Tool for cutting steel mesh?

[Shrimp Life]

Hi everyone!

 

I need some help. I have some of those stainless steel mesh squares and I need to cut them smaller. What kind of tool will cut these?

Here is what I have-

 

 

[Soothing Shrimp]

Depends how thick it is.  Metal Shears or scissors will work for different thicknesses.

[Pokeshrimp]

Get some diagonal cutters. Should work for most mesh. Iwwouldn't want to use scissors cause it could ruin them.

[Shrimp Life]

The mesh is very hard, so the scissors wont work (thanks though soothing)

 

Ok I will look into diagonal cutters, (thanks poke)

[Soothing Shrimp]

Sure thing.   I didn't know how thick it was.  heh  I've used scissors on SS screening before, but that's very thin.

[Shrimp Life]

Sure thing.   I didn't know how thick it was.  heh  I've used scissors on SS screening before, but that's very thin.

I totally understand! I figured thats what you thought. That is very easy to cut and it does work for the thin kind. Thanks for your input. I bought this thicker kind on ebay and the squares are too big for my project. Looking to cut it down. I had some craft cutting tool that is used for jewelry making and it does cut very thin metal but that also was not strong enough. I'm not really that knowledgable about cutting tools so anyone hear who has cut metal can help me?

[Soothing Shrimp]

I've used this kind for thicker metal before:

 

[Shrimp Life]

do you know where I can get those? 

[Soothing Shrimp]

Any hardware store will have 'em.  Technically they are called snips.

 

http://www.menards.com/main/search.html?search=Aviation+Snips

 

http://www.homedepot.com/s/Aviation%2520Snips?NCNI-5

[35ppt]

I think harbor freight has them. May also be called tin or aviation snips.

[Shrimp Life]

awesome, thanks so much!

[Vpier]

Any hardware store will have 'em.  Technically they are called snips.

 

http://www.menards.com/main/search.html?search=Aviation+Snips

 

http://www.homedepot.com/s/Aviation%2520Snips?NCNI-5

"Menards" your definitely from the midwest. Tin snips work great.

 

I know the jingle is in your head

"Save big money at Menards"

[Soothing Shrimp]

You know it. Lol

[jem_xxiii]

Yep, tin snips are the way I go about cutting little squares of SS.

[35ppt]

I think harbor freight has them. May also be called tin or aviation snips.

I should point out that HF quality is on the low end for most of their products. 

Always use a coupon, as well.

[Crackhead Johny]

Are you cultivating moss or trying to free moss that came on mesh?

 

I like these for cutting up heavy (for moss) mesh on the back of moss to free it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBSFAI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpagethey fit your hand, do not complain about cutting the mesh, and also work great as finger and toe nail clippers.

If you have to do a lot of cutting because you are cultivating then snips would be the way to go. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N5LD?keywords=sheet%20metal%20scissors&qid=1452725872&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2(I think these were the ones I preferred to the standard snips for screen and mesh?). If you are growing on a large scale have you looked into precut mesh?

 

While pneumatic shears and nibblers work great on sheet metal, I suspect there might be issues with mesh.

[Shrimple minded]

Those micro-shears look very handy.  Nice recommendation, senor Crackhead.

[Shrimp Life]

Are you cultivating moss or trying to free moss that came on mesh?

 

I like these for cutting up heavy (for moss) mesh on the back of moss to free it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IBSFAI?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpagethey fit your hand, do not complain about cutting the mesh, and also work great as finger and toe nail clippers.

If you have to do a lot of cutting because you are cultivating then snips would be the way to go. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00002N5LD?keywords=sheet%20metal%20scissors&qid=1452725872&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2(I think these were the ones I preferred to the standard snips for screen and mesh?). If you are growing on a large scale have you looked into precut mesh?

 

While pneumatic shears and nibblers work great on sheet metal, I suspect there might be issues with mesh.

Just small scale. I grow my moss on various things but I want to try mesh too. The mesh is too large. It is thick steel mesh like the one pictured way above. I think I will go for the snips. Thanks Johny!