Replies

1. 
   MikeHennessy | Mar 02, 2009 08:14pm | #1

   I've used the siding guages, but they weren't accurate enough to rely on without story poles. (Actually, I just marked the corner boards and windows/doors for each row to keep the guages honest.) Too much accumulated error, and the siding is not uniformly exactly equal widths.

   The Hardi shears are nice since they make no dust, tho' a bit slower than a saw. I used a Max siding nailer and it was fine. That said, you're always gonna have to hand sink a few.

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

1. 
   MikeSmith | Mar 02, 2009 08:37pm | #2

   the  n66  is  good  for  SS face nail  where  needed

   but  for  field  hanging  i  like  a HD  galv  roofer ,   blind nailed

   get  a  set  of  Malco  shears    at  a roofing  supply  company

   they   mount  on  any  drill.. battery  or  corded

    

   i  like  the  Malco  rubber  guage  for  setting  never  could  get   the  hanging  type  guages  to  reassure  me...  we  bought a  couple  of  the  different  kinds  but  we  always  end  up   with  the  adjustable  MalcosMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   Timuhler | Mar 04, 2009 05:51pm | #9

   Mike,

   I highly recommend this tool for cutting Hardie http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/R3400-Fuego-Saw/EN/index.htm  JLC should be putting out a review this month of it with video.

   The only negative is that you cannot set the depth, but this is really not a problem in my opinion.http://www.pioneerbuildersonline.com

   View Image

   From Lot 30 Muirkirk

   http://picasaweb.google.com/TimothyUhler                                     

1. 
   jimblodgett | Mar 04, 2009 06:11pm | #11

   I didn't see a price on that, Tim.  What's it sell for? 

   I wonder why they designed it with the blade on that side? 

1. 
   Timuhler | Mar 05, 2009 05:44am | #17

   Jim,

   I think it retails for $199.  I can say that of the saws I've used and shears, this is my favorite by far.  It is a pretty slick little package.http://www.pioneerbuildersonline.com

   View Image

   From Lot 30 Muirkirk

   http://picasaweb.google.com/TimothyUhler                                     

2. 
   MikeSmith | Mar 04, 2009 08:51pm | #12

   tim.. we've  got   the Makita shroud  saw ,  hooked  up  to   our  Fein vac  with  auto-on  and  all  the  right  blades

    

   we  haven't  used  it  since  we   bought our  Malco   shears  and  we  have  no problem  with  jagged  edges  that  some   of  these   guys  are talking  about

   I  would never  go  back  to saws  with fiber cement....  we  really  like  our   shears

   i  might  get  one of the  air-powered  shears  that  Malco is making nowMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

1. 
   IMERC | Mar 04, 2009 09:15pm | #13

   Mike...

   which shear did you get??? 

   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

   WOW!!! What a Ride!

   Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

    

   "Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"

2. 
   MikeSmith | Mar 04, 2009 10:30pm | #14

   we bought the one that you need a drill to mount it on
   ( we bought one... liked it .. and bought another )... but i just got a coupon from Malco tying to get me to buy something at their booth at JLC-Live... their new air powered shear looks very interesting if i can find the model names & numbers i'll post themMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

3. 
   IMERC | Mar 04, 2009 10:50pm | #15

   I have the drill mounted one... put it on the cordless....

   moved up to the the cutter head from Kett in 5/8" cut...

   the add on is slow on a cordless but on a high speed 1/4 or 3/8" drill.. it works pretty good...

   never gonna use a circular blade again... 

   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

   WOW!!! What a Ride!

   Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

    

   "Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"

4. 
   MikeSmith | Mar 05, 2009 05:48pm | #18

   i looked   it  up...  the  one we  use  on our  existing  drills  (  cordless &  corded )  is 

   the  TSF1  Siding  Shear .....  and  you  can  order  replacement  parts for   the nose

    

   the  one  I'm  looking  at  is  the Pneumatic shear.... TSF1A...  looks  like  the nose  parts  are  interchangeable  with  the models  we  already haveMike Hussein Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore

5. 
   IMERC | Mar 05, 2009 05:53pm | #19

   thanks... 

   Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->

   WOW!!! What a Ride!

   Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!

    

   "Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"

2. 
   fingers | Mar 03, 2009 03:53am | #3

   I've used the shears and didn't like the cut edge quality . . . went to the "dustless" Makita 7 1/4" circular saw with the plastic dust shroud hooked up to a shop vac. That worked well but was kinda slow.
   I ended up using a 10" Ryobi CMS that I picked up on sale at Home Depot for $80.
   I spent some time and mounted it on the wheeled steel base from a dead gas grill, with 8' extension wings on each side. I added stick on measuring tapes (with some adjustability) on the extension wings and a "stop" that's held in place with a spring clamp. It takes me about 5 minutes to set the thing up and get the wings leveled but once that's done I can can really cut quickly and the tapes and stop make it very accurate (no need to use a tape measure and pencil to mark the siding). I blow out the saw once or twice during the day when cutting and so far haven't killed the brushes or bearings. I use a 10" blade made for fiber cement. I've heard of some keeping a box fan on the cutting station to keep the dust blowing away but I've never tried it.

