by Jeff Stortz | Dec 13, 2018 | Uncategorized
The pictures below document the installation of a Sieger heavy duty snow guard on a slate roof. While retrofit hook snow guards are quick and simply installed, there is a case to be made regarding the fact that the nail is already serving a purpose of holding the...
by Jeff Stortz | Nov 30, 2018 | Product Reviews
How do these pliers differ from what you may find at your local roofing supply store? Strength – The size and weight of the pliers allow for ample leverage on any metal. The heavy duty models allow for a particularly strong grip and the handles offer minimal...
by Jeff Stortz | Nov 6, 2018 | Education
*note: Special thanks to Kevin Roselli (Metal Solutions LLC) for the photographs of the copper bell tower project in this post “Whatever good things we build, end up building us…” There is something fascinating about architectural copper work. The...
by Jeff Stortz | Sep 26, 2018 | Product Reviews
Limited time COMBO DEALS Sale! Eaves Locking BundleRated 5.00 out of 5 $530.00 $495.00 Sale! Mechanical Lock Seaming Bundle $580.00 $539.00 60 YEARS IN THE BUSINESS RAU Systems has been manufacturing German made sheet bending and folding tools for...
by Tom Stortz | Sep 25, 2018 | Education
This is an alternative to a ridge cap which is popular in the snap lock industry. Craig of Hardin Exteriors uses the double lock method to ensure water tightness and to maintain the double locked theme of the roof. There is also no worry of this ridge detail being at...
by Tom Stortz | Sep 24, 2018 | Education
A Slate Story An elder couple walked into Stortz Tools yesterday looking to buy slate tools to repair their 100 year old slate roof in Wilmington, Delaware. The man was physically fit, and the woman had an expensive camera hanging from her neck. We talked a bit about...
by Jeff Stortz | Aug 14, 2018 | Education
When you get to the rake edge of a roof and the roof is not perfectly square, there is a need to run a slightly tapered panel to connect to the rake trim. In this process, it is necessary to measure and cut the panel to the proper taper and then bend up a leg to...
by Tom Stortz | Aug 1, 2018 | Product Reviews
Craig Hardin from Hardin Construction is no stranger to working with mechanical lock standing seam panels. Here he shows how he single and double locks 26ga painted steel panels using the same tool for both stages. The Biegetec Finish Seamer is ideal for any painted...
by Tom Stortz | Jul 19, 2018 | Education
Every roof is a chance to express yourself. A chance to show that you care what the future looks like… A lot of the architectural metal roof installations we work with are built to last well through at least one generation. Hell, if done right, copper can last...
by Tom Stortz | Jun 26, 2018 | Education
Stainless steel is great. It is corrosion resistant, incredibly durable, has no reaction issues being paired with other dissimilar metals. The problem is, it is a bitch to work with. Stainless is so durable that it is difficult to field form, or bend for on site...
by Tom Stortz | May 14, 2018 | Trip Report
What is Roll Forming? Roll forming is a process that utilizes sets of rolls in “stages” to achieve desired profiles in continuous strips of sheet metal. Roll forming can offer companies the following benefits: No expensive shipping & crating of long panels – you...
by Tom Stortz | Apr 26, 2018 | Education
A little less than a year ago we wrote a post (great comments by the way) that explained how the natural slate market was being damaged by the manufacturers of “synthetic slate” marketing their rubberized, polymer, shingle as “slate”. This is a...
