Ivan Damage, need help

[Ed Hardin]

I've got a bucket size hole in my roof and no way to get power to it. Is there any battery operated saw that is any good. Thanks.

[Dick Parr]

The best one I can think of that won't cost and arm and leg is Riobi 18 volt. I have one and it's a great little saw. Home Depot has them.

Good luck.

[Rob Russell]

By "bucket", I'm guessing that you mean a5 gallon drywall "bucket" size, but it really doesn't matter that much.

If you don't have power, how will you charge the battery?

For cutting out 1 area of roof sheathing/shingles, what's wrong with a sharp handsaw? I'd think one of the $15 or $20 Stanley saws would do what you need, both cutting out the old stuff and cutting a piece of plywood to fit. It certainly doesn't need power and you don't need to worry about the battery (just your arm).

If you're looking to establish a brand preference for a certain maker and voltage of cordless tool, that's fine. If you were, you'd likely already have a 14.4v or 18v drill and that would be the logical choice for a cordless saw.

Just my 2 cents (and this coming from a tool junkie, no less)

Rob

[Dan Mages]

Rob made a good point. How do you plan on charging the batteries without power? Stanley makes good handwaws, but I prefer Bahco. I have a 22" saw by them and it cuts through wood like butter. I hope things go well for you down there.

Dan

[Rob Russell]

Dan,

I probably should've said this, but I was thinking of a handsaw that's likely to be available at a local big-box store like HD, Lowe's or Menards. Even the local hardware store will have a handsaw.

Better saws like what you're proposing are probably a mail-order thing and, depending on where he is right now, mail service may be iffy.

= = = = = = = = = = =

A thought on charging the battery ... if he has a computer turned on to post his question, he has power somewhere.

I'd still go with the handsaw for cutting out 1 little piece of roof unless I were aching to buy a cordless saw.

A couple of thoughts about actually doing the work:

Use a utility knofe to cout off the shingles and tar paper so you can see the plywood.
Mark your cut line so you end up on a roof joist, but miss the nails.
Once you have the piece cut out, reach underneath and see if you're within 1 foot of the edge of the sheet of plywood going up or down the roof. If you are, I'd consider enlarging the patch to the edge of the plywood, rather than leaving that extra thin strip.


Rob

[Gary Sutherland]

You may have considered this already, but it seems like for the price of a 'good' battery powered saw you could buy a small generator and use your corded tools. Without power, the generator could be very useful for a lot of things.

Sorry to hear about your damages...

Gary