T18 or TI15 better choice for metal roofing job?

[RonMiller]

I have a job coming up that involves installing several thousand sf of metal roofing. Holes will need to be drilled through the ridges of two overlapping sheets and a screw-with-grommet put down through the hole into a 2x12 joist. My CSX (as wonderful as it is) doesn't seem like the way to drill those holes and I've wanted a better high end drill for some time. So the question is which Festool drill would help the most with that? I don't use an impact often but for those of you with experience with metal roofing, does it makes sense to use it here? Or just the standard drill?

Also, I've held the C and T drills and although I expected the Cs to feel better in my smallish hand, the Ts were definitely more comfortable.

 

[duburban]

i'd go right to the top. t18.

the festool impact is still a wild card at this point. seems geared to wood workers vs construction workers. the t18 and a good old fashioned makita/panasonic/hilti impact would be the way to go.

 

[tbellemare]

the festool impact is still a wild card at this point. seems geared to wood workers vs construction workers.

I agree with the T 18 choice for metal roofing. Although, I think any of the full size Festool drills would work fine.

I'm curious what you see about the TI 15 that made you determine it isn't for construction. It drives lag screws pretty darn well.

Tom

 

[duburban]

you know how we all have our personal filing systems for what tools we'd want for what... my opinion was based on the 885 in lbs of torque vs the 1400-1500 in lbs on others.

the interchangeable chuck system isn't something i would want to mess with. being able to drill and drive with one tool doesn't wow me. i would prefer an impact that does one thing really well and traditional or festool drills for the rest.

 

[EdL]

Any time I've worked with metal roofing (or siding), we made a "template" sheet. Lay it over the blank sheet and punched the holes with a hammer & Awl. On double thickness we punched through the bottom sheet after the top sheet was secured. No drilling at all.

Last roof I used my little 12v Bosch driver, you don't need much torque to tighten the screws, to much and it'll blow out the rubber grommet. The other guy up there with me had a monster 28v Milwaukee, didn't take long and he was hurting.

Ed

 

[epicxt]

+1 for using an awl.

 

[andyman]

Why have 2 separate operations drill? then screw? [poke]

Use the correct self cutting screws for fixing into either timber (coarse thread) metal (fine) joist or rafter, 18v battery will probably last longer, but be heavier

 

[EdL]

IME, to slow drilling with the screw. One has to press hard to get it started, often the screw will spit out of the holder, drill slams the siding causing scratches or dents. Very inconvient if when reaching over ones head.

On walls pre-punching allows you to line up all the screws on every sheet, nice even rows all along the wall.

As for drilling, I've worked with guys that make a template, then drill through multiple sheets at once, works good but make sure you've got a box of spare drill bits.

Ed

 

[duburban]

when i was working with screw down metal roofing in hawaii all the time an old timer told me some trick but i can't remember the details. something about how pre drilling or pre denting for the screw was good or bad... so... yeah i don't remember.

 

[leakyroof]

when i was working with screw down metal roofing in hawaii all the time an old timer told me some trick but i can't remember the details. something about how pre drilling or pre denting for the screw was good or bad... so... yeah i don't remember.

  If one is not drilling through the sheets, but wants to drive a screw with a self-drilling tip, I'd think that pre-denting by way of a center punch type mark would make it easier to keep the screw tip engaged into the metal as you're impacting it down, and less likely to slip off the siding/roof material surface.  Maybe that's what the old timer was talking about?  [huh]

 

[duburban]

i think he was saying not to dimple it due to future rusting... i mean, if i had to remember thats what i would say. just throwing it out there to see if anyone has a similar idea