Pacific International Tool & Shear SS404 SteelHead Fiber Cement Cutting Shear

Other products by Pacific International

Product Details

Product Manual [861kb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 5.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.
• ASIN: B0000DCBJH
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: SS404
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,243 in Home Improvement (See Bestsellers in Home Improvement)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #2 in

  Home Improvement > Power Tools > Shears & Nibblers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quality Tool for Specific Task, December 31, 2003

By	Chet Griffter "Chet" (Williamsburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I am building my own home and installing cement fiber siding. I had an eliptical and full circle transom around which I had to install 1/2" Hardi-trim, as well as lap siding and Hardi-shingles. I reluctantly paid the price for this single use tool because I was getting less than satisfactory results around an oval window using just a cement fiber blade in a circular saw, not to mention the cloud of choking dust which I'm sure will cause me cancer some day. One criticism is that the information for this tool does NOT SAY it will cut up to 1/2" fiber cement. It will do this handily. On straight cuts, it's clean and faster than a circular blade. On mild arcs, it works best if you cut from left to right (imagine the blade sweeping clockwise). On more aggressive arcs, it will cut but the end result may need a good bit of clean up with a utility knife. The aggressive arcs also require a good deal more force to make the turns. These comments all relate to 1/2". With standard 5/16" fiber cement siding, this machine cuts like a hot knife through butter. Another thing; I wish I had this tool when I was balanced on a scaffold last week instead of using the circular saw. It's solidly built. I dropped it several times from many feet. It feels competent and comfortable in my hand. I own many power tools and am sick of promised performance. In this case, I would recommend this to professionals as well as those who fear the amateur but very doable task of installing fiber cement siding. Now that I'm done with my project, you can buy mine!

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From a Contractor, December 18, 2005

By	Greg "Bottom Line" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

I have two professional Carpenter crews installing Hardie Siding 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I have used the Porter Cable and the Kett siding shears and these are a full step ahead of those. They are solid professoinal grade shears with full steel heads that don't break after one or two houses.

I gave up on a circular saw some time ago becasuse of the cost (2-3 blades per house at a minimium cost of $30 per blade). Save your lungs and stay away from the light duty shears. Even if you are only doing one house these are the shears for you.

My clients also appreciate the quiet work since we gave up the circular saws.

One note - they cut a much wider piece out of the plank than a circular saw and can leave a bit of a rough end. If you are butting the siding to the trim then have a wood rasp handy to clean the end. If you are overlapping the trim this is not a problem.

Only wish they had a shear that would cut the 3/4 inch trim!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pacific SS404 Shear, November 9, 2006

By	J. Merrell (Indiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a do it yourselfer , I was contemplating installing cement siding after receiving a quote for $3000 for installation only. I had read the reviews and decided to order the tool. The day after ordering, I was at the lumberyard, where this tool received a thorough bashing by people in the trade and those selling James Hardie siding. The main complaints were chipping and inability to make fine cuts --mostly that it was a good idea but highly overrated. After receiving the tool I left it unopened for several days contemplating its return while I awaited arrival of square drive stainless screws I had decided to use for fasteners. I finally decided to open it and give it aa try -- and was I glad I did. All of the reviews were true and it does cut cement siding like butter. Even my wife, who was reluctant for me to spend this much money was amazed and thought it was well worth the purchase. It truly makes the job fast and easy. I see no evidence of chipping and can do some fairly narrow cuts. This tool has saved me time, health and a lot of money. The stainless screws are about 10 times the expense of ringshanks -- but for the DIYer is more forgiving. When you make a mistake--you just back out the screws, fix the problem and go on. When I missed a stud on a butt joint, I was able to loosen the plank on one end, mark it with a trisquare and trim a little off with the shear while it was still on the house and cut a perfectly straight line. I highly recommend this tool!!