   Which brings me to a question. I think the blade I use is carbide but I see they now have fiber cement blades made with diamonds. Is the difference in longevity?

3. 
   Waters | Mar 03, 2009 04:15am | #4

   These here gauges from PacTool are IMHO necesary equipment for hanging the floppy cementious boards.

   http://www.pactool.us/products/index.htm

   Whether you are working alone or not--if there's two guys up, then they still don't have to hold the board AND nail it.  If it's just you, then well, they hold the board for you while you fudge it where you want it and bang.

   I believe they only adjust in 1/4" increments... so which is fine until you want to split the difference btw two points..  there's another gauge made here in oregon called "solosider" that has more adjustment for reveal, and a dial that allows you to tweak the boards as you go.  I drilled an extra hole in my pactool gauges once to get a different reveal.

   The pactool gauges are great--but as siding varies in width, they can get you off your marks now and again too, just watch as you go, but as I said, worth the 45$ or whatever they are now.

   The only other thing I can rec. is to get a diamond tipped circular saw blade--don't buy the 30$ carbide model.  DeWalt's blade for 60$ will last 4 times as long as the carbide type.

   Have fun.

    

1. 
   dejure | Mar 03, 2009 09:44am | #5

   Did my one and only Hardieplank job a few months back. Like was said, the quality of cut wasn't as good with the sheers, compared to saws, but that's the only way I'll fly in the future. I found it to be much faster. Especially since I changed my mind and turned a lot of the plank into shingles for the top section.I liked the gauges, especially working alone, but still used the story pole. Like also was said, "accumulated error."I tried the Hardieplank blades from Bigbox, Inc, ran on an old Sawbuck I picked up for $25.00 with this job in mind. I went back to the sheers and sold the Sawbuck for $75.00.

   Edited 3/3/2009 1:44 am ET by dejure

4. 
   Westcoast | Mar 04, 2009 05:41am | #6

   Use the pactool guages and there is no accumulated error as they hold from the bottom of the board so it is the same every time.
   Shears or saw is a trade off depending how much you want to spend. I have a set of shears but have also used a hardi blade and circ saw for a lot of homes.

1. 
   AGRACE | Mar 04, 2009 05:52am | #7

   i thought that about the pactools what do you nail with?

2. 
   BoJangles | Mar 04, 2009 04:09pm | #8

   Use the pactool guages and there is no accumulated error as they hold from the bottom of the board so it is the same every time.

   That's true.  Those are great tools and I wouldn't be without them after using them.

1. 
   jimblodgett | Mar 04, 2009 06:07pm | #10

   Bosch makes a jig saw blade for fiber cement, very handy.  We just finished a few thousand feet of fc siding and used one blade for the entire job.  The cut is a little ragged, but if you go slow and reduce the orbiting action of your jig saw it's definitly caulkable. Indespensible for cutting around protruding window sills and such.

   4" angle grinder with a diamond blade works great for rectifying a mistake once a piece is on the wall.  I still like doing the majority of cutting with shears, but the angle grinder came in mighty handy a couple times (dusty though).

   Tried the Solo Siders on this job.  Worked...okay, not great.  I think the lip that hooks over the top of the lower course is too tight.  I am going to try grinding that off and I think they'd be a lot more usable.  Good concept, though - very clever and small enough to keep your bags - just needs a little tweeking. 

5. 
   jimjimjim | Mar 04, 2009 11:53pm | #16

   We use a laser level to level up starting courses around the house.

    

   Story sticks marked to course reveal (5 or 6”) are then used to mark corner, window and door trim.  We keep them around for occasional reference as well.  A set of site-made small rectangular blocks with a notch cut at 6” (for a 6” course reveal) can be used to quickly position the next course – notch goes under previous course and top of block goes under new course – but watch out for incremental, accumulating error.

    

   We use regular roofing coil nailers and nails for blind nailing.

    

   Mike Smith has it right – shears are much better for cutting than circular saws.  We use PC and DW corded shears.  I haven’t seen the Malco attachment for a cordless.  Portability isn’t an issue since we are shearing at a cut station in fixed location(s).  The shears do get dull after while and tips need to be replaced, or you’ll find you are gumming your way through the cut with poor results.  Shearing from the back side gives the smoothest cut on the front.

    

   We do use a 4 ½” angle grinder with diamond blade or a portable tile saw with a 4” diamond blade for cutting in electrical boxes or other stuff.  A carbide grit Sawzall blade is also useful.  A jigsaw with a carbide grit blade or a 4”carbide grit hole saw does well for cutting in 4R pancake boxes for exterior lights.

    

   Jim x 3

6. 
   qtsam2 | Mar 06, 2009 05:05am | #20

   hardie will actually give you the tools if you let them know that you are new to the product. they want to make sure the job turns out right. ask your supplier to get you in touch with the hardie rep.