A cutter for a metal profile for drywall: types, choice

Partitions, ceilings, false walls are often built from drywall. And it is mounted on a frame made of metal profiles. A significant part of the time is spent on the installation of this very frame. To reduce the time without loss of quality allows the cutter for a metal profile. This is a hand tool that connects two profiles in seconds.

What is a sheet metal cutter

A cutter or punching tongs is a hand tool for joining sheet metal products. The connection occurs due to the formation of a through hole in the parts to be joined. The connected parts are fixed by bending the formed metal petals. That is, to connect sheet metal products using a notcher, no fasteners or additional actions are required.

We put the working part of the tool in the right place, pressed the handles. The metal breaks through, its pieces are bent. All. Due to the fact that the metal “breaks through”, another name for this tool has gone – a punch for a profile. The same tool can be found under the name “pliers for connecting GK profiles.” That is how some manufacturers position it. There are other names – a punch, a hole punch for a profile. This is already from the jargon of builders and home craftsmen.

Outwardly, the cutter is the same pliers, but with long handles and an unusual structure of the working part. Like ordinary mites, they have two sponges, but they are different in shape. On the one hand a stop, on the other a punch. A punch is a protruding part that makes a hole in the metal. The stop is a thickened part with a hole into which the punch enters.

The shape of the working part is designed so that the metal petals that are formed when making a hole are slightly bent. This ensures reliable fixation of products relative to each other. The shape of the hole is usually rectangular, but may be square or round. Rectangular is preferable because it gives a more “rigid” connection.

Pros and cons of using cutters

This type of tool is not very popular yet. It is difficult to name the reasons, because the thing is really good. Especially for those who are engaged in the installation of drywall systems, and for home craftsmen, too, a necessary thing. What are the advantages:

• Fast and reliable connection of profiles. The speed of mounting the frame for drywall increases significantly. The principle of operation is simple: they brought the parts to be connected between the jaws, squeezed the handles, moved, repeated. And so as many times as required.
  

• There is no need to use fasteners. This saves time and money.
• The tool is manual, so electricity is not needed. You can work on any objects.
• There is no protrusion at the junction of the profiles. When mounted on rivets or self-tapping screws, the head protrudes above the profile surface. The self-tapping screw has more, the rivets have less. This prevents the drywall sheet from laying flat, without bending. When using a cutter, the bends remain on the “wrong” side of the profile. The front is obtained without protrusions. The sheet lies flat, which reduces the time for puttying and its consumption.
  

Few of those who tried to work as a cutter return to self-tapping screws. Although, I must say, there are some. Sometimes in difficult places, the connection is “grabbed” with a self-tapping screw, then a cutter is used, and the self-tapping screw is unscrewed. But these are those who like to play it safe. With some work experience, additional fixation is not required.

Disadvantages

Now for the cons. Using a drywall profile cutter really saves time. But the tool is manual and requires the application of muscle strength. With large volumes of installation, namely structures made of profiles, fatigue quickly accumulates. And by the end of the working day, the speed of work drops. The better the tool, the less effort is needed, but they are needed all the same. And this is a minus.

The second disadvantage is the complexity of disassembly. To separate the two profiles, it is necessary to unbend the metal petals. It takes more time than when unscrewing the screws. But less than when removing rivets. It seems that these are all the difficulties and disadvantages of working with a cutter.

There is another drawback, which is due to the shape of the working part. Some nodes – jumpers, clamps – it is simply impossible to “get” the cutter. The breaker won’t fit in there. There are models with very large “windows”, but they are not very good for ordinary connections. For professionals, having several different models is normal, but for home use, it’s a clear bust.

Self-tapping screws or notch

The fact that when using cutters, the sheet lies more evenly, has already been said. And this is a clear plus in favor of the slotted connection. The second unconditional plus is time saving. The third is the lack of consumables.

