Steel fabrication requires skill and precision along with knowledge of physics and chemistry, and involves the application of some intricate machinery. There are a few special tools of the trade which every fabricator uses daily to perform their job.
Here is a list of a few tools of the trade for steel fabrication:
- Cold saw – A circular saw to cut metal. They use a blade to transfer the heat generated by cutting into the chips created by the saw blade. This allows both the blade and material being cut to stay cool.
- Bender – Is a machine for folding sheet metal. It is a common item in the sheet metal work environment. It can bend metals such as galvanised steel, brass and aluminium.
- Grinder – A type of machine using an abrasive wheel as the cutting tool. Each grain of abrasive on the wheel’s surface cuts a small chip from the workpiece.
- Drill press – A drill press is desirable in comparison to a hand drill when the position and orientation of the hole must be controlled precisely. A drill press is for the most part composed of a base that supports a pillar, the column in turn supports a table. Work can be supported on the table with a vice or hold down clamps, or the table can be swivelled out of the way to allow tall work to be supported directly on the base.
- Guillotine – Sheet metal guillotines are important pieces of equipment in sheet metal workshops. They make clean, precise cuts in sheet metal and are also fairly easy to maintain.
- Power roller – A power roller uses plate rollers, to roll sheet metal to form curved cylinders or panels.
