OT: Best way I've found to cut vinyl siding.

This is the best way I've found to make the long cuts. Put the blade in backwards. Saw doesn't spin very fast. Didn't chip the siding. Made cuts without climbing down. Plese don't knock it if you haven't tried it.

There is something weird with the optics of my camera, the house isn't leaning. Perhaps it's the person behind the camera.

I can't think of another way than putting the blade in backwards either. Works great.

Mark

Yep, thats about the only easiest way. My brothers who"s a contractor has been doing it that way for over 20 years.

I have a table saw set up like that.

I use a box cutter knife and a square. Or a large tin scissors. Or a old fashoined paper cutter. Scissors ate convenient for small cuts, like cutting notches. Never thot of using a saw.

We used that method for twenty years, only with a plywood blade in it's normal rotation. In backwards they seem to push the siding away rather than grab it and go.

About three years ago we went to a dremel tool with a side grinder attatchment with a diamond blade. Just alot better, and you can trim a piece right on the house if needed. We also use it to rip, cut holes, and cut soffit and trim. Corners can be cut right on the house if they are a little tight.

We are still using the same blade. Probably the best part is you can see the blade edge right out in th open.

However we often use a power miter box that is preset for the angles, the ground man can have them cut ahead of time.

My intentions are not to insult, but do you use diverters on your J chanel? Probably less than 1% of the siders that do it for a living use them. We have run across lots of problems with mold, and water damage because of the lack of them. Probably 100% of the time, the window company gets blamed for a leaking window.

Try using a metal cutting abrasive blade in the saw. It'll last forever on siding, and less aggressive than even a blade turned bacwards.

Tim

Hello Iowa, What are these J channel diverters you are talking about?

I'm getting ready to do a house and it just seems to me that J channel needs to be step flashed or something on the sides of windows and doors. Siding people I talk to think I'm worrying about nothing cause the tyvek will catch it.

I have the same problem with those blocks. Nothing to keep rain from coming down on the top, over the sides, and then under the bottom row of siding.

IOWA NORTHEAST,
I'm not a sider, just a DYI guy. This is a honey do job and if I do a good job I might get a bowl of ham and beans. If I do an exceptional job I might get corn bread and a lots of ham too.

What are diverters on your J chanel? Please post a pic of a diverter. Like to learn something new.

Included a pic of how I keep the water out. First I use silicon on the nailing flang and screw the window to the wall. For me to swing a hammer next to a window is an accident waiting to happen. Of course the house is wrapped with typar. Second I painted the wood trim that goes around the window. Wanted the addition's window to look like the rest of the old house. Put a 40 year painters caulk against the side of the new window and silicon caulk behind the edge of the wood trim. Used a brad nailer to attach the wood to the wall and cleaned off the painter's caulk. Next I miter cut the J, painter's caulk to the outside of the window wood, and attached the J to the wood with trim nails. Also used silicon on the back side of the J to keep the rain out. If this doesn't keep the rain out, nothing will.

The reason I think the cordless saw is the best way to go is that I'm doing this job myself and the blade turns very slow compaired to table saws, corded hand saws and trim saws. I very easily made cuts with out chiping the vinyl. I also made my cuts without climbing down. Works sweet when you work by yourself and you don't have a ground man.
George