I started the first one with my tin snips and found that the snips would bend the material as it was cut. So far the snips have gotten very little use.  I used the bandaw with much greater success.  I ordered a 24TPI blade from Home Depot online that should cut the aluminum much better than the 14TPI blade I found a Home Depot brick and mortar store.  Today the lesser of the two blades did the trick.  I also removed the blue plastic from a few more of the small elevator parts.