In the disadvantages of connecting GK profiles with a cutter, insufficient fastening strength is recorded. Self-tapping screws are more reliable. Perhaps, but the strength of the frame is needed only until the moment it is sheathed with GKL. And it will be enough with the head, even if only one fastener is made for each connection. But it is up to you to decide which is better – a cutter or self-tapping screws.

Types and designs

The assortment of cutters in our stores is not so large, but in large hardware stores you can see about a dozen different models. What are they? First, there are models for sheet metal (pictured below). They have a very small gap in the working part, which is also called the “window”. For sheet metal cutters, this window is only about a centimeter wide. Any metal will fit in there, but the drywall profile is only a guide (PN) or rack-mount (PS) with small shelves. And that can be a problem.

If we talk about models for connecting drywall, then they have a larger “window”. It is made in the form of a square, rectangle or with rounded corners. The larger the window, the easier it will be with fastening rack profiles with any shelf width. But then the size of the “head” increases, which is far from always convenient. Professionals simply have several different tools, and for repairs and domestic use they choose something in between.

There are also different shapes of holes: rectangular, round, square. There are different sizes. The thicker the metal, the larger the required punch (or bit). There are models with interchangeable punches, and there are rotary ones. For rotary or revolving (pictured above), the nozzle is changed by turning the wheel with bits of different shapes and sizes. If you plan to work with sheet metal often, this is a good thing. For occasional use, this luxury is useless.

There is also a cutter for a metal profile for convenient fastening of profiles under the ceiling or near the floor. Their handles are not a continuation of the working part, but are set at an angle. Some (Ultra Profil EDMA) at 90°, others at 45°. This tool speeds up your work even more when creating false ceiling framing.

One-handed and two-handed and the principle of operation

It is also worth remembering that there are one-handed and two-handed models. The one-handed ones have a return spring that opens the handles after the tension is removed.

One-handed work is far from easy. Especially on good profiles made of normal metal. So often one-handed still actuate with two hands. In this case, the procedure for working with a cutter for KG profiles is as follows:

• We expose profiles by level.
• With the left hand we fix them in the desired position.
• Tool on the right. We start its working part to the desired point, squeeze it until the bit hits the metal.
• We remove the left hand (the profiles are “held” by the cutter), we squeeze the handles with both hands.

Two-handed work is different in that the handles are at such a distance that you can’t even pick them up with one hand. Well, they are also designed to connect thicker metal.

How to choose a cutter for a metal profile

Perhaps the most difficult is the choice of a specific model of the cutter. They are divided, as usual, into household and professional. The price difference is more than noticeable. The cheapest and most acceptable in quality can be purchased for about $10, normal ones – from $20-30, and really good ones can cost $100 and more.

What is the difference? In a working resource and ease of use. And this means that more expensive ones use more durable and expensive metals, rubber and plastic for handles, etc. They have a more complex device of the working part, there is a mechanism that reduces the force required for connection. In general, there is something to pay for. But nevertheless, for periodic work, for the home, you can find quite good and efficient specimens in the cheap segment.

When choosing a cutter for a profile from any category, look at the following parameters:

• The maximum thickness of the fastened parts. Please note that the total thickness of the metal that this tool can pierce is indicated. That is, if 1,2 mm is indicated, this means that you can take two sheets of 0,6 mm or 0,8 mm + 0,4 mm, but not two sheets of 1,2 mm.
• The shape and size of the “window”. Rounded corners make work easier.
• The presence of a roller that pushes the punch. Such models are more expensive, but much less effort is required.
• The body is without defects, cavities, cracks, massive and heavy.
• Appreciate ergonomics.
  • Handles should be comfortable, with stops.
  • Ideally, if the handles have rubberized tabs. Otherwise, you will have to work with gloves – there will be corns.
  • Handles in the divorced state can be clasped with one hand.
• Smooth running under compression.
• Lack of backlash.

And it is very desirable that the company was well-known. Although, there are also nameless “Chinese”, which are very good for home use.