Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6261 in Home Improvement
• Brand: Pacific International
• Model: SS404

Features

• Cuts fiber-cement siding and other materials cleanly and quickly
• Blades last for up to 20 homes
• Beefy 6.5 amp motor for fast cutting
• Most powerful handheld shears on the market
• Precision-machined by computer for consistent cutting and optimal blade angle

Amazon.com Product Description
The PacTool SS404 Fiber-Cement Shear cuts fiber-cement siding quickly, safely, and economically. Featuring reversible blades that are machined from solid steel, this versatile tool provides smooth, fast operation you can rely on. Most important, the SS404 won't produce airborne silica dust, so you can count on your jobsite being as healthy as can be.

The PacTool SS404 Fiber-Cement Shear At a Glance: Cuts cement-fiber siding quickly and safely Eliminates airborne dust for a clean, healthy job site 6.5 Amp motor, 1/2-inch spindle gear, and 360-degree swivel head Double-ended blades will handle up to 20 houses

Leave others in the dust with the SS404. View larger.

Powerful Motor and Innovative Engineering for Reliable Performance
Designed to cut fiber-cement siding up to 5/16-inch thick, this patented tool boasts a smart design and amazing durability. A robust 6.5-amp motor, 1/2-inch spindle gear, and 360-degree swivel head combine with comfortable ergonomics for optimum performance, even on all-day jobs.

Dust-Free Cutting for a Healthy, Worksite
Productivity doesn't just mean getting the job done fast, it also means keeping your workplace safe. All cement-fiber siding contains silica, which is harmless unless large quantities are inhaled as dust. Because the SS404 doesn't produce airborne dust like circular saws do, you'll completely avoid the serious health risks associated with silica.

Long-Lasting, Double-Ended Blades
The SS404 features reversible blades machined from solid steel that provide 20,000 feet of cutting. Because these blades are reversible, they'll last through 20 houses' worth of siding jobs--twice as long as single-ended blades and 45 times as long as circular-saw blades.

This compact tool is not only versatile, but it's also cost-effective, boasting an average blade cost of just three dollars per house.

What's in the Box
SS404 fiber-cement shear, blades, and manual.

Customer Reviews

Quality Tool for Specific Task
I am building my own home and installing cement fiber siding. I had an eliptical and full circle transom around which I had to install 1/2" Hardi-trim, as well as lap siding and Hardi-shingles. I reluctantly paid the price for this single use tool because I was getting less than satisfactory results around an oval window using just a cement fiber blade in a circular saw, not to mention the cloud of choking dust which I'm sure will cause me cancer some day. One criticism is that the information for this tool does NOT SAY it will cut up to 1/2" fiber cement. It will do this handily. On straight cuts, it's clean and faster than a circular blade. On mild arcs, it works best if you cut from left to right (imagine the blade sweeping clockwise). On more aggressive arcs, it will cut but the end result may need a good bit of clean up with a utility knife. The aggressive arcs also require a good deal more force to make the turns. These comments all relate to 1/2". With standard 5/16" fiber cement siding, this machine cuts like a hot knife through butter. Another thing; I wish I had this tool when I was balanced on a scaffold last week instead of using the circular saw. It's solidly built. I dropped it several times from many feet. It feels competent and comfortable in my hand. I own many power tools and am sick of promised performance. In this case, I would recommend this to professionals as well as those who fear the amateur but very doable task of installing fiber cement siding. Now that I'm done with my project, you can buy mine!

From a Contractor
I have two professional Carpenter crews installing Hardie Siding 8 hours a day 5 days a week. I have used the Porter Cable and the Kett siding shears and these are a full step ahead of those. They are solid professoinal grade shears with full steel heads that don't break after one or two houses.

I gave up on a circular saw some time ago becasuse of the cost (2-3 blades per house at a minimium cost of $30 per blade). Save your lungs and stay away from the light duty shears. Even if you are only doing one house these are the shears for you.

My clients also appreciate the quiet work since we gave up the circular saws.

One note - they cut a much wider piece out of the plank than a circular saw and can leave a bit of a rough end. If you are butting the siding to the trim then have a wood rasp handy to clean the end. If you are overlapping the trim this is not a problem.

Only wish they had a shear that would cut the 3/4 inch trim!

Pacific SS404 Shear
As a do it yourselfer , I was contemplating installing cement siding after receiving a quote for $3000 for installation only. I had read the reviews and decided to order the tool. The day after ordering, I was at the lumberyard, where this tool received a thorough bashing by people in the trade and those selling James Hardie siding. The main complaints were chipping and inability to make fine cuts --mostly that it was a good idea but highly overrated. After receiving the tool I left it unopened for several days contemplating its return while I awaited arrival of square drive stainless screws I had decided to use for fasteners. I finally decided to open it and give it aa try -- and was I glad I did. All of the reviews were true and it does cut cement siding like butter. Even my wife, who was reluctant for me to spend this much money was amazed and thought it was well worth the purchase. It truly makes the job fast and easy. I see no evidence of chipping and can do some fairly narrow cuts. This tool has saved me time, health and a lot of money. The stainless screws are about 10 times the expense of ringshanks -- but for the DIYer is more forgiving. When you make a mistake--you just back out the screws, fix the problem and go on. When I missed a stud on a butt joint, I was able to loosen the plank on one end, mark it with a trisquare and trim a little off with the shear while it was still on the house and cut a perfectly straight line. I highly recommend this tool!!