TM 9-243TYPES AND USESShears are used for cutting sheet metal and steel ofvarious thicknesses and shapes. Shears come in a vari-ety of styles and sizes.HAND SHEARSHand shears are made with straight or curved cuttingblades. Shears are made for right-handed operators sothe cutline is always in full view for accurate cutting.Straight-bladed shears are used to cut straight lines orto cut curves in locations that are easily reached.that the operator will have a free hand to guide the work.The bench shear makes a 6-inch cut and is approxi-mately 36 inches long.METAL SHEARING MACHINEThe metal shearing machine is foot-operated and isused to cut original sheets into smaller, usable sizestock. The shear blade is 36 inches long and will cut allsheet metal up to and including 1/16 inch of mild steel or1/8 inch of iron.NIPPERSShears with curved blades such as the hawk bill and thecurved blade hand shears are made especially for cut-ting short straight lines or curves. They are also used forcutting out small intricate designs in locations where it isnecessary to keep the handles and handle-operatinghand away from the metal stock.TINNER’S BENCH SHEARSNippers are used to cut protruding metal flush with asurface. They are also used to cut wire, bolts, nails, andlight metal bars to specified dimensions. Nippers comein a variety of styles and sizes.The tinner’s bench shear is largerthan a hand shear andis used for cutting heavy sheet metal. The lower handlehas a hook which can be placed in a hole in the bench so37-2
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