# Metal cutting oscillating tool blade that can handle roofing nails?



## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

Are there any good metal cutting blades for oscillating tools that can handle cutting something like .120" galvy roofing nails? Hopefully more than just one or two nails anyway before needing replacement.
I have some exterior trim to replace when the weather warms up a little more, but what complicates things is that the asphalt roof shingles along with the ice & water shield on the north side of the building are nailed off to the top edge of the rake boards. 
What I've done in the past is to lift the end of the shingle course above the nail and carefully work these nails out one at time, but with these longer pieces of trim I can see that taking forever, so was thinking about using my oscillating tool to cut the nails off flush with the top edge of the rake boards instead and then just pushing the nail heads up through the shingles and ice & water shield with a nail set to remove them.
TKX


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Yes the wood metal blades cut em fine! I've gone through 6" hex head screws with em:thumbsup:


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## steex (Feb 19, 2013)

Maybe try a roof snake?

http://www.amazon.com/PacTool-International-RS501-Roof-Snake/dp/B00005A1K9

I haven't had my soniccrafter long, but if the blades that came with it are any indication, you won't get through many nails with one of them.


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

Can't you use a shingle ripper?


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

I just ran through a oscillating wood/metal blade cutting some hard to reach framers. It got about a dozen before the teeth were gone, but thats all I needed it to do. 

At $15+ per blade I would definitely look at using a recip with a metal blade before I would use an oscillating tool. Even by hand with a hacksaw blade with the end wrapped in tape would be better than running through a bunch of those pricey blades.


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## Lanya LaPunta (Oct 31, 2010)

Fein bimetal (universal) ecut blades, in quantities of ten, run around six bucks a piece.

Not a knock off, but genuine Feins. And, they seem to last relatively well ... far longer than the Oshlun or Versatool. However, that's only our experience.

Prices run up and down on them ... sometimes the universals (this is all Amazon pricing ... with free "super saver" shipping) around eighty bucks for ten, other times they run around fifty-eight or fifty-nine.

So, when the price hits the under sixty point ... we usually buy a few ten packs.

Still, they ain't cheap, but why pay over double?


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

You sure you can't hit them with a grinder?


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

EthanB said:


> You sure you can't hit them with a grinder?


That was my first thought too, but then I thought about the sparks. I tend to be kinda paranoid about sparks and roofs.


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

steex said:


> Maybe try a roof snake?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/PacTool-International-RS501-Roof-Snake/dp/B00005A1K9
> 
> I haven't had my soniccrafter long, but if the blades that came with it are any indication, you won't get through many nails with one of them.


That's been my experience with it as well. I'm hoping that someone makes something a little better than the blades I've tried in the past.


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

Rustbucket said:


> Can't you use a shingle ripper?


I've tried using the ripper before, but when working from a ladder I find the 18" Dasco a little awkward.

The way I usually do it works okay, but I guess maybe the George Jetson in me was hoping to utilize some of the newer technology lying around in my tool box.
I normally use a 5-way painter's tool to separate the water shield from the top of trim, then wiggle the flat end of a wonder bar in there around the nail shank and lift it slightly and expose the head on the shingle above, then move the wonder bar up to the nail head and pull the nail out the rest of the way using a small block of wood for leverage.
I can usually get at several courses without moving the ladder, so I suppose could always just keep doing it this way if needed.


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## DuMass (Feb 6, 2008)

Dirtywhiteboy said:


> Yes the wood metal blades cut em fine! I've gone through 6" hex head screws with em:thumbsup:


You have a lot better luck than I do with them. Sometimes if I accidentally hit something like a couple of 16-gauge finish nails buried in a piece of wood I end up having to replace the blade. God forbid I should hit a drywall screw with one. 

What brand of blade is it that you use? I've tried the Rockwell, Bosch and some generic ones, but they all seem to lose their teeth after just a couple of nails.


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

One key to make the blades last longer is to move it back and forth rather quickly across the nail. Doesn't work very well with buried nails, but if you have the room, it greatly extends the blade life. The problem with the oscillating tools is the very short stroke, which concentrates the heat in one spot.

I would check and see if you could get some long metal cutting blades for the reciprocating saw. Those mini recips can come in pretty handy if weight is an issue.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

just cap the trim in aluminum..


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## superseal (Feb 4, 2009)

Fein E-Cuts for me too...and don't forget lubing the blade up with something.

I normally just grab some WD and keep the blade wet.

I hate sacrificing good blades for this kind of stuff but, sometimes you just gotta get the job done...


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

why can't they make some kind of punch to create new teeth?


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## steex (Feb 19, 2013)

Tom Struble said:


> why can't they make some kind of punch to create new teeth?


I got a little inspired and just tried using a hand nibbler to recut some teeth on a worn out blade. It was a failure because a) the smallest corner cut i could make with the nibbler was 2 to 3 times the size of a regular blade tooth and b) the metal of the blade is brittle and was breaking and chipping a lot.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

i was thinking more like hmm..well like this..but different

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Disston-No-...OS-Box-RARE-Saw-Set-Blade-Punch-/320876258278


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