Tools Of The Trade

Hand Seamers are used to hand fold small flashings, by progressively working along the edge of a sheet.

Various shapes of seaming pliers may be required to execute complex sheet metal work, particularly with standing seam roofs.

These can be used to form a small end in downpipes, or by reducing the length of a down-turn on a flashing to cause a curve in the adjacent surface.

Shears are normally purchased in left-hand and right-hand sets.  Both may be required to cut through complex shapes.  They may be solid or articulated (“aviation snips”)

This can be used for onsite manufacture of flashings.

Portable folding machines are useful for onsite sheetmetal work.

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All metal joints that are to be sealed should be mechanically joined. Seaming is one acceptable method of joining two pieces of metal. 

The two pieces are folded so each hooks into the other and then they are locked together by the means of a hand seamer or groover. 

The material allowance depends on the hook dimension, but it is usually 6 mm. That means the extra allowance for the is 18 mm, because there are four thicknesses of material.

This type of seam can be used on a flat surface or round surface.

A nylon faced hammer can be used to reduce damage when dressing flashings.

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