Shingle Your Roof For $60!
(Page 2 of 3)
May/June 1981
By D. Simmons
I decided to fashion each shingle into a parallelogram . . . for a number of reasons: The "lopsided rectangles" only required one thickness of aluminum, involved few manufacturing steps, allowed me to overlap each piece of "roofing" on all four edges, produced slanted vertical "tiles" (to shed water well), were easy to mount, and made it possible to secure three of each shingle's corners with only two nails.
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In order to produce the finished metal "shakes", however, I first had to make a template-17-1/2" long and 10" highwhich I cut from a piece of 1/8" paneling. I then marked two points (4-1/2"-horizontally—from the upper right and lower left corners), scribed lines connecting these dots to, respectively, the lower right and upper left angles .. . and sawed off the two indicated triangles to create the parallelogram form pictured in Photo 1.
Then, after rounding up a table knife, a 16" scrap of steel strap, and a 6" piece of 2 X 4 from my woodpile . . . I set to work.
HOW TO FOLD 'EM
To fold the shingles, I placed one of the mini-sheets-shiny side down-on my work surface. The 1/8" press-folded edge was closest to me (turned under), and the sheet protruded about one inch over the table's edge. Next, I put the template on it, so that the top edges lined up and the acute angles of the template were even with the sides of the printing plate . . . then, the one-inch aluminum "tongue" that stuck out toward me was folded up and over the bottom edge of the template, to form a small pocket.
At that point, I used the scissors to make two small cuts-just through the 1/8" fold at the top of the pocket-positioned four inches from the left side of the sheet and six inches from its right edge. Photo 1 shows my daughter's hand (yes, even a nine-year-old can do it!) making these "snips" and beginning the next step . . . which is to wrap the exposed triangles of metal up and over the sides of the template. A wooden block (such as the one in Photo 2) is used to press each fold almost—but not quite—flat.
The last stages in shingle production are shown in Photo 2. Place the piece of strap iron along the slanting fold at the right side, and bend the triangle of metal back over itself. (When the strap is removed, it will leave a small trough or pocket.) A table knife is then used to lift the 1/8" "tab" between the two bottomfold cuts.
This may sound complicated, butafter a little practice—the steps flow smoothly in a "line up, fold bottom, make cuts, fold sides, remove template, squash folds, make right-side pocket, and open 1/8" edge" sequence.
