3M 08115 Panel Bond. They use it in automotive construction and repair. It will not come apart! Needs it's own 2 part caulk gun Joining your Patron, take my money LOL

[@sgsax]

So many cool tips, makes me itch to try it out. Always a fan of your art. Thanks for sharing, fellow nerd!

[@mumblbeebee6546]

Bless you, Wesley! What a friendly, generous and useful video!

[@sparky7071]

Great video. Knipex pliers wrench works great for bending small pieces of metal and not damaging the surface.

[@danielgordon176]

Thank you! You are a very talented artisan and teacher.

[@1coppertop]

I enjoyed the video. In the steel yard we would crank up the stick welder and drag a new rod across the aluminum sheet and it would perforate a line to break off for recycling. Crude but quick

[@Applez357]

Another reason besides the obvious to wear safety glasses: aluminum isn’t magnetic unlike other metals so it could mean the difference between the ER doc using a magnet to take out the shard out of your eye or digging it out 🫣

[@Attoparsec]

Ah yes, the eye dremel! That was a fun tool to learn about. The really annoying thing -- I was wearing eye protection! But a chip got lodged in my hair and fell out hours later.

[@you3d]

Really great instructions, keep it up!

[@maxwellmatches]

Excellent video, so many great tips.

[@MrClickbang357]

You can braze aluminum using aluminum "rods" and a propane gas plumbers torch! It really works and there are some videos on youtube. Worth a watch! I used this technique recently to seal an old pot that was leaking.

[@joerope5502]

Great video. I'm just 'testing the waters' with metal working. I'm subbed to you now.

[@andrewsvaz]

An impressive amount of knowledge in a very nice format. Thank you very very much. Great job, btw.

[@michaelsablan8772]

Aloha Wesley, and one more thing….at Home Depot or Lowes….in the soldering section or welding, they sell these rods(labeled for different metals)for like brazing or “welding” with a torch. They sell those rods for alumium lol, too but they sell out fast. Try a small piece and bash it with a hammer to test the strength….simple to use, try it out Braddah!? Mahalo nui….

[@DrawBoySeanie]

Loved this! Really does make it seem so much more approachable that I would have thought. Thanks Wesley!

[@JesseCase]

I will definitely be remembering that paddle bit trick! That made quite a fast and clean hole! 👍

[@RexAnothership]

I use a paint scraper for de-burring metal or making a small chamfers. You need to grind a new rake and I usually flatten out the profile a bit too. Works on plastic, wood long grain, mild steel, aluminum, copper, just about anything softer than the blade hardness. Change the rake to the hardness of the material. Reduce rake if you get chatter. I adjust the rake so that it pulls clean long shavings. Sharpen till you run out of material. One blade lasts me a year. Also you can make this in any shape you need for the job. It takes a little getting use to but once you get the hang of it, I haven't found better. I also sharpen the rake freehand as you can shape the profile edge for the job.

[@marcusretaken72]

Such a Treat to watch! Love your videos man. Always happy to see a new video pop up.

[@jeremytankersley]

"I feel like RIP Taylor!" got a genuine LOL from me. Great reference.

[@tomim7187]

Thanks for this great tutorial Wesley! Learned a bunch of useful stuff. Hope to see you at Maker Camp.

[@sprN0VA]

This was great, thanks for sharing! Try looking into Annular Cutters for cutting deeper passes. I'd tell you the recommended feeds and speeds, but I haven't delved into metal working yet - just "conducting research".

[@Gunbudder]

28:10 my great grandpa machined his own hole cutter. its essentially a very tiny fly cutter you might find on a mill, but its very small and its balanced so you can free hand it. he made a very tiny cutting tooth for it (like a inner groove cutter nub) so it has a kerf of maybe 1/8 inch or a bit less. it has the option to use a pilot bit or not so you can have an unmarred disc if you are chucked up in the drill press or use a pilot bit for free handing it. its pretty awesome. to adjust the size of the hole, you just turn a screw which moves the cutter in or out from the center. its basically what your spade cutter is doing, only mine is adjustable and has one cutter nub instead of the two on a spade bit. it seems like you just want a tiny fly cutter

[@WDWysong]

Excellent teaching! Clear explanations...so well done!

[@GLACIOUS13]

This was awesome! You had a lot of things that I enjoy! Retro transitions, impressive vocabulary, HUMOR, knowledge, demystification, encouragement, choices and fun! Not only that but, I think I will ACTUALLY visit you sponsor "Delete". First video - "Subbed". Edit: Gosh darn it! I missed the auction!

[@deziomakes]

This is a pinnacle of KZbin content. So much information shared in a friendly, interesting way. Thank you for teaching. Also, I was thinking... I suppose one could grind a spade bit in such a way to reveal spurs which could be honed.

[@ScamstinCrew]

My favorite hand seamers (bending tongs) are my set of 90° feels natural and give leverate to really get a good sharp bend. In the trades we decided to just use stainless mandrel stainless rivets for our jobs. They have better hold than aluminum and you dont have to worry about rust weeping or aluminun galv interaction

[@siukcnc]

Totally on board with you on this, many people over look working with alumium (that's so much easier to type), when making products they want to sell. I fell into it by accident, never looked back, before that, chaning a fuse was about as hands on as I got with anything. If you have a bench grinder, get a fibre wheel for it for deburring, it does it in a fraction of a time. As for the CNC on alu, if you want to take decent cuts in it, get DLC coated bits, single flutes, they cut clean, fast and no lubricant required. I have numerous vids on my channel about this, I cut up to 3mm thick in single pass with these daily. They'll certainly do the 1-2mm no problen and fast! i cut 2mm alu 24k RPM, 1500mm per minute cut speed, with a 3mm (1/8th) bit 90% of the time. Thats on 1050, 5000, 6000 series alloys! A lot of 1050, that's my go to and that;s the one they tell you, you can't machine - I have videos on that too!

[@WesleyTreat]

Thanks!

[@dustyncole8093]

This is why I subscribed to this channel to start with love the sign episodes

[@scottwhite2379]

I bought a jet version of that band saw 20 years ago. I use it upright 90% of the time. I have had nibblers for years. Mostly used for body work. Pain in the ass tool. We use with a vacuum so its not a pain in in the foot tool. A few years ago i bought a nibbler that goes in a drill. It is so much mor versitile because you can rotate the head and drill to get infinite combinations compared to the air nibbler.

[@senselocke]

Dude, this video is so useful, so irreverent, so goofy, and so bloody amazing, I subbed after one watch. Fantastic info and observations, from someone who isn't ashamed to point out the errors that us noobs WLL encounter. If you were teaching a class, I'd take it. And I REALLY apprciate that you have no snobbishness in your tools: if Harbor Frieght stuff works, it works, and it's something I can actually afford. Many videos assume a "beginner" can afford top-end stuff, and that's not at all true. Thanks!

[@jaustin3370]

@36:08 Self-Tapping Screws Type F Vs. Type B. Thanks for this valuable information for a newbie.

[@Name-ps9fx]

Spade bit without pointy things? Take an angle grinder and carve off about 1/16", leaving the pointies. (I've never done this, mainly because my spade bits have the pointy things, but if I only find the blunt ones, that's what I would try). I've done some hobby-level aluminiuiunm sheet metal stuff, mainly fabricating control panels for a flight sim I do, and you've given me a lot of ideas and techniques to improve myself! Thanks!

[@SuperGemma2010]

top job, love your work mate

[@Alanbataar]

Since you're doing a lot of sheet, I suggest looking into getting a Beverly shear -- that's a USA-made brand name, aka, throatless bench mount shear. They're awesome. They're a GIANT pair of snips. Also, regarding your spade drills, you can always use a grinder to cut those tips if they wear or break off.

[@ThoughtfulBiped]

Great presentation. Thank you.

[@bendavanza]

The Beverly throatless shear. Even the HF knockoff is not bad. It’s an amazing tool that takes up very little space in the shop and makes beautiful curves or straight lines.

[@michaelsablan8772]

Aloha Wesley! Eh Braddah, the first immediate thought I had….Why not take that spade bit and grind down the inside flat spots concave to the shank to create that point on the outside edge? see if that will work. I’m an aircraft mechanic and in my field and the stuff I have to do to get the job done, you don’t always have the right tool so my brain is always thinking on the fly with whatever I’m doing of modifications to a tool or something off the shelf in a store ….like metal cake spatulas to get under sealed aircraft panels since they are thin and bend like spring steel, cutting box end wrenches,especially ther geared type….drilling a hole in it and making a hinged point to get into a tight space at bolts. Many mods to tools we’ve done could have made me or the guys I worked with a little richer because next thing you know, Craftsman or SnapOn added it to their tool inventory long after we had made the tool(“You Snooze, you Lose” especially if you don’t know the right channel to get a patent tool idea/invention you made). Mahalo nui loa for sharing your knowledge, skill and time with me(us)!

