Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Top Ten Roofing Tools

!±8± Top Ten Roofing Tools

If you're looking for roofing tools, you've come to the right place. It's been said: "If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail". So it's always best to have the right tool for the job. It will help you do quality work and do it fast. Many projects require special roofing tools, but these are the ones that go with me to every job.

#10 -- Pry Bar
The pry bar, or "flat bar" as it is sometimes called is the "Swiss Army Knife" of roofing tools. I've used mine for everything from pulling nails to pounding them in, to cutting wood, cutting metal and popping shingles loose for repairs. Be sure to get a second one for back-up... and for two-handed staple pulling. A good choice is the Stanley Wonder Bar.

#9 -- Utility Knife
A sharp knife is handy for both removing the old material and installing the new stuff. Go with a model that allows you to change blades fast -- without tools. I've found that knives with retractable blades tend to get gummed up with roofing tar. As such, I prefer a knife with a fixed blade. My preference is a Stanley Model 10-399.

And you really should have two knives in your tool belt. Keep each knife filled with half straight blades and half hook blades. The straight blades cut well on the back of the shingles. The hook blades cut well on the front. This saves a lot of time switching back and forth between blades. The second knife also gives you a backup with both types of blades in it should you misplace one of them.

#8 -- Hand Broom
You might not think a hand broom belongs on a top ten list of roofing tools, but a good clean up is an important part of every job. While scoop shovels and push brooms are fine for the big stuff, I've found that a hand broom is just right for the little stuff. And a Marshalltown #6519 is a good heavy-duty model to get.

#7 -- Hand Saw
Fixing rotted wood is a pretty common task for us roofers. I USUALLY have a circular saw and a reciprocating saw on site for the task, but a hand saw is one of the roofing tools that I ALWAYS have with me. Small cutting jobs can be handled in less time than it takes to run an extension chord. And it has saved the day many times over the years, when electrical power should have been available, but wasn't. I like the Stanley 20-045 Model which has a tough, long-lasting blade and is small enough to fit in my tool bucket.

#6 -- Measuring Tape
You'll also need a measuring tape to help with those wood repairs and to layout the new roof. I like a 25-footer with a stiff 1" blade. Almost any brand will do, but the Craftsman brand has a lifetime warranty.

#5 -- Metal Snips
Most "tinners" use dedicated snips for right and left cuts. But I've found that Wiss M3R Straight Cut Tin Snips (Yellow Handle) works fine for most all of my metal work.

When they eventually lose their edge, I replace them and use the old ones to cut shingles around pipes and vents. That's often quicker and easier than using a knife.

#4 -- Hand Seamer
This is one of those roofing tools that you don't use every day, but it sure comes in handy when doing flashing work. It's just the right size for making tight drip edge laps. It's also handy for making inside and outside corners as well as other miscellaneous bends. The one to get is a 3" Malco Model S-2

#3 -- Chalk Box
Of all the roofing tools I've had over the years, chalk boxes have caused me the most grief. They never seemed to hold enough chalk or chalk a consistent line. And the string always seemed to break just when I was in a big rush. The plastic reduction drives broke and the strings tangled within the box. It drove me nuts. That kept me constantly on the search for a better chalk box.

I found the "Mother of all Chalk Boxes" a few years ago with the purchase of a "Little Giant" by Keson. It uses a heavy line which I have yet to break. The line sucks up a lot of chalk, so you get a good solid mark. And you can fill the chalk box in seconds with a whole bottle of chalk at a time. You can retrieve the line fast and mine hasn't tangled yet. Be sure to get two. One for permanent red dye you can use on the underlayment and one for temporary blue chalk you can use on the shingles.

#2 -- Trowel
Just about any small trowel will do for spreading flashing cement, but the flat nose type, like a Marshalltown #11202 Margin Trowel, is good for cleaning out the bottom of buckets. If you're doing a lot of mud work, you will want to get a big brick trowel like a Marshalltown #10109. It can lay down a 10" mortar pad for tile in one swoop. It's helpful to grind the point down to make it easier working out of a five gallon pail.

