Roofing.com - What technique for trimming off the excess shingles?

-Axiom- · Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 1568 Location: N. Michigan

Downunder Roofing wrote:

sorry, 99 % of my work is new construction. i do plywood and shingles. All barge boards are as straight as a pin, if they arent i get builders to fix em. cold weather down theses parts. Thanks for photos, there is know way i could get gables as straight if i was to cut em like that. good on you Mr. Green

What is a "Barge board"?

I have never had good luck snapping a line and cutting a rake edge.
There is a lot more waste that way also.
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dave63028 · Joined: 01 Nov 2007 Posts: 71

I just leave my shingles hanging over the edge.Maybe you have seen them from time to time. hah hah

1st Rate Roofer · Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 89 Location: Brownsville,Oregon

Why pay $400 for a tool when you can get an AJC hatchet for about $25 and a 10 pack of blades for about $3.
Kage has the right idea about running a "bleeder" shingle, it's pretty simple.

Anybody try a chainsaw?

Downunder Roofing · Joined: 24 Jul 2009 Posts: 154

-Axiom- wrote:

Downunder Roofing wrote:

sorry, 99 % of my work is new construction. i do plywood and shingles. All barge boards are as straight as a pin, if they arent i get builders to fix em. cold weather down theses parts. Thanks for photos, there is know way i could get gables as straight if i was to cut em like that. good on you Mr. Green

What is a "Barge board"?

I have never had good luck snapping a line and cutting a rake edge.
There is a lot more waste that way also.

not sure what you guys call it, maybe fascia? the thing under the gable flashing

shangle nailer · Joined: 21 Feb 2009 Posts: 772

Barge rafter is a rake board. I have heard it called that.
Chainsaw? No. But try this. For cutting starter courses (i.e. 6", 12" etc...), take a full bundle, and a skilsaw with an old blade and have at it. All the starters you can dream of in like 5 minutes.

2ndGen · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 222

-Axiom- wrote:

I have a few of those knives, I don't use them daily.
You are correct, they do give you more leverage, I use them when I am tearing off and cutting stuff.

When we first got them we all loved them, but after a while we went back to the standard Stanley no. 99.
We were cutting into the valleys too much with that knife, it has too much leverage for our style of cutting valleys.
They are harder to control, for me at least.

I had to modify it slightly to get the hook blades to fit into it.

When I do the valleys, I turn the knife as forward (almost at a 90 degree angle to the surface). That way, it's cutting with they blade edge facing me and the round "outside" part of the blade is riding along the valley.

Also, I only use AJC Deep Hook Blades (the best in my opinion...expensive, but worth it). They outlast normal hook blade 2X as long. But, the extra deep hook blade works great.

2ndGen · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 222

1st Rate Roofer wrote:

Why pay $400 for a tool when you can get an AJC hatchet for about $25 and a 10 pack of blades for about $3.
Kage has the right idea about running a "bleeder" shingle, it's pretty simple.

Anybody try a chainsaw?

Why pay $400. for a tool that would make your job far easier,
produce far less strain on your body,
give you a better finished result,
produce a better quality job
and save you a lot of time
making you more efficient
making it pay for itself after a few jobs
then saving you money everytime you use it after that?

neville · Joined: 13 Mar 2009 Posts: 27 Location: North Texas

2X4 wrote:

I am nearing completion of my shed. The excess shingles need to be trimmed off. My exacto knife was doing a poor job, mostly tearing. What tool or techniqie is best ?

TIA

It's well past the end of your job, but for something like a shed it is incredibly easy. Run starter up the rake edges, as others have mentioned (a 1" overhang is OK if you have starter). Then when you reach an edge, cut off and save the NEAR side of the shingle, so you have a factory edge on the outside. Take the saved pieces and use them for starting the next several courses on the other end of the roof.

This way only works for laminates, not 3-tabs. For 3-tabs, I prefer to mark, flip, and cut the shingle. Sometimes I will instead lay a staightedge along the starter and trim the field shingles every couple of courses. I don't like to let the courses stack up because it makes it harder to get a good straight cut.

Freehand cuts and even chalk-line cuts just never to turn out very well (do you suppose it might be, well, me?).

Kenobob-o · Joined: 06 Nov 2009 Posts: 1

When I was taught how to shingle my boss would shingle up the rake three courses then use the top of a shingle as a straight line. I usually go with a half inch overhang on the starter rake then when you trim the shingles back, make sure you stay back 1/16 to 1/8th an inch. I looks really nice from the ground up.

2ndGen · Joined: 02 Jul 2007 Posts: 222

Kenobob-o wrote:

When I was taught how to shingle my boss would shingle up the rake three courses then use the top of a shingle as a straight line. I usually go with a half inch overhang on the starter rake then when you trim the shingles back, make sure you stay back 1/16 to 1/8th an inch. I looks really nice from the ground up.

Excellent first post K!

And, right on point as well!

That's exactly how I do it (except I go as far as 5 shingles).

And welcome!

Smile

EstesRoofing · Joined: 24 Apr 2009 Posts: 78 Location: USA

AJC Guardian Angle :
this is the knife i use and i love it ! I had a sheath hand made just for it
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-Axiom- · Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 1568 Location: N. Michigan

EstesRoofing wrote:

AJC Guardian Angle :
this is the knife i use and i love it ! I had a sheath hand made just for it

A big red knife with a big hand guard?
That one is a ripper...
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