Hi John, Yes the metal should push against the jaw when cutting to save it from sliding out. And yes it is more machine shop work that is alot of what i do when i am not welding or bending metal. In the winter i work out of my basement that is where all my machines are because it warm down there with my boiler heat where my shop is cold right now because i have the heat off, my gas bill is high enough. You just need more practice making big pcs into small pcs. I had a shaper that would cut 1" deep on a pass but you would have to slow the feed way down. I know my little guy won't do that but it will do what i need done...Bob