Customer Reviews

Porter-Cable 6605 Fiber/Cement Shear

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Boght this from my local tool store for $209. Well made tool. Variable speed is great. Clean cuts... and cuts like butter.

I am a professional remodeler and recently took on a job where I was residing a house. This tool performs like a champ. This will be the only way I cut Hardiboard siding in the future. It is too hard on your saw and your lungs not to justify buying these shears, even if you are only doing one house. Not to mention, the circular saw blade you are supposed to use for Hardi is about $50 and the special dust collecting saws are usually over $400. I rented an old pair of shears for this job I was doing and was getting pretty frustrated with them. They cut very slow and with a great deal of effort. I would have been much better off if I had bought this tool at the beginning of the job since they cut about five times faster. Don't waste your time with any other method.

The shears came new in the box with all instructions, etc. They work like a dream. I whole-heartedly recommend this product to anyone needing to cut cement board (Hardi board) for one entire house or more. (I use it professionally.) There is almost no dust, making the process easier on lungs, eyes, and clean-up. Plus you don't have to listen to a saw "scream" while cutting.
One caveat - you still need a saw to cut the trim. It will only cut the thin sheets or boards.

it is a little heavy in your hands, but cuts are a lot less dusty than the saw cuts. It takes a little bit of time to get used to the feel but worth the effort. It did cut slower than I thought it would, but that is a minor drawback since I didn't have to worry about the dust protection gear or for the dust to clear after each cut.

I am not a contractor but have done plenty of DIY projects on many homes with family members who are. We bought this product to side a 2500 sq foot house and were able to do so in about 3-4 weekends with 3 people on the job. We tried cutting a few boards using a chop saw but the dust was pretty substantial. This tool does slow down the cutting a bit but is more maneuverable if you're cutting on the fly and also reduces dust substantially. This is important because the John Hardie website even contains warnings about the harmful effects of the carcinogenic silica dust in the products. The tool is heavy duty and tore consistent, clean lines through the fiber cement like it was butter. Blade showed no signs of wear by the end of the job. I will be using it to side my own home next year, most likely.

If you work with any type of fiber cement siding product, you absolutely must have this tool. It will make your life soo much easier when it's time to cut fiber cement. Don't bother buying special circular saw blades or large shears, this tool will do it all with no or very little dust and cuts quickly. The jaws are reversible so when one side gets worn, just flip them over and you have a new set of jaws.

Worth every penny!!!

Up till now have used a skill saw with a fiber cutting blade. Shears not only make for a better and straighter cut but also have cut the particles in the air to nothing. Now goggles and respirator aren't necessary. Plus shear blades last longer than the skill saw blades. Wish I'd gotten one earlier.

Forget the circular saw with a carbide blade. Way too "messy" and slow. This thing works absolutely great, fast, relatively quiet...a complete winner!

I had been using Fiber board blades quite some time for Hardi planks and backers. I decided to break down and get the Hardi shears because the dust from the blades was horrible. I was amazed at how well it worked. It is light weight, very easy to control and keep straight, even on rip cuts. The variable speed is very convenient. It also has a handy belt clip built in.
It seems relatively pricy considering it only has a 6.8 amp motor (maybe a drill motor, but is definitely adequate). I had trouble justifying the price till I actually used the tool, and now I wish I had purchased one a long time ago.
I really do like this tool and would recommend it anyone however I have one major complaint. The trigger lock is located exactly where your thump rest and will accidentally engage frequently. I have found this problem on other tools. The trigger lock should be located ergonomically accessible, but not in a location that makes accidental engagement so imminent.
Hence the Four Stars...

This shear works great for installing fiber cement. I used it in conjunction with a fiber cement saw to install about 30 squares worth of siding on my home. The only function that it is not really good for is to trim a small amount off of an edge. That is where the saw comes in. It also produces very little dust.