If you are handling a major project that requires you to work with metal and wood, you may be faced with how best to maneuver two completely different materials with a specific set of tools at your disposal. Making an effort to handle each material separately may eat away at your time and energy. Also, the outcome might become different.
To efficiently get around to completing your project while properly and safely incorporating both, here are a few tips you can keep in your mental toolbox.
Stock up on self-tapping screws
These screws won’t screw you over as they are reliable for wood and metal, even when you have to fit both together on one surface. The advantage of using this is that their self-threading build and drill point ends mean pre-drilling isn’t necessary.
By removing those extra steps, you can focus more on the specifics of the job at hand. Finding a good self-tapping screw manufacturer for big projects that will require a lot of inventory from you isn’t hard these days. Companies are going online to be more accessible to those who need large orders of fastening tools and materials.
Because their holding power is quite strong, fastening wood to metal is much less precarious, and you can depend on a secure fit as you go along.
Remember the “24 paper sheet” limit
Although repurposing tools is possible, the differences between the strength and textures of wood and metal mean certain equipment can only be limited to specific actions and guidelines. What could be freely used in woodworking may have more limitations when used on certain metalworks.
For instance, a good thing to remember when using a table saw or bandsaw usually used for wood to try and saw through soft metals is to think of 24 sheets of paper. The thickness of this stack of papers would roughly amount to 2.4 millimeters. That is the limit of thickness for sheets of metal that you can cut safely using that equipment. To go for anything thicker would not be advisable unless you have other cutting gear like a miter saw.
Harness the power buffer
A good finished product comes polished with a fine finish that fits the aesthetic you’re trying to achieve. Whether you want to go for shine or matte, the finishing touches for your wood and metal pieces will be to polish them well.
While manual methods work and can be crucial steps to make a visually stunning end product, wood and metal have varied components that need to be used. A tool that can finish the job for both in the end, though, is the power buffer. Making use of this can help you cover both specific sections and larger surfaces on metal and wood. You can create that bright finish efficiently and effectively with this tool.
These are some of the easy tips you should remember when jumping into your workshop and bringing together two distinctly different materials. By making use of these tricks of the trade, you can master metal-wood working in no time.
