2ndGen

Amen to that!

2ndGen

For shakes, I find it way faster to use the claw of a hammer and to rip them from the side.

For slates, I use a flat shover and what I do is to slide the shovel under the side of the slate and twist it popping the slate off. I do this in rapid succession going down the line and can stay in one place while picking off the rows next to me.

Tiles, similar to shakes...pop them off with my hammer.

For flat roof tear offs, my favorite "tools" are LABORERS!

roofbutcher

Shingle Eater is one of if not the first specialized tear off tools, and is still the most rugged of the bunch. Shingle Eater favors the open, smooth-deck walkables and in the right hands will be very tough to beat under those conditions. However, the very features that give it the performance in ideal conditions make it cumbersome under less than perfect conditions.


AJC’s Shin-go is an excellent all-‘rounder. It has decent thrust, enough lift to pull a spike, and the deep gullets will pull some of the more ornery nails. Great for salvaging flashings.


Roofers’ spade is just a square shovel with teeth and fulcrum added. The low working angle gives it excellent reach and thrust. It is one of the lightest options and has a low rate of fatigue for its operator.


Roof Bully, home depot’s red-handled stripper is very economical and works well on stapled shingles. The mild steel is short-lived, but the dull blade will ride over some of the rougher deck. It also features a square heel, which is handy for bent over nails and stubble.


Shin-dig (and wipr-do) is another dull-bladed shovel, which is nice on the rougher decks, but can have trouble getting under the material. It features a reverse blade, which is handy for bent away nails. It also has a good striking surface, which is very nice for tightening loose boards and pounding down stubble. An excellent choice when in rougher conditions.


Pitchfork, or more accurately dung fork, was made to penetrate material which isn’t easily shoveled. This has great appeal as a tear off tool because it reduces tedium, particularly under adverse conditions. It’s obvious downside is that the nails need be dealt with in a separate operation. In order to show an advantage in productivity over a shovel-type tool, a fork needs to cover the area at a tremendous rate of speed.


Stripping irons benefit from lessons learned from all of the above and yet are based on a completely different operating principle. Virtually all other strippers use lever-action to free the shingles from the surface, whereas stripping irons use wedge-action to get consistent long strokes on rough deck. Their major drawback is the learning curve presented by these unique concepts.

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http://roof-shingle-removal-tool.com/ Rippers with attitude!

RoofingSafety

The Red Ripper has the "power to play rough all day" Rip shingles and peel nails in seconds, save 30% on labour and reduce back strain. Only $60 for a shingle removal tool that will get the job done quickly and efficiently. http://www.roofersworld.com/redripper.htm

roofbutcher

Not a bad looking shovel, your Red Ripper. I like the picket-fence teeth, they’ll work very well. I also like the reverse-blade and striking surface, they will get you through much adversity. It also looks wonderfully lightweight.


All it needs to be a great ripper is a reduced working angle, somewhere around 12-15 degrees. I don’t mean to hack on your tool because it does have the best features of all the shovels I’ve tried, so please, bear with me.


Firstly, the most overlooked fact when designing these rippers is that most of the effort is expended on the thrust (slam) and NOT on the lift (pry). With a steep angle like that, you can’t get your full body behind the tool, so the arms and upper body (back) tire quickly. Secondly, the lower angle will provide more REACH, which is very handy on a steep-staged roof. Third, the reduced angle will make both your reverse-blade and your striking surface more effective. Lastly, the suggested angle will make your tool one-handable for even more reach and great videos of guys running dual rippers!


Keep your fulcrum as close to the forward cutting edge as possible, leaving just enough lift to barely pull a spike. This will minimize effort on the pry and maximize sweet spot. Your current pattern looks pretty good on this.


For $60, I’m assuming it’s a tempered steel blade so it’s performance will last more than just a few roofs. You can go about 50 points of carbon without running into welding issues.


Yeah I know, you gotta change your tooling, but fix that angle and you’ll have the best performance of all the many shovels on the market. I’ve been through it on my rippers, and can tell you that it’s well worth it.


Good luck to you on your ripper. Hope to see you around.

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http://roof-shingle-removal-tool.com/ Rippers with attitude!

2ndGen

Ran into a Lowe's for some stuff and came across this Kobalt Shingle Remover.

When I looked at in detail, it was identical to a Shingle Eater only it had a bar welded into it across the top (like a bicycle handlebar) with foam grips and a hump bar in the center with a placing for your foot 3/4's of the way down.

It was black and branded as a Kobalt, but it was a Shingle Eater.

I picked it up and took it on the job and it was just as much a revelation as The Shingle Eater was when I first used it. It was a little heavier, but you didn't lift it to work it...you simple slid it under the work and pushed down with both hands. It was so much easier and I could rip up 4 shingles at the same time in one push (1 layer).

If any of you guys come across one in any Lowe's, trust me, it's worth the $39. I payed for it!

That's right...just $39. for a Shingle Eater on Steroids!

I'm trying to get a pic of it...when I do, I'll post.

Trust me boys, get it!

2ndGen

Got a pic!

tridentroofing

still try for the asphalt shingles.....

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to much / removed.

hellbilly

Best i have found, have been using them for about 7 years

RoofingSafety

Billy,
We love receiving customer feedback on our products. The Red Ripper has become a huge hit in the USA in the past few years. We now have several reps that will help make the product more dispersed.

Would you mind sharing what you like best about the tool? Have you seen or used any of our other roofing tools? www.roofersworld.com