I'm looking at getting a set of air shears, not sure that I can say why except it's a tool, and I don't have it :D

I found some good info here:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169587

and so that puts a nibbler on my wish list, too. Now it sounds as tho people have used the cheap Harbor Freight nibblers with decent success.

My question is if Harbor Freight air shears are worth a darn? It's like $40 vs approx $200 for an Ingersoll Rand shear. HF claims 18ga capability while IR claims 20ga "without chips." Not sure what that means?

Either way I'm guessing the HF unit is over-rated while the IR is under-rated (as is the case more often than not).

I know you get what you pay for, but *some* cheap air tools work *ok,* and the price difference is huge.

Experience?

I'm looking at getting a set of air shears, not sure that I can say why except it's a tool, and I don't have it :D

HF claims 18ga capability while IR claims 20ga "without chips." Not sure what that means?

Nibblers will punch out a little square at a time. "chips" end up all over the place.

Shears will produce a "curly strip" of metal. Easier clean up. :D

Either way for aircraft panels, you cut away from the line. Then file down to the line (i.e. no tool marks can be left on the panel). Anything else, who cares about tool marks. :p

Big difference might be how your hand feels after the end of the day.

$29.95 Pistol Grip Air Shear (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=36567) For the price, worth trying them.

Side note... my "Hardie Board" shears are basically the same thing, with a longer "shoe" to them (to keep the tool flat against the board for a cleaner cut).

Tom :usa:

We've used the Harbor Freight set a few times to put a ceiling in my dad's pole barn, and a floor in my old chevy truck. They seem to cut pretty well, on the thin stuff. The shop ceiling was just the same sheet metal that they use on the exterior of the building. I suck at determining sheet metal thickness. The floor was just coil stock for like soffets on houses.
Anyways, he just bought them for that ceiling job, knowing we would hardly use them, and it was worth it to him not to have to hand cut 60-some foot of sheet metal.

URL=http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=36567]$29.95 Pistol Grip Air Shear[/URL] For the price, worth trying them.

Thanks for the info. I saw those in the catalog last nite and it almost looks like those are an air hammer with a different attachment...........and that concerns me a little 'cause I've used the cheap HF air hammers, my grandma could do more damage with a small rock.

But it sounds like AaronC has had decent success with the cheap shears.

I wouldn't be using the shears very often, but when I do use them I want them to work fairly well...........

Anyone else?

I have a Pneumatic Porter Cable Air Shear, good to 18g steel or aluminum and 22g stainless. Works really well. Great for making dash panels, overhead consoles, tool boxes, and the like. Like $60 at Lowes.

I have the habor ones. Actually impressed they work so well for a cheep tool. I am restoring an Airstream and knew I had to make some long cuts to replace the aluminum belly pan. Did great.

Cut up a chevy hood in just a couple minutes. Used it to trim some floor pans for a jeep I was helping restore. Has worked very well every time I have put it to use. No real distortion at the cut at all.