Roof Mates Air Knife Pneumatic Shingle Cutter Northampton MA
Roof Mates Air Knife Pneumatic Shingle Cutter
Source: TOOLS OF THE TRADE Magazine
Publication date: July 14, 2005
By Erik Elwell
Roof Mates' new Air Knife is a real knuckle saver. A cross between a pneumatic tool and a hook-blade utility knife, the Air Knife's reciprocating piston zips the 1-1/4-inch-deep hook through shingles in a blur with just a light draw force. It's great for trimming rake edges and valleys, and cutting into shingles or around vent stack boots as well as trimming starter shingles.
Action. Pulling through shingles with a regular hook blade requires a lot of power, and inevitably the hook disengages from the shingle, causing you to leave knuckle flesh behind. With the Air Knife, you barely have to apply any draw force to cut through shingles. In fact, the harder you pull, the slower it cuts. And like manual cutting, Air Knife slices a lot faster through hot shingles than cold ones.
Speed and Capacity. Don't expect the tool to reduce your cutting time much; it doesn't cut much faster than a manual knife–just a lot easier. You also can cut efficiently through two heavy laminated shingles, which certainly saves the triceps workout for the gym. And, at only a 3-cfm draw, you can practically run it off a bicycle pump.
Feel. Air Knife weighs a little less than 2.5 pounds, but feels lighter. The paddle trigger rotates around the body so you can position your hand comfortably for any angle of attack.