Makita JS8000 Variable Speed Fiber Cement Shear Kit
If you need to cut lots of fiber cement, shears are the way to go. You basically have these choices: 1) saw with a fiber cement blade 2) hand snips 3) shear attachment for a drill 4) fiber cement shears. I found that holding the shear handle up so that the cut was made with the cutter tip, makes for a ragged cut and the shears pulled away from my scribed line. The solid steel center and side shear blades cut straight and contour lines faster and quieter, with up to a 5/16-inch cutting capacity. The only problem to the cut, is the aproximate 1/4 inch of material that is being cut out curls up and foreward. I found by holding the shear handle down and making sure the stationary jaws were flat against and parallel to the board, then I could make good clean cuts. The Snapper Shear (SS404) sold by PacTool is different because the blades are reversible, so once it gets dull, simply flip the blades over and continue using the other side. The old SS404 used to be made from a Milwaukee drill, but I think they now use a Makita on the new ones and rebadge them. The shear attachments like the Malco TSFC are OK for small jobs too, but they’re not as durable as dedicated shears. Once that second side is dull then you’ll need to replace the blade, but basically the blade has lasted at least twice as long. Otherwise, this Makita is a pretty good little shear, and it hasn’t let me down yet during my remodeling projects. I am very please with the Makita shear. Kett makes a shear that works well, but I don’t recommend them because the blades are not reversible which means that once they dull you have to replace them, and they are a bit pricey. If you need to cut arcs or curves, you’ll need to locate and purchase a PacTool SS414. The half-inch protected spindle withstands heavy torque loads from the powerful Makita-built 6. I recommend that you take one piece of the cement board and make a few cuts to learn the operation. There is a slight learning curve in hloding the shear at the correct angle for the best cuts. So basically if you’ve got more than just a handful of cuts to make, then go for these.