Q: What is the Durston 1208 12" Guillotine Shear used for?
A: It is a professional bench-mounted cutting shear designed for straight and angled cutting of sheet metal used in jewellery making and metal fabrication.
Q: What materials can it cut?
A: It is suitable for non-ferrous metals such as gold, silver, copper, brass, and aluminium, and can also cut thin mild steel depending on thickness.
Q: What is its cutting capacity?
A: It can cut up to 12" (300mm) wide sheet metal, with a maximum thickness of around 2mm for non-ferrous metals (and thinner for steel).
Q: What makes the “New Version” different?
A: The updated design features a lighter, improved frame inspired by smaller Durston guillotines, while maintaining precision cutting and control.
Q: Can it cut angles?
A: Yes, it includes an adjustable mitre guide and cutting system allowing angled cuts up to around 60° in 5° increments, depending on setup.
Q: What is the blade like?
A: It uses a precision-ground, hardened and tempered steel blade with 4 usable cutting edges, extending its service life.
Q: Does it reduce metal distortion?
A: Yes, the guillotine action is designed to give clean, controlled cuts with minimal deformation on the sheet edge compared to manual shearing tools.
Q: Is it suitable for professional workshops?
A: Yes, it is built for daily studio use, offering repeatable accuracy and stable bench mounting for production work.
Q: What makes this model stand out overall?
A: Its key strengths are wide 12" cutting capacity, improved guide system, and precise angle control, making it ideal for efficient, repeatable sheet metal cutting in jewellery production.
Damage 
Loss 
Theft 
