| A metal shear is a precision tool which has a | | | | right place of cut. |
| high-carbon steel or chromium blade, and is used to | | | | Power shears are powered electrically and are |
| cutting a metals like aluminum, copper, brass or | | | | hand-held devices. They are used to cut straight lines |
| light-gauge steel or even plastic. | | | | or very large curves. |
| The various types of shears available are alligator | | | | Throatless shear can be used to cut complex straight |
| shear, guillotine, power shear, throatless shear and Tin | | | | and curved cuts in sheet metal, because the metal can |
| snips. | | | | be moved around the cutting blade. |
| The Alligator shear is more popularly known as a lever | | | | Tin snips are hand tools that can cut sheet metal and |
| shear. It is a metal-cutting shear with a hinged jaw. It is | | | | are available in two variants. The tinner's snips are |
| usually powered by a flywheel or hydraulic cylinder. | | | | similar to the common scissors and compound action |
| The jaw size used can range from 4 to 36 inches | | | | snips use a compound leverage handle system. The |
| long. These are used to cut steel members such as | | | | tinner snips have long handles and short blades and |
| pipe, angle, etc. The alligator shears are used for | | | | have extra wide jaws. The straight pattern tin snips |
| cutting long metal stock or to prepare scrap for | | | | can be used for straight cuts and the duck-bill pattern |
| shredding. | | | | is used for cutting curves and circles or other required |
| Guillotine is also called squaring shear or power shear. | | | | shapes. Other variants available include hawk-bills snips, |
| It may be powered by foot or mechanical energy. It | | | | circle pattern etc. |
| first clamps the material with a ram and then the two | | | | Compound action snips can handle aluminum up to 18 |
| blades make contact with each other to shear the | | | | gauge or mild steel up to 24 gauge. They can be used |
| material. The moving blade comes down to the fixed | | | | for straight cutting, left cutting and right cutting. The |
| blade and shears the material. The technique used for | | | | blades are serrated to maintain the friction and prevent |
| larger shears is different, with the moving blade set on | | | | the slipping of the metal. |
| an angle. The other parts of the equipment include a | | | | There are many other variants of shears. These may |
| shear table, work-holding device, upper and lower | | | | be available in the market according to the requirement |
| blades and a gauging device. The metal to be sheared | | | | of the shapes to be cut and the metal used. Some of |
| is kept on the shear table and the work-holding device | | | | the shears are usually designed for cutting soft metals, |
| keeps it from moving. The gauging device ensures the | | | | although occasional use on steel is possible. |