Replies

1. 
   JohnSprung | Oct 13, 2005 10:57pm | #1

   Look for one that attaches to an existing electric drill. 

    

    

   -- J.S.

    

2. 
   joeh | Oct 13, 2005 11:29pm | #2

   Maco makes one, cuts 16OZ copper like butter. I saw it at a JLC show, tried it there and bought one.

   Works great, I think it was about $65 but Ebay is worth a try.  http://cgi.ebay.com/MALCO-SHEET-METAL-SHEAR-SHEARS-TURBO-H-D-POWER-SHEAR_W0QQitemZ7552654543QQcategoryZ633QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

   Joe H

1. 
   Sphere | Oct 14, 2005 01:25am | #4

   Northern Tools has it for 49.00, new blades 24.00.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Money don't talk, It Curses

   (the other Bob)

1. 
   joeh | Oct 14, 2005 02:24am | #5

   I think the Sphere did more copper on the last adventure than I'll ever see.

   These original blades oughta last a life time for me, but it sure is a slick tool for the price. That tendon up the topside of my forearm sure like these better than shears.

   Joe H

1. 
   davem | Oct 14, 2005 07:37am | #6

   thanks for the input. i'm looking at the harbor freight one. however, i was discussing it with a carpenter friend tonight and he told me they cut hardie plank with it. it's supposedly an almost dust free method. since i'll be doing that, i may consider stepping up to a better tool.he's 22, and full of piss and vinegar. we were discussing cost and i told him i didnt mind buying good tools, if i need them, because they will last me forever. i pointed at my 25 year old compressor and told him if it ever quits, the next one will last the rest of my life. he suggested i could buy the mattel model right now and accomplish that.

1. 
   CaseyR | Oct 14, 2005 08:59am | #7

   I have a Kett and the jaws on it don't open up enough to fit over any Hardi material that I have seen.  The shears that I have seen sold for cutting cement board have pretty long jaws.  I have looked at the Harbor Freight shears (I live just two blocks away from their store so I wander in occasionally) and it seemed to me that the one I looked at also had a jaw opening that was too small for cement board, but I didn't really look at it all the closely. 

2. 
   DaveRicheson | Oct 14, 2005 12:57pm | #8

   Have you used it on steel siding or roofing?

   I have a Kett, and bought the nippler head with it. I tried the shear cutter on steel siding and roofing but found that going up and over the v ribs really awkward. Because of the drill configuration, the handle must be lowered to cut uphill on the v rib. It was difficult because the handle hit the steel before the shear topped out on the v.

   I replace the shear head with the nippler head, and set it 90 degrees to the drill body. Simply rolling the wrist from side to side let me scoot right over the ribs. It is a lot faster than the shear also, not to mention there are no curly cues of metal to contend with. Just sweep up the gazillion little crescent shaped bites it take out of the metal.

   Hearing protection is well advised when cutting steel with these puppies. It is not as loud as a circular saw, but well above the 85 db threshold where damage  can start to occur.

    

   Dave

3. 
   Sphere | Oct 15, 2005 12:46am | #9

   I am ording the Malco attachment as we speak..it says the blades are good for 2000 LF ..hmmm..about a week or two for me.

   Wiss just came out with a hand operated three jaw curly cue maker, I bought one last week. Not for the forearm challanged at all, you are cutting 2x as much each squeeze, but today, it saved the day, we were cutting 4" dounspout pipe, and niether of us had a circsaw ( standard used) or a sawzall.  Slow but they worked. The design is odd, the center jaw has a ballbearing in it..I took it out and they were useless, so I put it back in.

   Marginal on copper, probly good on chimney pipe or ALUM. Duct.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Money don't talk, It Curses

   (the other Bob)

1. 
   joeh | Oct 15, 2005 01:04am | #10

   The one I bought has a handle sticking out the side, not the straps that go around the back of the drill motor.

   It can be swiveled in any plane relative to the drill handle, so might be handier in some situations than the fixed position. I got it only because it was what they had. It does require 2 hands to operate, rather than just one for the fixed model.

   It's actually the same unit, just no straps to hold it.

   Joe H

3. 
   Dudley | Oct 13, 2005 11:51pm | #3

   harbor freight has one for $30 -- I used one to do a copper roof and it worked like a charm