In the time that I have worked for CGS, Inc. I have gotten more questions about diamond saw blades than I can count. So this is my first blog of many to help clear the air about the mysterious diamond saw blade. Oh, but where to begin with the plethora of questions that I’ve gotten from customers…
So, lets start with one of the basics: how to choose the right diamond saw blade. There are some important questions that need to be asked when choosing the right saw blade for your project:
- How hard is the material/core that is going to be cut?
- What kind of saw are you using?
- How much do you have to cut?
How hard is the material that you’re going to be cutting?
This is a good place to start because if you buy a diamond saw blade that is made to cut something other than the material you are cutting you might as well just throw your money out the window.
Why is it so important to get the right blade for the material you are cutting? Well it’s actually pretty straight forward. Diamond saw blades that are made to cut soft material use a harder bond to adhere the diamonds to the blade. The logic behind this is that the diamonds don’t have to work as hard to cut a softer material. So, all those precious little diamond bits that do all the work cutting your core will be able to get more cutting time in before the bond sheds the diamond pieces to expose new diamond pieces. Conversely, a diamond blade made for cutting hard materials uses a softer bond to adhere the diamonds to the blade for the opposite reason. Harder materials need new sharp diamonds pieces to help cut through the hard material.
Now you may ask: what if I am cutting a variety of hard and soft materials? Well if this is the case, as I’m sure it is when you’re cutting thousands of feet of core, you have a couple of options. The first is to buy more than one type of diamond blade. This would be the most desireable option if say you have large sections of either hard or soft material. But, since time is money out in the field, I give you a second option. Now, this is a less than perfect option, but is anything really perfect? You can simply buy a diamond blade that is suited to cut the type material that you will be cutting the most.
*Note: One thing that will help extend the life of your saw blade is frequent use of a dressing stone. Dressing stones are used to re-expose the diamonds on your blade. I will be posting a diamonds saw blade troubleshooting post soon, and I’ll cover this in more detail there so be sure to check back.
What kind of saw are you using?
This is pretty straight forward really. Basically, you want to make sure that you’re buying a diamond blade that will work for your saw. Some things to consider are:
- What type of saw are you using? Masonry, tile, hand-held…
- What is the diameter of blades that your saw will accept?
- What is the saw’s arbor size?
- Do you need a wet or dry saw blade? *Note: Most dry cutting diamond blades can be used wet, but never use a wet cutting diamond blade dry. This can result in blade warpage and segment loss, both of which are not good for your safety or the life of the saw blade.
- What is the saw’s maximum RPM?
As long as the blade matches the requirements for the saw, you’re good to go. It’s as simple as that!
How much do you have to cut?
This is really a question of performance vs. cost. Sure, the cheaper blade may look more budget friendly at first glance, but beware! Think about your project as a whole. If you have just a little bit to cut, then the cheaper blade (that can be hundreds of dollars less than a premium blade) is probably a better option for you. If on the other hand, you have thousands of meters of core to cut, you may want to consider buying a premium blade. Why? The premium blades cost more because they have a higher concentration of diamonds. Higher diamond concentration=longer blade life. So, while the initial thought of forking over hundreds of dollars may be gut wrenching at first, stop and step back for a second. If you compare the initial cost of a premium blade to the cost of buying several economy blades at a couple hundred dollars a pop, you may find that you would spend considerably less money if you suck it up at the beginning and just buy the premium blade.
Well there you have it, my advice about picking the right saw diamond saw blade for your project. If you’re ready to buy one click here. If you have more questions or if I left something out, ask away or leave a comment.