[@milesfinlay]

All your videos are excellent, informative and nicely paced. This one is no exception and is absolutely a must-watch for many makers. You do not assume we know anything and you take the time to explain things simply. Experts (like yourself) sometimes get a superiority complex, you have not fallen victim to that! Thank you!!❤

[@JanSzymonGoowacz]

I make roofing from time to time and I use nibler, and few years back I boght one wich have set of two cuters- first is nibler make those quater moon she..t and second make same springi croll like Ur shear. And work realy good. I use it all the time.

[@walsakaluk1584]

You can grind spurs onto any spade bit. You can even grind regular twist drills to work as sheet metal drill bits for smaller holes.

[@RobbsHomemadeLife]

I don't work with metal but now I sure want to. I subscribed very happily looking forward to future videos I'm going to check out your older stuff

[@swp466]

I haven't tried them yet, but the spade bit photos on the Harbor Freight site show that they also have the cutting spurs... Cheap enough to find out how well they work.

[@kwslife116]

Good catch.

[@johnmneu]

Bosch also make spade bits with spurs.

[@swp466]

@@johnmneu Yes, but they also have a twist to them, which makes them nice and aggressive in wood, but maybe too aggressive in aluminum. That's the reason I didn't suggest Bosch.

[@johnmneu]

@@swp466 you mean alumium?;)

[@swp466]

@@johnmneu That too ;)

[@anthonycava5849]

Thanks for all the info!

[@huwgriffiths5424]

Really enjoyed this….fantastic 👍

[@amundsen575]

Speedbor drill bits can easily be sharpened. I have drilled a lot of holes and destroyed the edges on them hitting nails and wires! Break out a cut off disk and re grind a new edge, some of my bits are over 30 yrs old. I only replace em if I bend or snap them in half, I have reground them as well to make exact sizes that I needed. also try the 12" bits

[@wadekirby8575]

I've been told that spot welding aluminum is not possible. But I saw a guy on line do it by putting a scrap of stainless steel on both sides. Spot welding is also known as resistance welding because it uses the metals resistance to electricity to heat the joint. (And aluminum has good conductivity but stainless does not.)

[@Nacionarg]

It depends on the aluminum alloy and the temper. Unlike plain carbon steel (which can be welded by almost any method) aluminum is much more dependent on the composition, thermal treatment and welding method. Some alloys like 2024 may only be fairly weldable by spot welding in an annealed condition, and any other combination is not reccomended. The main problem with "unweldable" aluminum is that those alloys degrade and become less resistant and more prone to corrosion. 1100, 6061 and 5052 alloys are in general weldable by most methods. I'm talking from what I can recall, ASM Metals Handbook and manufacturers datasheets will give you more reliable information and are readily available.

[@jasonhamilton5756]

You can get spade bits with the spurs at Home Depot. I got some Diablo branded ones that had them because I like them for having less tare out in holing studs for electrical work.

[@amongstgreatdanes580]

I had some luck cutting small parts out of .040 sheet with a single pass using the tape and superglue method with an O flute upcut bit. My speed is about 12k with a pretty slow feed around 20 ipm. As always, test and adjust for good chip size and heat management.

[@brucelucas1756]

I really enjoy watching your channel, it brings me back to the one line of work I could use my imagination for. Thanks for sharing your entertaining videos. 😃👍

[@RealBLAlley]

I built a trailer with custom spare tire carrier and tongue jack mount and a modular sport rack for bikes and kayaks that attaches to the trailer with no welding. Metal cut off saw and a drill press basically.

[@jonsaircond8520]

Fantastic video thanks for making it

[@user-eu1qt2wu8b]

Toolstation in the UK sell Minotaur flat bits with the spurs and there's a budget brand called Toolpak that do Titanium coated flat bits also with spurs, also available on Toolstation's site.