INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Poison oak is similar to its close relatives poison ivy and poison sumac because they are all members of the same botanical family. The most common type of poison oak, known as western poison oak, grows most commonly along the Pacific coast in Oregon, Washington, and California. It can grow as a small shrub in open spaces or as a climbing vine in shaded forest areas. Other varieties of poison oak include Atlantic poison oak, which grows in the southeast US. This variety is much less common than the western poison oak. A good way to avoid a poison oak rash is to never touch a plant that you think may be poison oak.  In order to get close enough to the plant to identify it, use a stick or a gloved hand to examine it more closely. If it turns out to be poison oak, make sure anything that has come into contact with the plant is washed with soap and water. Poison oak, whether it is growing as a shrub or a climbing vine, has a trifoliate leaf structure. This means that the leaves grow in sets of threes off the stem. The edges of the leaves have a wavy or scalloped appearance. As the name suggests, the leaves look a bit like oak leaves. The top side of the leaves are typically a glossy green color. They can also be yellowish, reddish, or brownish depending on the health of the plant and the season. On the underside of the leaf, there is less sheen, less green, and more of a velvety appearance. Stems tend to be a bit greyish in color, though, given the lighting in some forested areas, this can be difficult to see. The stems will also be covered in tiny hair or thorn-like structures. Poison oak has yellowish-green small flowers in the spring. The plant will also produce light green berries throughout the summer and into the fall. This will help you rule out other plants by noting what it doesn’t have. If it doesn’t have pointed leaves and it doesn’t have thorns, it isn’t poison oak. In the winter, it loses its leaves and looks like reddish-brown sticks (sometimes a few poking up from the ground, sometimes a big clump) with alternating stubs. You can also find it as a thick vine climbing up a tree, sometimes (depending on the season) with small poison oak leaves coming out of it.

SUMMARY: Learn about poison oak. Be careful when examining the plant. Look at the leaves. Check the color. Examine the stems. Take note of the flowers or berries. Learn other forms of poison oak.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Measure your roof and figure out how many sheets of tin to buy. Standard lengths for tin roofing are 8 feet (240 cm), 10 feet (300 cm), and 12 feet (370 cm). The most common widths are 36 inches (91 cm) and 26 inches (66 cm), but other possibilities include 24 inches (61 cm) and 39 inches (99 cm).  The width of tin roofing is measured straight across the top of the sheet. It does not consider the peaks and valleys of the corrugated material. Remember that each sheet will need to overlap by several inches. If you choose the right size roofing, you should only need to cut the material to make space for chimneys, vents, and any other obstructions. Unless you have a blueprint for your house, someone will need to climb onto the roof and physically measure these items.  Ask a friend to hold your ladder. Stay close to the roof when moving around. Avoid doing this during bad weather, or on a very windy day. Write down these measurements right away, so you won't forget. After you have the measurements for any obstructions, lay 1 sheet of tin roofing down on a flat worktable that is large enough to accommodate it. Use care when handling the tin. Tin roofing is very flexible, and it can be easily damaged. Label the location of chimneys, vents, and any other obstructions directly on the tin. Use a permanent marker and either a 2 x 4 (45 x 90 mm) or a carpenter’s square to draw straight lines. Draw these lines on both sides of the tin to help ensure straight cuts. Tin snips are a good choice because they are designed for cutting soft metals. With tin snips, you will move slowly, so you are unlikely to make mistakes. Stabilize the tin roofing with your non-dominant hand. Place the tin snips around the bit of tin you want to cut, and then squeeze down firmly. Move forward, and repeat.  Right-hand tin snips can be used to cut tin when the “waste tin” (the tin you won’t be using) will be on the right side of the cutting line. Right-hand snips are also used to make a curve that runs counterclockwise. Left-hand tin snips are used when the waste tin is on the left side of the cut line. Left-hand snips are also used to makes curves that run clockwise. Center snips (also called straight cut tin snips) can be used to make straight cuts. Center snips cannot be used for curves. Nibblers are special attachments for electric drills. Nibblers are great for cutting both curves and straight lines in tin roofing. They are especially useful for cutting around objects like vent pipes. Stabilize the tin with your non-dominant hand. Carefully move your nibbler across the tin. A circular saw can be used to cut tin roofing, but this is not recommended unless you are extremely experienced with using a circular saw. It can be very easy to make jagged cuts, damage the roofing, or get injured. If you do use a circular saw, you need to use specialty blades intended for use on tin roofing. The only real benefit to using a circular saw is that you may already have one. Instead of purchasing new tools, you would only need a new blade.

SUMMARY:
Determine how many sheets of corrugating roofing you need. Determine the location of obstructions. Place the tin roofing on a flat work table. Use a marker to label your tin roofing. Use tin snips to work carefully. Cut with nibblers to accomplish the job quickly. Avoid using a circular saw.