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If you do tile work full time or part time this is a must have. No dust no mess. This tool is fantastic for cutting tile board. Cuts 1/4 and 1/2 inch with extreme ease. Can cut in a curve pattern also.
Compared to other brands, it is lighter, more stable because of the flat shoe on the bottom, and more powerful.The reversible cutters make this an extra valuable tool. As always with Makita, the carrying case is well designed and rugged. This fiber cement shear is the best I've used. The polished steel head and dark cutter blades helps to focus your attention on the cutting line, which improves accuracy.
Extreemley satisfied. Smooth, well balanced, clean and powerful are just some of the things that my crew and I have to say about them. But as impressed as I was with the Porter Cable shears I am completley blown away with the Mikita shears. I cant believe that I have dealt with the dust and clean up with the numerous hardi blades that I have been through. I have used the older version of the Porter Cable shears. I took them on loan from a friend to remodel a bathroom and was greatley impressed. One house of hardi backer and full 8 1/4" lap siding and they sill look new and deliver clean cuts.
Kett makes a shear that works well, but I don't recommend them because the blades are not reversible which means that once they dull you have to replace them, and they are a bit pricey. You can go with the SS404, but it's usually more expensive. So basically if you've got more than just a handful of cuts to make, then go for these.Once you've decided to take the plunge and pony up the considerable dough there are a few brands that make similar products. If you need to cut arcs or curves, you'll need to locate and purchase a PacTool SS414.The only thing negative I can say about this tool is that it's made in China, but since the quality seems to be acceptable and there are no longer any US-made options; I can overlook that for now.
The old SS404 used to be made from a Milwaukee drill, but I think they now use a Makita on the new ones and rebadge them. You basically have these choices: 1) saw with a fiber cement blade 2) hand snips 3) shear attachment for a drill 4) fiber cement shears. Otherwise, this Makita is a pretty good little shear, and it hasn't let me down yet during my remodeling projects. Hand snips are OK for a couple of cuts, but they're tedious and slow. If you need to cut lots of fiber cement, shears are the way to go. You can use a saw, but why would you want to. The shear attachments like the Malco TSFC are OK for small jobs too, but they're not as durable as dedicated shears. The Snapper Shear (SS404) sold by PacTool is different because the blades are reversible, so once it gets dull, simply flip the blades over and continue using the other side.
The only thing it can't do well is cut arcs. This is a great tool. It's very messy, the expensive blades dull quickly and you need to wear a mask to keep from breathing in all that dust. Once that second side is dull then you'll need to replace the blade, but basically the blade has lasted at least twice as long.
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