#1 -- Hammer
No list of roofing tools would be complete without a hammer. In fact, some say: If it can't be fixed with a hammer, it can't be fixed! I wouldn't go quite that far, but it is essential for nearly every roofing job. My favorite is an Estwing Model E3-20 S. That's their 20 oz. Rip Hammer. It has enough weight to seat nails with one smack and it has a straight claw for digging out nails. It's virtually indestructible and carries a lifetime guarantee.


Top Ten Roofing Tools

!8!# Purchasing Vocopro Karaoke Fire Proof Gun Safes Buy Online

Saturday, November 12, 2011

6 Pack Wiss M5R 9-1/4" Metalmaster Compound Action Bulldog Snips

!±8±6 Pack Wiss M5R 9-1/4" Metalmaster Compound Action Bulldog Snips

Brand : Wiss
Rate :
Price :
Post Date : Nov 13, 2011 02:00:08
Usually ships in 1-2 business days



For notching or trimming extra heavy stock. Non-slip, serrated jaw made of tough molybdenum steel. Withstands strain of cutting heavy stock and tight curves. Spring-action for fast, effortless feed. Handle of high tensile strength alloy steel exceeds hand power limit. Handy hang-up hole. Non-slip, textured grips and safety latch for superior control. Cuts low carbon cold rolled steel. Cutting Capacity: 16 Gauge Low Carbon Steel.

Bose Cinemate 2 Grand Sale Buying Bayshore Mall Milwaukee

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Shingle Roofs - How to Cut the Shingles

!±8± Shingle Roofs - How to Cut the Shingles

If you're looking for "shingle roofs - how to" information, you've come to the right place. The trend towards thicker shingles makes the job of cutting them somewhat more difficult. Here's three tools that will do the job...

Shingle Roofs: How to Cut the Shingles - Tool #1 Utility Knife

Go with a model that allows you to change blades fast without tools. Also, get one with a fixed blade, as retractable blade mechanisms get gummed up with roofing tar. And you want one that fits naturally in your hand, while presenting the blade to the work at an efficient angle. The best utility knife I've found for roofing is a Stanley Model 10-399.

Straight blades cut well on the back of the shingles and hook blades cut well on the front. So you really should have two knives in your tool belt. Keep one ready to go with a straight blade and one ready to go with a hook blade. That saves a lot of time switching back and forth between blades.

Also keep some of both blades in each knife. That way if you misplace one of your knives (which is easy to do) you will be able to get by with one knife.

Shingle Roofs: How to Cut the Shingles - Tool #2 Tin Snips

Tin snips work surprisingly well for cutting shingles. They are quicker and easier to use than a knife when cutting around pipes and vents. They also work great for cutting shingle valleys.

The only problem is... the gritty shingles are hard on the cutting edges. As such, I can't bring myself to you use brand-new snips on shingles. But when they become too dull for metal, I replace them and recycle the old ones for shingles.

Although many "tinners" use dedicated snips for right and left cuts. I've found that Wiss M3R Straight Cut (Yellow Handle) Tin Snips work fine for most all of my metal work ... and for shingles.

Shingle Roofs: How to Cut the Shingles - Tool #3 Shear

This is a tool you don't use all the time, but makes short work out of cutting shingles. It looks like a guillotine-type paper cutter, except it's heavy duty. It can be used to easily cut any shingle to just about any angle.

But it really shines on straight cuts. Say you're fitting shingles along a side wall...The shingle shear easily cuts them square and to the exact length you need.

I also use it to salvage shingle scraps at valleys and hips which have the square cut on the wrong end. The shear quickly squares up the proper end for you, putting a "factory finish" on it. It's much faster than a knife and does a better job.

There are two or three models on the market, but my preference is the "Shingle Shear" made by Howard Tools.


Shingle Roofs - How to Cut the Shingles

Shop For Kona Coffee Blend Low Price Pullover Hoodies Wholesale Surefire Sf123a


Twitter Facebook Flickr RSS



Fran�ais Deutsch Italiano Portugu�s
Espa�ol ??? ??? ?????







Sponsor Links