# shingle removal tools



## nwksremodeler (Aug 24, 2007)

We still use either potatoe forks or a shingle removal tools with serreated replaceable blades. My question is does someone make one with a shock absorbing hanndle of some sort? Hitting nails repeatedly while tearing off sucks, seems like there should be something out on the market. Has anyone tried any of the mechanical shingle removal tools?


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## dougger222 (Jan 29, 2004)

Third generation using pitch forks. In my area 9 out of 10 crews use them. Toothy shovels work good for pulling nails though. As far as pulling field shingles they work slow.

There's been a lot of tools that are said to tear shingles off the best but have yet to see one work faster than thin wide tined pitch forks. There's very few that work great off the shelves these days. We typicaly run them on a grinder for a while before the new ones get to go on the roof with us.


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

That's why there's kids on tear off crews.:whistling


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Some tips: 
When ripping, leave your hands loose so the impact of the nails won't get to them. 

Also, you don't have to put all your energy in slamming the ripper under the shingles.

If you are, you're doing it wrong. All you have to do is to get it underneath and then put your pressure in pushing the fork "down". Let the tool do the work, not your arms.

Use the heavy weight of the ripper to move the material. And, since you're working 
"down range" (if you're ripping correctly), then you can use gravity to do your work too.

Oh, and don't use those cheapie cotton gloves. Invest in a decent pair of real work gloves like just about anything by Ironclad (some with gel padding). They outlast the cotton gloves, provide much better protection, don't leave your hands smelling like someone else's arse and they just (IMO) feel great. You can get them for about $20. if you look around and they will outlast 20 pairs of $1. cotton gloves. Think of it as going from a hammer to a nail gun. 









_______________________________________________________

For me, the best shingle remover is The Shingle Eater hands down.
They take off everything (including about 90% of the nails). 
Saves you a ton of time. You can go right to drying-in right 
after removal pretty much. 

http://www.shingleeater.com/









It lasts a long time, can be sharpened continually and can easily be relegated to other tasks once it's worn out it's time on the roof (like flooring removal, general demo work, etc...). 

The small one is great under dormers and for small bay roofs. 
The medium is perfect for really steep pitched roofs.
And the large is awesome on walkable roofs. 

There's another ripper that seems to be produced by Shingle Eater that is black and that is sold at Lowes which has the exact same design, but has a round bar in the middle of it for far more leverage. They are a little heavier, but are by far the best I've seen at removing material really fast. Next time I go back home to WV, I'm going to buy the store out of them.

_______________________________________________________

My "method"? Use a saw to cut a line just below the ridge caps, peel those back with the small ripper, then work your way down the roof diagnally (much easier nail pattern to cut through). 

Have 1 worker at the bottom pulling away the material from the rippers with a 2 prong hoe. 









________________________________________________________

Union produces a ripper with a "shock" built into it. 
http://www.alliedintegrated.com/products/productDetail.aspx?ProductID=89603390


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

dougger222 said:


> Third generation using pitch forks. In my area 9 out of 10 crews use them. Toothy shovels work good for pulling nails though. As far as pulling field shingles they work slow.
> 
> There's been a lot of tools that are said to tear shingles off the best but have yet to see one work faster than thin wide tined pitch forks. There's very few that work great off the shelves these days. We typicaly run them on a grinder for a while before the new ones get to go on the roof with us.


Same here , always rework the tips on a new one.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/item/9176/shingle-tear-off-tools-bogus-or-backsavers


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Someone posted this a while back but here it is again.


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## shanekw1 (Mar 20, 2008)

CrpntrFrk said:


> Someone posted this a while back but here it is again.


I wonder how much sheathing he had to replace perfecting that technique.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Or this
Well don't know how I posted one video and the other does not work but once again here is a stupid link


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## A&E Exteriors (Aug 14, 2009)

dougger222 said:


> Third generation using pitch forks. In my area 9 out of 10 crews use them. Toothy shovels work good for pulling nails though. As far as pulling field shingles they work slow.
> 
> There's been a lot of tools that are said to tear shingles off the best but have yet to see one work faster than thin wide tined pitch forks. There's very few that work great off the shelves these days. We typicaly run them on a grinder for a while before the new ones get to go on the roof with us.


Shin-go's may be slower than the fork but it's faster than forking off the shingles then puling all those nails.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

A&E Exteriors said:


> Shin-go's may be slower than the fork but it's faster than forking off the shingles then puling all those nails.


Yeah, for me, forks have always meant double work. Not only that, rippers pull off nice big chunks/sections at a time that can be easier to handle and dump (especially with really old dried up brittle shingles). 

Plus, the longer handles and ergo shape are way easier on my back. 
Far less bending, more leverage, easier work, more productivity.

My father was crazy old school right up until he retired about 2 years ago. He *still* used forks, a claw hammer, a roofer's knife, a cloth apron and the other staples (tin snips, awl, chalkline, tape, etc...). 

