Tin smithy deals with the production of components in a wide variety of shapes and sizes

from a sheet of metal with the aid hand or machines. For example many Engineering and house

hold articles such as hoppers, guards covers, boxes and cans, funnels and ducts etc. are made

from a flat sheet of metal.

Sheet Metals Used in Metal Work

A wide variety of metals, in the form of sheet are used in sheet metal workshop. The most

commonly used are explained below.

Galvanized Iron (G.I.) Sheet

It is a sheet of soft steel coated with zinc. I sheet is one of the least expensive metals used in

sheet metal shop. It is used for making pans, buckets, gutters, tanks, boxes etc. Generally GI

products are very suitable for corrosive environment because zinc coating protects the iron form

corrosion.

Copper

It has reddish color and is used for water pipes, roofing, gutters and other parts of the building.

Copper products are used where thermal resistance is the criterion along with corrosion

resistance. But copper is somewhat expensive.

Tin Plate

Tin plate is the iron or steel coated with pure tin. It has bright silvery appearance and is used for

containers, dairy equipments, furnace fittings, cans, trays and pans.

Stainless Steel

The 18-8 type steel is used in sheet metal work from the available different type of stainless

steel. The products like food containers, dairy equipments and kitchen wares are prepare from

18-8 steel.

Black Iron

It is an uncoated sheet of metal with bluish appearance. The black iron sheet is used for the

products, which are having no restrictions on painting after its preparation.

Aluminium

It is an uncoated sheet of metal with bluish appearance. The black iron sheet is used for the

products, which are having no restrictions on painting after its preparation.

Tools and Equipment’s

Most of the tools that are used in fitting are also used in sheet metal work. The additional tools

specially used in sheet metal work are described below.

Steel Rule

Steel rule is a simple measuring instrument consisting of a long, thin metal strip with a marked

scale of unit divisions. It is an important tool for linear measurement.

Try Square

It is measuring and marking tool for 900 angles. In practice, it is used for checking the squareness of many types of small works when extreme accuracy is not required. The blade of the Try square is made of hardened steel and the stock of cast Iron or steel. The size of the Try square is specified by the length of the blade.

Compass and Divider

Compass and divider, are used for marking arcs and circles on the planed surfaces of the GI

sheet.