Metal nibbler tool review | Electric, cordless, Air or drill attachment?

Best nibbler drill attachment

• Corded Electric nibblers. Corded nibblers will never run out of power obviously, but you do need to run out multiple leads to get on a roof. Corded nibblers are the best tool for cutting sheet metal and roofing, and it cuts fast and clean.
• Cordless powered nibblers. Battery-operated nibblers are a lot more convenient for working in remote areas and places where there is no power outlet handy. These models tend to be underpowered compared to corded nibblers, however, and you do have to make sure that there is enough charge for the work you have to do, make sure the battery is 5 amp hours (ah) or greater this will give you a good amount of working time.
• Compressed air nibblers. Nibblers that run on compressed air are reasonably inexpensive if you already have a compressor. Compressors are very loud, however, which could be a problem in some situations. The hose also tends to get in the way.
• Nibbler Drill attachment. This is a DIY alternative to an electric nibbler if a user has fewer cuts to do but wants a cheaper tool, in fact, they can be used with a bunch of guides making them great for metal art and smaller jobs.
• Manual hand nibblers. Can cut around corners like a nibbler can but it cuts extremely slowly, obviously because it’s powered by hand rather than an electric motor. The reason why electric nibblers are the tool choice for professional roofers is the speed they have and how easy they are to use.

Before buying a nibbler tool…

Choose the right brand.

Makita and Hitachi make the best nibblers. The models from these brands are generally very durable and can cut through a wide variety of materials.

They also tend to hold their edge well, which is essential when you need to do a lot of cutting. For compressor models, check out the nibblers from Ingersoll.

Know what cutting depth you need.

In general, it would be best to get a nibbler that has a high cutting gauge rating. Most models can cut 16 to 18 gauge steel fairly easily, although the best models can cut 16 to 10 gauge metal.

Keep in mind also that the thickness that a nibbler can cut varies on the material. Its also confusing that the smaller a gauge rating the thicker the cutting ability.

Is the tool Portable enough for your needs?

Cordless battery-powered nibblers always have the edge over corded models in terms of portability.  This could be an important factor if you have to work in tight spaces or places where there is no power outlet nearby. Compressed air nibblers are usually pretty powerful, but the hose makes it a less portable option.

Get a price that’s good in the long run.

Nibblers are fairly simple tools, but the best models aren’t cheap. I generally recommend getting a pro-level tool for even DIY work.

But for small cutting jobs and occasional DIY cutting, you can get the job done with similar results with an appropriate drill attachment–or even tin snips with-out having to purchase a  nibbler. If you are a professional an electric nibbler can be your top metal cutting tool.

Is the cutter head durable and can you replace it?

You need a nibbler that can cut through a wide variety of metals. Although you will probably be using your tool mainly for cutting sheet metal, it should be able to handle corrugated iron and other harder metals as well without losing its cutting edge too quickly.

You should also look at buying a replacement cutter head or 2 so you have them ready for when you need to replace it. Or choose a tool that includes extra punches for when they do wear out.

Choosing the best nibbler?

Electric nibblers can cut through metal the quickest and are arguably the easiest metal cutting tool to use in general, they make very clean cuts and do an excellent job at cutting metal roofing.

Nibblers have no problem cutting sheet metal around corners, angles, and even intricate shapes. I would say the only drawback is the price for DIY, as there are cheaper tools for cutting only straight lines like electric shears.

For building and construction however electric nibblers made by Makita, Hitachi and Fein perform better than other metal cutting tools, utilizing good cutting design and power making them the best tool for cutting sheet metal for roofing and building work.

Makita nibblers have more grunt and can cut thicker gauges than the air nibblers and other electric nibblers with both a 16 and 18 gauge model with a 5 or 6.2amp motor.

The Makita JN1601 16 Gauge 5 Amp nibbler is a better-sized tool for general use and is easier to handle while being a bit cheaper than the 10 gauge version

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The Makita JN3201 nibbler has 6.2 Amps of power making it the most powerful nibbler being able to cut up-to 10-Gauge roofing.

Want better portability with a cordless nibbler?

You can also get a portable nibbler with-out a lead, the best cordless nibbler is made by Makita it would give you the movement and flexibility to move without a compressor hose or power lead getting in your way when walking back and forwards on a roof fix or build.

Want better accuracy with an air nibbler?

Air Nibblers are easier to use because they are smaller and have a smaller handle to hold onto. They are also much cheaper than an electric nibbler given that you already have a portable air compressor, even still you don’t need a big compressor just look for one with a low DB rating.

Air nibblers cut fast and very smoothly, and are recommended for car panel work or more detailed roofing jobs as they are easier to hold move, and control with a smaller handle, but are a little less portable.

Save money with a DIY nibbler drill attachment?

A nibbler drill attachment can be a cheaper alternative for DIYers, some come with attachments that give you even more accuracy for cutting perfect circles in metal and straight lines with a guide like what’s included with the Canibble for example.

Why use a hand nibbler

There have been a few variations on this basic manual hand nibbler design over the years. Adel is one company that continues to manufacture hand nibblers based on standard styles, which are commonly called “punch and die” nibblers.

