RIDGID R040SCA Roofing Cutter

By Robert Robillard on Tool Reviews

RIDGID R040SCA Roofing Cutter

Ridgid R040SCA Roofing Cutter Review

The folks at Ridgid sent me their Ridgid R040SCA Roofing Cutter to test out and review. I was interested in reviewing this tool for the fact I have never used one or seen one before. After reading Ridgid’s write up on this tool I immediately thought this is a wrist saver. I recently had to cut shingles at a ridge vent opening and let’s just say my wrist was feeling every inch of that 40’ opening.

First impression:

I had to do a roof repair recently and brought along the new Ridgid roof cutter. When I took it out of the box I was impressed on how lite and compact the tool is. Looking it over, I noticed it has an on board hex key storage tucked on the side of the trigger. I love this feature! The storage does not get in the way of triggering this cutter. Blade changes were easy, just insert and tighten down the two hex set screws. Once again Ridgid uses this open roll bar style around the blade so you can see your line while you are cutting.

On the Job-site:

As we are roofing we come across some shingles that needed to be ripped down to 9 ½ inches wide. I set up to rip them on the ground. I snapped my lines on the asphalt architectural shingles. To cut them I just free handed the cuts and was wowed on how easy it was to cut. The amount of control you have with this cutter is nice. Another thing I found was you can trim from nothing to a 1/16” to get that perfect fit for the fact (I roof like a finish carpenter!).

I did find it hard to cross cut the shingles by free handing. When I would use my framing square or 12 inch speed square the cuts were straighter. The cutter did bog down when it came to the middle of the architectural shingle. I was not able to cut any ridge vents or ridge caps on this project. My compressor is only 4 SCFM and it kept up without any down time but I was using it intermittently. If I was cutting the shingles at the ridge I would need a bigger compressor for continuous cutting.

The cutter was not noisy and was pretty quiet which is a feature I look for when purchasing new tools. It has a safety lever in the trigger handle that has to be depressed before you fire up the cutter. This was helpful to prevent any accidents from happening, plus I used the roll bar to hang it from my tool belt. I prefer tools with belt clips or hooks. Another feature that helps this tool is where the coupler connects to the air hose it’s on a ball swivel.

In the Garage:

Testing this tool out in the garage was nice and warm after grabbing some spare shingles out of the truck. The shingles had been in my truck under the bed cover with a temperature of ten degrees this morning. I wanted to practice a little more with this tool and see how it handles cutting curves. I did some ripping, cross cut and curve cuts with the Ridgid roof cutter.

I found it very easy to cut through a cold shingle, curve cuts were a breeze and crosscut/ripping went well too. This tool is a must for cutting for your stack pipes (boots). The only time the roofing cutter bogged down was in the middle of the shingles just like on the job-site. The cutter cut through smoothly, it just took a few extra seconds to get through this part of an architectural asphalt shingle. I stacked two shingles together and was able to cut through it, it was just very slow going. I was not able to see is how the roof cutter preformed with an air compressor with 8+ SCFM.

What’s in the box:

  • RIDGD R040SCA Roofing Cutter
  • Allen Wrench
  • Air Tool Oil
  • 2 Blades
  • Operator’s Manual

 Specifications:

  •  Weight 1.2 lbs
  •  Length 7.5”
  •  Width 2.0”
  •  Height 2.7”
  •  Speed 9,600 SPM (No load speed)
  •  Operating Pressure 90 PSI
  •  Stroke Length 0.4”

Features:

  • Compact, Light weight, and Durable Construction.
  • Tool Free Adjustable Exhaust – Allows you to direct the exhaust where you want it.
  • Hex GripTM – Maximum comfort and secure grip.
  • On Board Hex Key Storage – For convenient blade changes.
  • Swivel Quick Connect – Reduces tangled hoses.
  • Adjustable Shoe – This is for optimal cut control.
  • Self Cleaning in Handle Air Filter – Keeps debris out of tool and extends tool life.
  • 9,600 SPM – For superior cutting performance.

Improvements:

I am disappointed that this tool does not come with a carrying case. I would have liked this option to house the cutter, oil and extra blades so I would be able to just grab and go having it a single case and/or bag. The bogging down while cutting the architectural was surprising sense it’s made to cut asphalt shingles.

Overall Impression:

My thoughts on the RIDGD R040SCA Roofing Cutter are that overall it’s a great time saver for most roofing applications. It will take a little time getting used to on the cross cuts without a straight edge. But, practice makes perfect. The benefit of a lite weight, compact cutter and the option to change blades to cut a variety of material is an added bonus and worth putting in the practice. I like that I was able to use it off the compressor I already own on intermittent basics for this project.

Ridgid does not recommend using air compressors with an output of SCFM @ 90PSI 0-4, intermittent use for 4-8 SCFM and continuous use 8+ SCFM. Ridgid has 3 warranties available a 90 day, limited 3 year and a lifetime. Further information on the warranties that Ridgid offers can be obtained from Ridgid.com

The Ridgid R040SCA Roofing Cutter can be purchased at your local Home Depot or from HomeDepot.com for $79.97. Another option you have is to purchase a 2 pack of this roofing cutter for $99.99. Ridgid offers the standard roof blades in a 3 pack for $7.99 and they also offer a 3.6 in straight mulch-material roof cutter blade for $10.99.

 

Author Bio

Michael Hopp is a registered contractor in the State of Rhode Island. He has been registered for the last 10 years specializing in interior and exterior remodeling, doors and windows.

Mike began practicing his trade 19 years ago at William M. Davies Career and Technical High School in carpentry shop. This gave him the opportunity to become an apprentice at Brodeur Window Distributors. Mike continued working at the company for 10 years. During this time he was in charge of the specialty door shop and assisted on service calls.

For the last 10 years, Mike has been practicing as a general contractor in Rhode Island with his company MJH Construction. He obtained his LLC status 2 years ago. Even though his background is in doors and windows, his passion is for remodel work.

Mike is also a full time career firefighter and is a Lieutenant on Rescue.  Mike resides in North Providence, Rhode Island with his wife Jennifer and daughter Olivia.

 

 

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About the author

Robert Robillard

Carpenter / Remodeler / Editor

Rob Robillard is “The Concord Carpenter” Rob is a builder, general contractor, carpenter, woodworker, and editor of Concord Carpenter and ToolBoxBuzz As a General Contractor and carpenter, Rob owns and operates Concord Carpenter LLC. A full-service remodeling and construction company. Rob is a recognized leader in home building best practices and a source for how-to information for building professionals. On this website, Rob covers all aspects of home construction, building science, home improvement, woodworking, remodeling, and some of the best product and tool reviews. Rob is in charge of our Tool and Product Review series - Concord Carpenter Videos where we post all of our tool reviews and video tutorials. Rob approaches remodeling and building construction with a pragmatic and problem-solving approach. He enjoys using his knowledge and experience to help and educate building professionals as well as DIYers on best practices in the construction and remodeling industry. He's a strong advocate for "raising the bar" in the construction trades and promoting the trades to youth. #BeAMentor #Green2Great Craftsmanship, quality, and pride guide his journey on this channel The Concord Carpenter's motto: "Well done is better than well said!" : Read more about Rob

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