Need Advice

kenvest

I have alot of vinyl siding to cut for the latest project. Most of the pieces will be small fillers and was wondering what is the quickest, cleanest way to cut vinyl?

I know I can use shears but i would be there forever.

I've heard that you can cut vinyl with a standard framing blade but it sounds like it would shatter to me.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Merry Christmas!

Bob Kovacs

Put a plywood blade in your circular saw backwards. That usually works very well, but try it on a test piece to be sure- some of the vinyls are more brittle than others and don't respond well to a sawblade.

Bob

Tom R

I usually cut them with shears myself, - - but a slide-miter saw or a small radial-arm saw will cut them fine, as long as it's not too cold outside. I'd probably put a plywood blade in backwards. Maybe someone knows better.

Edit, - - hey, I see Bob beat me to the answer.

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GriffDecker

When I've done it, I use an 80 tooth blade on my miter saw, install it backwards, and make sure it's not too cold. The vinly will shatter if it's too cold.

kenvest

Thanks for the help guys...Go Panthers!

mdshunk

I've seen a saw on jobs, made by Delta, manufactured specifically for cutting vinyl siding. I can't find it on the net. It had a small circular saw (maybe 5-6") mounted on a set of rails, suspended over a table. The whole saw assembly would rotate a great deal, offering miters much greater than 45*. It would probably mitre the angle cuts for against a 4/12 soffit. I wish I could find a picture of that thing. I know it was made specially for vinyl siding, because it had stickers on it to that effect. I know that the crews I've seen using them can fly.

EDIT... I found a picture of one that's really close to the one I was thinking of, but not the same one.

Tom R

Sheesh, md, - - beautiful saw, - - now if he can just get enough jobs cuttin' 3" pieces of siding to warrant buying this behemoth . . .

Actually, - - kinda reminds me of the old Delta 'Saw-Buck', - - I don't think they're available anymore, - - maybe I'm wrong . . .

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mdshunk

Here's one that's a little closer to the one I have pictured in my head, but still not the one:



I'm starting to think the one that I've seen used is a 3rd party jig that you mount your own trim type circular saw into. They must sell them somewhere around me, because I've seen more than one crew using one.

kenvest

there is definitly a tool for every job and as a tool geek i want one.....

guess they're using a small blade to keep form shattering the vinyl???

i've got a small tile saw that looks something like that....i wonder.....

thanks for the interest!

Tom R

I want one, too, - - but don't tell md . . .

Here's a version of the one (they must've copied) that I used to use

http://www.hometime.com/Howto/projec..._1.htm#cutting

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slowsol

i always use a grinder with a large abrasive cutting blade. sometimes i put an abrasive blade in the miter saw. i can get going very fast like that.

Tom R

Sounds like it would work fine, - - just might involve a little bit of clean-up, no??

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firemike

Before I bought my Tapco Siding Saw Table I made a table out of a piece of plywood about 18" wide and 8 feet long and four 8 foot 2x4's. I screwed the 2x4's to the plywood on the long axis to make a channel just a hair wider than the siding that I would be cutting, two above the plywood, and two below to stiffen the assembly up when it is sitting on horses. You end up sandwiching the plywood between the pairs of 2x4's. I then took two pieces of 1" angle iron 3 feet long and screwed them across the top 2x4's to make guide rails for the saw, leaving enough sticking out front for the saw to sit in so the blade clears the front of the 2x4. I drilled and countersunk the mounting holes for teh angle iron for drywall screws so the saw wouldn't hit the screwheads, but I suppose you could us roofing nails too.
I also had to tape the blade guard up because it would keep getting caught when I pulled the saw back. Cut a kerf through the 2x4's and about 1/16" deep into the plywood, change blades to a plywood blade put in backwards, and your ready to cut as many pieces as needed. Took me about 45 minutesd to build it. I could also stack 4 or 5 pieces of siding on it at once and cut them all at the same time. Where you mount the angle iron rails will depend on the lengths you need, I sort of centered mine, but moving it would be as easy as moving the angle iron and cutting a new kerf. Also as Griff said, siding doesn't cut well when it's cold, tends to fracture and chip, often sending pieces of sharp shrapnel (sp?) flying

NHCharger

Delta Saw Buck. That's what I use for my vinyl siding. I have a 8' plywood extension table that I clamp to one side. For years I used a plywood blade installed backwards but it would still chip the vinyl below 30º. I now use a masonary blade, works slick.
Bought my saw buck back in the late 80's.

kenvest

masonry blade makes sense....just didn't know if it would load up with the melted plastic.

Thanks again for all the help. Merry Christmas!