I need to add a bunch of soffit vents to my eves, and I have (decorative?) metal siding such as in the picture. I need to do this quickly in the next few weeks before winter. What's the best way to make these metal cuts accurately and screen the vent panels into the metal sheeting?
I think my question is mostly about tools and any techniques, but please alert me to any considerations or wisdom I may be overlooking.
If you're trying to cut in place, I'd personally go with drilling an initial hole, and then cutting the shape of the vent with a "sheet metal nibbler".
The nibbler will let you cut from one side, as there's a small bit that you insert into the hole, and sheers off a small roll of material (somewhere near 1/8", depending on the exact pair). You can also get powered ones, but they're fairly pricy, and the weight might be annoying for overhead work.
You might want to check with local rental shops, to see what they have. (the increased weight might be worthwhile as you won't have to hold your arms up as long)
Rather than trying to cut holes and add vents, you could also replace these with vented soffit skirting. E.g. This one can be picked up from your local HI store:
