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cut roof felt in roll?

rl36 | Posted in Construction Techniques on November 26, 2005 11:06am

Does anyone know of or have a way to efficiently cut 30# roofing felt while still in the roll. i.e. 3 12″ rolls out of a 36″ roll? thanks russ

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Replies

  1. edwardh1 | Nov 26, 2005 11:20pm | #1

    is there any job in Merica (cept maybe applying latex paint) that can not be done by a saw z all ??

  2. bobtim | Nov 26, 2005 11:37pm | #2

    I once saw a guy cut a roll of felt in two with a skillsaw. Only took a minute to cut. took all afternoon to clean the saw afterwards

    1. User avater
      Gunner | Nov 26, 2005 11:39pm | #3

      Make sure you borrow a saw.

       

      http://tinyurl.com/755qq

      1. butch | Nov 27, 2005 12:19am | #4

        lol Your on a roll

  3. User avater
    Sphere | Nov 27, 2005 12:57am | #5

    unroll it down the street and snap very precise chalklines, and use your wifes sewing scissors ( the ones that say SINGER) ..that'll do ya.

      Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    " Everything looks like a nail, to a hammer"

  4. Piffin | Nov 27, 2005 02:33am | #6

    A sawzall or circ saw will melt the tar enough that once it is cut, you have a heck of a time trying to unroll it to use.

    here is what we did when I was roofing - it is called abckrolling. You don't try to cut the whole roll at once, but a plain utility knife can cut through a good inch thickness pretty quick and easy. So you stand the roll on a clean smooth surface like the subfloor or a crete slab or even a scrap of ply on the ground. grab the top corner and start backrolling it off the main roll and onto a new roll you are forming in your hand. Once precticed, you can peel off thirty or forty feet in a couple minutes. You slice it off the main roll and then lay it down, putting a knee on one end and holding the other with your hand.
    The other hand holds the utility knife whioch cleanly slices through at whatever point you want it cut. Turn the roll 3'4 times until the cut goes all the way around and you know have two pieces. Repeat as needed.

    somebnody mentioned using achaulk line on the flat. Not needed if you go that way. There are lines on the paper already.

     

     

    Welcome to the
    Taunton University of
    Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
     where ...
    Excellence is its own reward!

    1. User avater
      Gunner | Nov 27, 2005 03:12am | #7

      Ice it down before you use your friends circular saw to cut it.

       

      http://tinyurl.com/755qq

  5. Framer | Nov 27, 2005 03:16am | #8

    Cut it with a circular saw with a crappy blade and you'll be fine. I've cut a million rolls like that and never had a problem and they will open fine. You'll be done with those two cuts in about 10 seconds.

    Joe Carola
    1. junkhound | Nov 27, 2005 04:05am | #9

      Done that too, would ad wear goggles!

      Have also cut thru rolls with a machette and hammer.

      1. dustinf | Nov 27, 2005 05:50pm | #12

        Have also cut thru rolls with a machette and hammer.

        lol.  For some reason that does not suprise me. ;-)

          

        Stacy's mom has got it going on.

  6. User avater
    MarkH | Nov 27, 2005 04:24am | #10

    I would recommend a ultra-high pressure (UHP) waterjet cutting tool for that.

    1. experienced | Nov 27, 2005 05:29pm | #11

      For fine cutting as seen done by the odd framer, use a chain saw!!!

      1. Framer | Nov 27, 2005 06:39pm | #13

        "For fine cutting as seen done by the odd framer, use a chain saw!!!"You have got to be F!!king kidding me....I get it. Cutting tarpaper is an art. It takes an experienced guy like yourself to do so. I can see this thread being long and drawn out with the tips from fine home builders like yourself on how to cut a SIMPLE roll of tarpaper. You would be the odd one. Maybe you have cut it so straight that you use it for wall paper in your house. I'm not the odd one.Maybe cutting tarpaper can be the next article in Fine Homebuilding....Joe Carola

        Edited 11/27/2005 10:43 am ET by Framer

        1. doodabug | Nov 27, 2005 08:43pm | #15

          I don't think he was referring to you, Joe. And cutting tarpaper in FH may be a improvement.

          1. Framer | Nov 27, 2005 09:27pm | #17

            "I don't think he was referring to you, Joe. And cutting tarpaper in FH may be a improvement."Well, if he wasn't then I apologize.Joe Carola

  7. roofguy | Nov 27, 2005 06:58pm | #14

    Use a Sawzall with a long wood cutting blade. A little messy, but fast and efficent.

    1. MikeSmith | Nov 27, 2005 08:50pm | #16

      i've done the old blade in an old skillsaw.. worked good..

      and i've use a 12" blade in a sawzall... worked even better.. especially if you have an aggressive blade  like one of  variable tooth 2/3 teeth  per inch

      and i've done the backroll that piffen described..a great one if you don't have too much to cut at one time

      for a lot of strips, my favorite is the sawzall methodMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

      1. Framer | Nov 28, 2005 12:05am | #18

        When I've cut roof shingles or tarpaper with a circular saw or sawzall, right after that I will run the blades threw a 2x and for some reason the tar comes off both saw and sawzall blades. Try it next time you will see.Joe Carola

        1. Piffin | Nov 28, 2005 05:57am | #19

          i'd think a good does of WD-40 would be in order. What about the fragments of tarpaper that get welded up in the inside of the gaurd and its housing?Maybe the reason I'm all alone on this one is that I haven't tried it for thirty years. Back then, there was a lot more asphalt in the tarpaper than there is now...I think experienced was just trying a stab at a joke, not at you. 

           

          Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          1. experienced | Nov 28, 2005 07:33am | #20

            Nothing personal  is correct but I have seen a framer use a chainsaw!!

        2. User avater
          Luka | Dec 03, 2005 06:59am | #25

          How about sharpening an old sawzall blade to a knife edge instead ?
          "If we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time." - Edith Wharton

          1. Framer | Dec 03, 2005 05:58pm | #27

            "How about sharpening an old sawzall blade to a knife edge instead ?"WWWWWWWhat?Joe Carola

          2. User avater
            Luka | Dec 03, 2005 06:36pm | #28

            Sharpen an old, long sawzall blade to a knife edge to make this cut.Hmmm, probably tend to burn or melt it's way through, huh ?
            "If we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time." - Edith Wharton

          3. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 03, 2005 06:38pm | #30

            Works great on summer sausage tho'....and cheese logs.  Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            "silence, is the only reward"

            and it's even deeper..

            Perfect works are rare, because they must be produced at the happy moment when taste and genius unite; and this rare conjuncture, like that of certain planets, appears to occur only after the revolution of several cycles, and only lasts for an instant.Say that three times..

             

          4. Framer | Dec 03, 2005 06:43pm | #31

            You are joking, right? I'm not that sharp.Joe Carola

          5. Piffin | Dec 04, 2005 04:20am | #32

            Maybe he has soomething there. I thunk you were kidding about that circ saw cutting it. 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          6. Framer | Dec 04, 2005 05:58am | #33

            "Maybe he has soomething there. I thunk you were kidding about that circ saw cutting it."He has to be kidding. You know I was serious about cutting with a circular saw. This is really insane about some of the ways and wasted time and thoughts on cutting a roll of tarpaper. That was one of the first things my boss taught me 22 years ago as an 18 year old punk kid.I'm all about doing the best job and a quality job no matter what I'm doing but when it comes to cutting a roll of tarpaper, it takes no skill or brains to do it.Everyone should just unroll the whole roll of tarpaper and snap lines on it and cut it with scissors for god sake..............Joe Carola

          7. Piffin | Dec 04, 2005 07:06am | #34

            Honest to God, Joe, The first and only time I tried cutting a roll maybe thirty years ago with a circ saaw, I gummed it up so bad, I had to dismantle it and scape and use poil everywhere, then cut scaps for awhile to get the excess oil off so I would not ruin fascia trim.The only other time I saw a guy try the same thing a few years later, he got the job done, but his saw was ruint too, and the edges of the tarpaper were welded together from the friction of the blade. You could not unroll the paper or use his saw. The blade was stuck open from gum and shreds.That is why I mentioned that maybe the reason all you young guys have been ableto get awayt wtih thios, is that tarpaper has less than half as much asphalt in it now as what it did back then.I have a frame carp who will cut the stuff with his sawsall, ( with teeth in it) but I can have it backrolled and cut with my knife just as fast as he can, and do it right up there on the roof.I was joking about Luka's idea because I don't think it would work efficiently - the kerf would be too tightunless you could be prying the roll apart as you sliced.
            But I didn't see any reason to put down his suggestion because from my POV at least, his would be as succesfull as my own experience with your method. I did see a couple here that seemed pretty rediculous, but as long as they use round tip scissors and nobody gets hurt...;) 

             

            Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!

          8. Framer | Dec 04, 2005 04:30pm | #38

            I was just saying that if Luka is serious, by the time you sit there and sharpen a sawzall blade down to a knife edge the tarpaper can be cut already and start installing it.Like I said before, we're just talking about cutting tarpaper. There is no skill involved. I guess for a homeowner asking the question they can do whatever they want to cut the tarpaper because they might not feel comfortable using a circular saw. But for guys like you and me and everyone else on this forum that is a contractor cutting a roll of tarpaper is the quickest and easiest thing to do with a saw. So everyone can do whatever they want.I won’t put down anyone unless they try do do it to me. I will tell someone that they are doing way to much extra work for no reason if I have to. I won’t comment on anything I haven't tried myself and say it won’t work. Everyone's suggestions are always good to here. Some take longer than others.Joe Carola

          9. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 04, 2005 07:44am | #35

            Ahem..ahem..I said that wayyyy back inthe thread..are you seriously daft?  If you choose the wife's SINGER scissors, man you rock like  Enimemmenenen, or Bob Cigar..

