Trimming cedar shakes at roof joints

[IrishMist]

Anyone have any suggestions for marking and cutting cedar shakes for where the eaves/dormers join the roof? I'm using a metal ruler and an exacto knife, but they keep splitting....and keep being just a tiny off. I bought the kit at a yard sale and it's pretty old - 1984- a Columbian by Dura Craft. Could the age of the wood have anything to do with it splitting?

AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!! :lol:

[CatColorado]

Two things might make things a bit easier, one: get an Easy Cutter or similar tool. It's much easier and faster. Two: make a paper template of the roof angle, you can use this to mark your shingles/shakes before cutting. Hope this helps. :lol:

[Ed_Cal]

Either use a sliding bevel or a paper template to determine the angle of the shingles. Cut the cedar shingles with n x-acto razor saw for a clean cut. the belde # is 34 or 35 in a #5 handle. If you want to use a knife use a straight edge and a SHARP x-acto blade and do it in several passes to minimize the chance of splitting

Ed

[IrishMist]

Thanks!!! for the ideas. I was using a paper template, but the blade in my exacto was bigger and probably not as sharp as it should be. Changing blades helped. And I found the Easy Cut tool and ordered one. That looks great! Should make baseboards and crown molding much easier, too.

Thanks again for your help!

[hydroped]

Irish Mist,

You will love your easy cutter!! I put off getting one for quite a while and then went to Harbor Freight and bought a simular but very cheap version (without the nice plate and angle cutting lines) and it made Such a difference! Then when it got dull (which didn't take long) I finally broke down and bought a real Easy Cutter - WOW - why did I ever bother with the cheap version?? It's awesome - I use it all the time, WAY more than I used the cheap one and the blade is still sharp and cutting great! You definitey won't be sorry you bought it.

-David

[gemlady]

That cutter is great, I seen it used in a mag.artical for inlaid floors and wanted one found mine today at a hobby shop ,brought it home and have used it all day .I'm putting fish tail siding in the gables and needed a easy way to cut the angles works great

gemlady

[nuttiwebgal]

I love my cutter!!

its one of my favorite tools!

nutti

[AllThingsMini]

I love my cutter too and never do without it when shingling (I hate shingling ). I hear it's a royal pain to change out the blades tho. I use my husbands sharpening stone when I need to sharpen mine as I'm too scared to put in the new blade.

[LPCullen]

And we all know what Linda does for shingles, right? Easy. That's hubby's job! LOL! Now that all the helpful and wonderful people here have given their opinion, I decided to chime in ....

[havanaholly]

Also if your shakes are very brittle you can lay them on a strip of masking tape to see if they'll cut without shattering, and if they do you can glue them back together and let them dry before laying them (I like shingling )