Companies such as Bessey took a different approach, designing nibblers that departed significantly from conventional designs. The company’s Super Nibbler is widely considered to be a significant step forward in a  manual nibbler design.

Super Nibblers differ from conventional nibblers in that the tool is held parallel to the work-piece. Although these types of nibblers still have only a single blade, they cut the material in pretty much the same way as shears, which is why they are often called nibbler shears.

With Super Nibblers, most of the cutting action comes from below the work-piece. Although they don’t eject shards in the same way as conventional nibblers, they still have shields for protection against the bits of metal that break off from the work-piece.

These Super Nibblers are usually longer than most other types of hand nibblers and require much less pressure, so the blades tend to last longer.

Nibblers vs. Electric shears vs. Tin-snips

If you are wondering about what is the best metal cutting tool? Then you need to consider both Nibblers, electric shears, and tin snips. These are all tools that perform similar jobs, but there are major differences, benefits, and drawbacks to each of them. There is, you could say more than one way to cut roofing. 

1. Tin snips

Aviation snips are the cheapest options by far. You can get a nice controlled cut with a good pair of snips, and you can cut across big sheets fairly easily, but only if you are directly cross-cutting the iron sheet. The of-cut needs to also be big enough to bend out the way to prevent jamming the tin-snip blades.

However, tin snips are less effective at cutting big cuts on metal sheets, as they can be pretty slow to work with. Tin-snips are best for cutting flashing’s and tidy up edges that you haven’t got perfect with an electric tool.

2. Electric-shears

Elecric shears come as either dedicated power tools or as attachments for impact drivers. The great thing about electric shears is the price, and having a portable tool that isn’t tethered to a compressor hose or a lead.

Electric shears can cut through metal sheets fairly easily with a straight cut, but they aren’t very good at cutting around corners, angles, or cutting along the corrugated iron, rather than cross-cutting. Although cross-cutting is the majority if not all the cutting that needs to be done as you can just give corrugated iron sheets extra lapping to suit.

 Electric metal shears can sometimes be cheaper than nibblers and can be powered by just your Makita or Dewalt 18v drill. Find out more here but a nibbler again can cut all these cuts effectively, with-out jamming.

How do nibbler tools actually work

Manual nibblers have been around in various forms for decades, but the basic design has remained pretty much the same. Using manual and electric nibblers require positioning the tool perpendicular to the sheet metal you are cutting.

You then apply pressure from the top, allowing the cutting edge to cut to “nibble” into the metal, cutting a little piece with an electric nibbler this cuts yes in a very fast manner punching its way through at up to 2,200 strokes per minute (SMP). Try doing that by hand. This action is what gives nibblers their name.

When nibblers cut they eject a piston-like cutting blade that punches and cuts small pieces of material 1 punch at a time, but this cutting motion is happening fast so that the tool glides through metal like butter with a  fast (SMP).

The of-cuts are usually pretty sharp, so most nibblers have plastic shields that protect you and your eyes from the flying debris.

There are also conventional manual nibbler designs, the pressure is usually applied in a single motion. There is often a considerable amount of force required, which places a great deal of stress on the blade, these, however, are only usable for the smallest of metal-cutting jobs, comparable to a pair of tin-snips, however, they can sometimes cut around corners more easily.

What metals and thickness can nibblers cut?

Hand-operated nibblers are usually used for cutting sheet metal. Most commercially-available models can cut metal at thicknesses of up to 18 gauge. Most nibblers can also be used to cut aluminum, copper, corrugated iron, PVC, and zinc.

Hand nibblers are especially useful for making inside cuts in sheet metal, even with tiny starting holes. The cutting point of a nibbler is small enough to fit into holes that are only 0.334 inches, so they are ideally suited for jobs that shears or snips can’t handle.

Electric nibblers are the best choice for making fast intricate cuts for sheet metal. These types of tools can cut into corners quite easily, and can even make small cuts in different directions with a great deal of precision.

If you need to make long straight cuts, electric shears is a cheaper tool for the job. For cutting work when you need to start on a corner, you could use a conventional hand nibbler to make the first cut, and then continue cutting the rest of the work-piece with electric shears.

Or better use an electric nibbler for the whole cut, corner, and straight cutting.

Keep in mind that nibblers can take as much as 6 mm of material off the piece you are cutting. They are therefore less suitable for work-pieces that you need a tight cut, for example, a flashing.

One of the best things about nibblers is that they can create cuts without warping or distorting. This quality makes them excellent choices for situations where you want to preserve the appearance of the material.

Why nibblers are the best tool for cutting sheet metal

One of the main advantages that nibblers have over electric shears and tin snips is that they are less prone to jamming, this is because they cut a sizable amount of material off the workpiece.

Most nibblers punch fairly wide holes as they cut. This gives the mobility and ability to cut around corners easily–which is where jamming usually takes place–nibblers are not likely to get caught in the material as compared to other tools like electric shears and tin-snips.

Nibblers can even cut over corrugated metal sheets efficiently, even when cutting at an angle. Try that with shears or tin snips, and your work will probably be messy and take much longer to complete. Also, nibblers make much smoother and more consistent cuts than even your best pair of shears or snips ever could.