He was always telling me how a roofer doesn't need a gun, all he needs is a hammer! LOL I'd tell him that I was surprised he was even using a hammer. I was wondering why he wasn't using a rock!


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## A&E Exteriors (Aug 14, 2009)

2ndGen said:


> Yeah, for me, forks have always meant double work. Not only that, rippers pull off nice big chunks/sections at a time that can be easier to handle and dump (especially with really old dried up brittle shingles).
> 
> Plus, the longer handles and ergo shape are way easier on my back.
> Far less bending, more leverage, easier work, more productivity.


I love the guys who rip off each layer individually


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## kage (Aug 17, 2008)

A&E Exteriors said:


> I love the guys who rip off each layer individually


When you cant drop *ANYTHING* it works like a charm...:thumbup:


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

A&E Exteriors said:


> I love the guys who rip off each layer individually





kage said:


> When you cant drop *ANYTHING* it works like a charm...:thumbup:


After tearing off many, many hundreds of roofs, we have done it with almost every tool and every method. _Sometimes _one layer at a time is the only way.

Top to bottom, side to side, bottom up all have advantages at certain times.

Nothing works "best" all of the time. Still, everyone has their favorite "go to" tool.

I prefer the shingle eater and will use it almost exclusively. The one job I can think of where a pitch fork truly shines is the southern yellow pine T&G deck, with crumbling shingles and nails that are either badly rusted or just plain will not come out.

The fork ignores the nails and rips the shingles from them. It gets the job done. It is one of my least favorite roofs to remove.

For almost all other situations the shingle eater will remove most of the nails with the roofing. There is technique to using any tool and different users will achieve different results.


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## MJW (Jan 27, 2006)

Forks is all we use now. Used a couple tools like shown above and they are ok when you just let everything fall to the ground. Grew tired of paying some rum-head to set up tarps and pick up shingles though. We don't hardly even drop a nail anymore.

For steeper roofs, we use our telehandler with a basket when possible. All debris put in basket and dumped into our dumpster.

We have all the tools and equipment. It's nice to be able to start a job at the drop of a hat without calling a crew, a dumpster guy, etc. Sometimes we even haul our own new shingles right from the lumber yard.


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## 2ndGen (Apr 6, 2006)

Mr Latone said:


> After tearing off many, many hundreds of roofs, we have done it with almost every tool and every method. _Sometimes _one layer at a time is the only way.
> 
> Top to bottom, side to side, bottom up all have advantages at certain times.
> 
> ...


Affirmative on all points. :thumbsup:


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## roofbutcher (Jul 25, 2009)

If you like the pitch fork, My Razor bar might be worth a look.


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## CENTERLINE MV (Jan 9, 2011)

2ndGen said:


> Some tips:
> 
> For me, the best shingle remover is The Shingle Eater hands down.
> They take off everything (including about 90% of the nails).
> ...


X2 :thumbsup:

FANTASTIC customer service as well!! They sent me a couple shortys a few years ago by accident and totally took care of me in no time!!


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## ZackyBundles (Dec 31, 2012)

Theirs two of these threads lol.... I'm gonna try a shingle eater...iv seen them around and they look solid...they don't break before u wear it out?


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## ZackyBundles (Dec 31, 2012)

2ndGen said:


> Some tips:
> When ripping, leave your hands loose so the impact of the nails won't get to them.
> 
> Also, you don't have to put all your energy in slamming the ripper under the shingles.
> ...


If you buy 20$ work gloves ur nuts in my books...that's 20 bucks a day..I've never had a pair make it though a day and I've tried lots..


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## Mr Latone (Jan 8, 2011)

cargin2 said:


> cargin2 said:
> 
> 
> > 2nd Gen
> ...


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## cargin2 (Aug 2, 2011)

Latone

You are right. Working 2 tools together on one square was the trick on this one. 

We use the shingle eater for removing flooring underlayment and a number of other construction jobs. It's the best tool I have for the money.

Rich


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## ZackyBundles (Dec 31, 2012)

griz said:


> Best & fastest way to peel a roof is to get about a dozen 22 year old kids on it....:thumbsup:
> 
> dam it's quick....:whistling


How do u get your 22 year olds to work? Our guys broken...tried yelling and making fun of him but nothing...tried returning him to Home Depot and they wouldn't take him lol


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

I got one kid who started for me when he was 19 (now 22) and I can't get the guy to stop working. Only one I found like him. The pace he works at makes me feel like an old man but I guess roofing hard everyday ages you quicker or something.


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## ZackyBundles (Dec 31, 2012)

BamBamm5144 said:


> I got one kid who started for me when he was 19 (now 22) and I can't get the guy to stop working. Only one I found like him. The pace he works at makes me feel like an old man but I guess roofing hard everyday ages you quicker or something.


That's just like me...I'm only 23 but can't find anybody else who wants to actually work...


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