Good call on smaller hardware stores—I snagged some Galvalume sheets at a local mom-and-pop place for way less than the bigger suppliers. And yeah, snips are rough...I borrowed a friend's nibbler once and now I'm spoiled, haha.
"Good call on smaller hardware stores—I snagged some Galvalume sheets at a local mom-and-pop place for way less than the bigger suppliers."
Interesting point about smaller stores, but have you considered warranty and returns? I've found that while local shops can offer great deals upfront, sometimes the bigger suppliers have clearer warranty policies or easier returns if something goes wrong. Also, curious—how much faster was the nibbler compared to snips? I'm debating if it's worth the investment for just one roofing project...
Good point about warranties at smaller places, they can be a bit hit-or-miss. I've had luck with smaller stores being flexible if I needed an extra sheet or two, but returns were sometimes tricky if something was slightly scratched or dented. About the nibbler—I borrowed one for a project last summer, and it definitely cut faster and cleaner than snips. But it did kick up tiny metal bits everywhere... Maybe worth renting instead of buying outright if you're just doing one roof?
I've been curious about nibblers myself, especially after hearing how clean and quick they can cut compared to snips. But the metal bits flying everywhere sounds like a hassle... Did you find it manageable, or was it one of those situations where you spend more time cleaning up afterward than actually cutting sheets?
Also, about renting versus buying—do you know roughly how much it costs to rent a decent nibbler for a weekend? I'm wondering if renting multiple times could end up costing almost as much as just buying one outright. I guess it depends on how many projects you plan on doing down the road.
I've used nibblers a fair bit, and yeah, the metal bits can be a pain. They're tiny and sharp, and they get everywhere—boots, clothes, even stuck in your gloves. But honestly, if you lay down a tarp or something beforehand, cleanup isn't too terrible. Definitely quicker than trying to sweep up afterward.
As for renting vs buying... last time I rented one for a weekend it ran me about $40-50. Not terrible if you're just doing one small project, but if you're planning multiple jobs or think you'll use it again down the line, buying starts to make sense pretty quick. I ended up buying mine after renting twice because it just felt like throwing money away otherwise. Plus, once you own one, you'll find yourself using it more often than you'd expect—at least that's how it went for me.