            Lemme guess, yer a kid still huh? Can't take a joke, and sometinmes get riled up at extension cords, that aim for yer boots?

            Let me pick at a scab for ya...

            You are quintessential  ( get it yet?)...and replace able...you can't be in charge, you can't fight it without expending more energy than the goal is worth.

            Your abilty to shoot fast and take names after was apparent, when the very word "framer" was written, about cutting a roll..you are self conscience and volitol, in your knee jerk responses..you reread, and thought..that is a good sign, cuz other wise, you are a self absorbed victim of your self..

            Go ahead and flay me, I can see you as well as any customer can, show your inherent anger...and see where we go..after all, it is only the cyber here and now..lets roll. "Damn your eyes."

          10. Framer | Dec 04, 2005 02:14pm | #37

            Sphere,When I wrote my last post to Piffin about rolling out the tarpaper, that thought just came out of my head.I didn't even remember you wrote that back in the beginning of the thread. I don't memorize everyone's posts when they're joking. I'll remember important stuff like the way people describe their techniques when doing things. I went back and read your post about rolling out the tarpaper and it was obviously was a joke.I also said that if "Experienced" wasn't talking about me when he said "Framer" that I apologized.You wrote, "Your abilty to shoot fast and take names after was apparent, when the very word "framer" was written, about cutting a roll..you are self conscience and volitol, in your knee jerk responses..you reread, and thought..that is a good sign, cuz other wise, you are a self absorbed victim of your self"You have just done the same thing to me with that response and all the other garbage you wrote about me and I didn't even mention "Sphere".So now that you know I wasn't talking about you at all, do you still feel the same way about me and still want to roll?Joe Carola

            Edited 12/4/2005 6:15 am ET by Framer

          11. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 04, 2005 06:36pm | #39

            I love the info that ya give out so freely, I was having a good chuckle at the way it all came out...so ..uh..just funny to me. I am cool with ya, and I apologize if i struck a bad chord with ya...this entire thread seems more like a joke than almost any I have read.

            For giggles I'll add,,,, When i had to cut a few rolls for weaving in shakes, I reground a sawzall blade to about 3 TPI, real aggressive like. It sucked. Next time I will use a circ saw.

            See? I can be serious as a heartattack too.

            I'll lighten up. Thanks. 

          12. Framer | Dec 04, 2005 09:59pm | #40

            No worries my friend. I hope I can get to meet you and everyone else and their families this year if there is a fest because I know we would have a good time. I'll bring my Construction Master with me.....;-)Joe Carola

          13. Westcoast | Dec 04, 2005 09:24am | #36

            I though everyone was kidding on this thread! I never stopped to think of an alternative way to cutting paper other than with a circ saw.

        3. Danno | Dec 03, 2005 06:38pm | #29

          Hire a samurai who wants to test a new sword. Zip, zip, done. Hard to find prisoners or peasants to test blades on anymore.

    2. rl36 | Nov 28, 2005 02:27pm | #21

      Thanks for the help. Looks like I really got the arkies and okies going on this one. But I guess everybody has to have a turn in the barrel. thanks russ

      1. wane | Nov 28, 2005 06:38pm | #22

        I cut a roll up into strips to go uder bottom plates in the basement.  Used a handsaw and patience.  Craddled the roll in between the boards on a workmate.  The tar will build up pretty quick on the teeth and sides of the saw, I raked the gunk out of the teeth with a well used sawzall blade about every 5-10 minutes.  It is definitely allot easier to do when the roll and the temperature are well below 0º C.  Good job for all the handsaws you have that you'll never use again 'cause the saw won't have any teeth left when your done.  Takes about an hour for each cut, probably wouldn't do it again ..

  8. csnow | Nov 28, 2005 11:31pm | #23

    Watcha really need here is a guillotine.

  9. Waters | Dec 03, 2005 06:39am | #24

    Skill saw for sure.  Cut once, roll forward, cut again, and then maybe once more.  This works great.  I did it a month ago to cut 8" strips.

    And it did not bother my saw one bit.

    Pat

  10. JRuss | Dec 03, 2005 08:00am | #26

    Reverse an old blade and cut it with your worm drive.

     

     

    Never serious, but always right.

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