GERARD sheet metal cutter with sprinkles

GERARD sheet metal guillotine with powder coating

The guillotine's low weight allows for easy work on the roof.

Ideal to use with a sheet metal bender with a grit coating made by the same manufacturer.

AHI Guillotine User Manual

Roofing Guillotine Installation

The board mounted on the legs has a machined groove that must face outward to accommodate the locking nut, preventing the leg from falling out even if the nut becomes loose.

Guillotine Disassembly

The spring behind the nut holding the blade is longer than the threads and will spring back if not stopped. It is stopped by a screw clamp when the nut is fully loosened. This isn't absolutely necessary, but you'll need a screw clamp to reinstall the nut anyway. Screw the nut back into the threads as you hammer it to protect the threads. Use wood for the same reason. To remove the blades, you'll need an Allen key (metric) and a 13mm box wrench (bi-hexagonal).

Reassembling the Guillotine

All screws must be centered in the countersunk holes in the blades. Screw the screws in a bit, then tighten them one by one all the way. To reposition the nut over the spring, use a screw clamp. Use the swivel head on the threaded part, then alternately press and turn the wrench - only two or three times is enough. Tighten the screw until the threads are flush with the end of the nut. DO NOT tighten any further; otherwise, the blades' durability will be adversely affected by folding at the wrong angle.

Handling Guillotine Blades

Cutting is much easier when the blades are sharp and properly aligned, and the cut quality is significantly better. The flat blade has four cutting edges, while the moving blade has two. The holes are double-recessed to allow the blades to rotate. This allows for several cutting edge changes before the blades need sharpening, and as the description below shows, the replacement procedure is relatively simple. We recommend replacing the blades when they become dull. You cannot replace the blades without releasing the spring pressure between them. If this is not done before removing the fixed (flat) blade, it will not be possible to reinstall it.

When the cutting edges become dull, the following procedure can be used:

- For the first and third time, unscrew the spring nut as far as possible without removing it and insert a small wedge between the blades. Remove the fixed blade and turn it over. Reinstall it. Sharpen the moving (curved) blade on the edge with an angle grinder. Remove the wedge and re-screw the large nut back to its original position;

- For the second time, remove the spring as shown in the photo. Remove the curved blade and turn it over. Remove the fixed blade and place it on the new edge;

- For the fourth time, remove both blades and sharpen them on both sides with a surface grinder, removing as little metal as possible. Sharpen the short edges of the fixed blade as before, removing as little metal as possible.

The above procedures are shown in the photos. Using these procedures, your guillotine should be able to perform many thousands of cuts before the blades need replacing.