Ok, I hate shingling. Don’t like being up on the roof, it’s cold now, usually hit my fingers at least once a day (got a blood blister on the end of my thumb now), back of my hand is scraped up, etc. But I gotta finish the job.
Installing Elk fiberglass dimensional shingles on a large storage building. How, and when, do you trim the overhanging ends? Do you do each row as it’s laid, or go back and do them all at once? Use a shingle blade in the utility knife, or a trash blade in an old circ saw?
“When asked if you can do something, tell’em “Why certainly I can”, then get busy and find a way to do it.” T. Roosevelt
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normally a hook blade in the utility knife, but when cold I cut before placing it. Turn the shingle over upside down and cut from the back by scoring with straight edge knife blade like cutting glass, then snap it on the score, unless it is in the doubled portion, which I try to plan so as to avoid having to scratch a couple more times to cut deep enough
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Do `em as you install em. Score the back and fold......or use a spare pair of old sheers.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
by far the fastest way is to make all your cuts at once
On the left hand rake you can do this by useing a shingle shear and pre cutting your " stairstep starts"
on the right hand rake you let the shingles run past the rake---and once you reach the top of the roof---snap a chalk line and cut 'em all at once with a hook knife. If you use a soldier course up the rake---you won't even need to snap a line.
I REALLY try to avoid cutting each shingle as it is laid 'cause it is WAY slower.
If it's below about 40 F. I WILL score and snap the back as Piffen described-------- on the other hand---if it's cold and sunny--- I will often leave the shingles hanging wild for an hour or so to soak up some solar heat and then STILL cut 'em with a hook knife.
Stephen
That is my prefered
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We used to cut them before placing them, or sometimes cut them by reaching under them and cutting their soft underbellies (well, not exactly, but you get the idea) and bending them upward to break them off. The reaching under allows you to use your thumb as a spacer against the drip edge and you don't wear your blade out on the granules on the top surface of the shingles.
I have Elk dimensional on my garage too and any of those laminated dimensional shingles are hard enough to pre-cut from the back side, let alone going through two to three layers when trying to cut along a snapped chalk line after they're installed.
Even with a new hook knife blade, you'll find yourself digging and pulling pretty hard to get through the layers- DANGEROUS!
Take a little extra time and cut them as you go.
Jim
Rockford,
everybody is entitled to work their own way---even if they insist on doing things the slow and difficult way
but---for the life of me I can't figure how anybody could consider using a hookblade DANGEROUS
A hook blade has to be just about the safest cutting instrument I have ever seen---in fact it's MUCH safer than a straight blade in a utility knife.
in 20 years or so---I have NEVER,--ever, EVER been cut by a hook blade.
Number of times cut with a straight blade?--quite a few.
I carry 2 knives--- 1 straight blade ---and one hook blade-------- I am pretty rare as far as shingle roofers go----- most I have worked with carry ONLY a hook blade because it is infinitely more efficient.
IF experience showed us that it was easier/safer/faster to use a straight blade---we certainly would---but in fact the hook blade is superior------- right down to about 35--40 F
Best wishes, Stephen
Same as Haz, how in the world do you figure this to be danerous?
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