Tools of the Trade: Sheet Metal

"We're working in the U.S. Capitol. We get to be part of history; we see the old-school methods that helped shape the trade and the building itself."

— Jason Stone, Sheet Metal Mechanic Supervisor

• Deep Notch Stapler
  This tool can be used to fasten materials and create flexible ducts. Stapling the canvas reduces vibration in a duct line, especially in machines that produce more noise. Used internally in a multipart system, stapling can eliminate whirring or clanging, quieting an entire machine.
• Compasses
  In an increasingly digital world, traditional compasses are hard to find in sheet metal shops. But the experts here believe they are vital in metal crafting and use them often: for finding circumferences, bisecting a circle or fabricating something with radial lines.
• Mallet
  Newer versions of this tool are available, but many take a shine to this decades-old tool that precedes the most veteran Capitol Building metal workers. In sheet metalworking, a mallet is used to smooth creases and hammer out dimples. Conversely, they can create dents or visual effects to mimic aging.
• Straight Snips
  While they look much like the scissors you'd find in a kitchen drawer, these straight snips are a notch above. AOC workers use this hardy tool to cut careful, straight lines through sheets of metal, finding them especially helpful for detail work.
• Sheet Metal Tongs
  This small, simple tool is the team's most used. The tongs have adjustable screws that bend the metal at different depths consistently. Alongside a tape measure, Stone believes mastery of these tongs is one of the most important skills for a sheet metal worker.

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