Cutting roofing

[jaj121159]

I am planning on using steel metal roofing and am wondering what folks use to cut it. I have heard guys talk about using a angle grinder, but will an osculating grinder work? Has anyone tried a double bladed saw?

 

[gsim]

There are electric shears that are really shears mounted where the chuck would be on an electric drill. They make the exact same thing as pneumatic powered ones too. Could be that a jig saw with metal-cutting blade would work too.

Gerry

 

[PartridgeRckgal]

Yes, there are electric and pneumatic shears for cutting roofing metal. They work really well if the metal is flat (no ridges). But if you are using standard "ridged" roofing metal, they don't work well at all. We have a set of pneumatic ones and they wouldn't cut through the ridges. We used a circular saw and turned the blade (be sure to use one with very small teeth) around backwards and it will cut right through the metal. Be sure to use safety goggles because there will be lots of tiny metal shards flying around and ear plugs because it's really loud

. Be careful, but it works really well.

 

[Bossroo]

Quote:
I second that ! I buit an all steel 60x 120 barn roof and sides + windwo cutouts using this method.

 

[Newbie in Screamer Al]

You can use a circular saw blade put in the saw backwards. But they also make a composite blade with no teeth that will cut it. Even the corragated metal sheets. Just set the blade way out, or up, and it will cut fine. I use the composite blade on my coop metal, and roofs for my hunting stands.

 

[patandchickens]

Use a circular saw as described in previous posts, it makes *lots* of exciting noise and sparks but works fine.

However, it is even better to simply design your roof to use full sheets of roofing

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Cargo]

However, it is even better to simply design your roof to use full sheets of roofing

x2

That's how I did it!

​

 

[mcfarmall]

If you can stand waiting a week or so, most building centers that sell pole barn metal can custom cut the stuff by the nearest inch and it won't cost you a penny more than the going rate for the stuff off the shelf. That is how I had my steel cut for my shop and garage ceilings. I didn't have to cut anything except the holes for electric boxes.

 

[gsim]

One other thing that might do well is a rotozip with the right-angle attachment. That and the composite blade mentioned on here might be a good lightweight easy-t0-guide solution.

Gerry

 

[THINGUM]

There is also a composite blade that will mount to a high speed grinder (3" to 4" grinder @harbor freight $39.) that you can buy at any Welding Supply. They are 1/16" thick,fast and easy, but keep the blade guard on 'cause they'll WOUND ya' so fast that the first thing you'll notice is there is something red EVERYWHERE, and then there's the part about having to look for the finger, or at least a tourniquet. Does a real fine job cutting metal, but use two hands to hold the grinder.