Cutting R Panel recommendations

[Philip_L]

My dad and I are building a shed with a gabled R Panel Roof and are looking for ideas. In the past we have used snips but the ridges in the panel tend to get bent and my hand gets tired, even using power snips. Some one told me try some pneumatic nibblers, but it still seems tough to make a straight clean angled cut with those. We were thinking of investing in a milwaukee metal cutting circular saw and a metal-devil blade. I am still worried it will burn the paint and the blade will wear out quickly.

 

[mikim]

take a cheap plywood blade and put it in the saw backwards... and wear ear protectors - it's LOUD

 

[goaliedad]

When I built my pole barn I used an old circular saw with the fiber type metal cutting blade. I would not reccommend it for a saw you care about, but it worked very well for me! also, cover your ears. and eyes.

 

[shvl73]

take a cheap plywood blade and put it in the saw backwards... and wear ear protectors - it's LOUD

I've done the same when dismantling an old above ground pool and also for cutting up an old dishwasher, works suprisingly well. Any cheap circular saw blade will cut sheet metal. Don't use one with welded on carbide teeth, just a basic cheap blade.

 

[texbaylea]

There are metal cutting blades that are simply disc with radial slots around the circumference They work well but probably generate more heat than a backward saw blade.

Vernon

 

[BB_TX]

When I put up my steel building I used a metal cutting blade like texbaylea described. Bought it at HD I think. Worked well. It is very loud but gives a nice straight cut. Haven't tried the reversed basic blade, but apparently it works just as well.

 

[Farwell]

As suggested, a reversed plywood blade works great. Another suggestion is to make sure that the metal is supported underneath while cutting to avoid binding the blade. I used blue foam board resting on 3/4 inch sheet of OSB screwed to a couple of saw horses. On the smooth cuts you can score the metal with a box blade and fold it until it breaks. This works on new metal, not sure about aged metal.
Good luck.
Farwell

 

[kossetx]

What Mike said. That's the way roofers do it.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never tried it with a plywood blade as I don't have any. I just use my old, worn out framing blades that I put on backwards. After using it, the blade is toast and time to through away, but it works great.

It's very LOUD!!! Also be sure to wear eye protection. I haven't had it happen, but it's just a matter of time until a small piece of metal comes off. When it does, the damage could be very bad.

After cutting the R Panel, be sure to put some paint on the edge. My roof is called Aspen Green and is a pretty good match with Rustolium Hunter Green in the spray can. I tried three shades of green to find the one that matched.

Eddie

 

[Glenn9643]

I'm not familiar with the R Panel roof but have used a lot of painted galvalume panels. I've tried the metal cutting blade for circle-saws as well as the plywood blade backwards. They both work but are clumsy.
I just finished a roof job on our house, and it has five gables to contend with. Started out with the metal-cutting blade and got aggravated. Then I thought about one of my favorite power tools... Bosch jigsaw. I think I broke two blades using the Bosch during the whole job. It works better and is much quieter.
Whichever tool you choose, I found that things work better if you put the panel face down on your sawhorses with 2x's supporting it between the ridges; mark your cut with a sharpie, and make the cut from the back side. That way your saw is riding a relatively flat surface, with the ridges protruding down instead of up. Easier to follow your intended cut line.