Diamond Tools Information

Diamond Blades

Diamond blades are circular saw blades used for cutting
concrete, asphalt, stone, brick, block and other similar masonry materials.
There are many different types of diamond blades such as segmented diamond
blades, turbo diamond blades, turbo segmented diamond blades, continuous rim
diamond blades, concave diamond blades, tuck pointer diamond blades, crack
chaser diamond blades and other types depending on the material or cutting
requirement.

The diamond segments are a mixture of diamond crystals and
metallic powders. The diamonds used in the blades are synthetic or natural
industrial diamonds of several different grain sizes, shapes or qualities.

A diamond blade cuts by grinding through the material as
the bond wears down exposing new diamonds on the cutting surface of the
segments. Make sure to choose the right diamond blade for your cutting
application as choosing the wrong blade will either wear down too fast or not
wear down fast enough which can cause damage to the blade, saw or even the saw
operator if the blade breaks a segment.

You should decide which is more important: whether it's the
initial cost of the blade or the cost per foot/meter. For smaller jobs or
occasional use, you may prefer a lower priced blade. For larger more important
jobs the cost per foot/meter is generally much more significant than the initial
cost of the blade.

Choosing between dry/wet cutting

Using some equipment you may not be able to use water due to electricity. For
floor saws (walk behind saw) it is preferable to use water to reduce dust levels
and act as a coolant for the blade.

Wet Cutting Diamond Blades are commonly used when cutting
Roads/Highways on Low Horsepower or High Horsepower Walk Behind Saws.

While wet cutting blades and core bits must be used ONLY
with water, dry cutting blades on the other hand can be used with or without
water (depending on the job situations or the equipment).

For high speed saws, dry cutting blades are recommended,
however sometimes water may be used to control dust levels.

When cutting with a dry cutting diamond blade you should do
small passes (1″ at a time for example). You can also intermittently allow the
blade to run freely every few minutes, out of the cut, allowing air to pass
between the gullets and cool the blade to help prevent overheating.

Use proper safety equipment and always employ measures of
dust control when dry cutting as these materials can be harmful to your health
if inhaled.

Cutting Information & Tips

Under cutting is when the steel core below the segments
wear down before the diamond segment itself. This is caused by highly abrasive
materials creating friction below the cutting segments during the cut. Sand
based materials or asphalt is usually responsible for undercutting of the
segments.

Diamond blades for cutting highly abrasive materials
usually will have either carbide inserts between the segments to help push the
leftover cutting materials away from the steel support area under the segments
to prevent them from premature wear and possible segment loss.

When cutting soft abrasives it is good to use a diamond
blade with wide gullets between to segments to help remove the leftover cutting
material (slurry) from the cut. Use plenty of water when possible to prolong
blade life, remove slurry faster and reduce dust levels.

If you notice the diamond blade is wearing down unevenly it
could be due to the lack of sufficient water on one side of the blade or could
also be cause by a badly aligned blade or damaged shaft.

Make sure you always cut straight with the diamond blade,
not at angles. Clean the water system and check to make sure the water is being
distributed evenly on both sides of the blade.

Never force a diamond blade. Apply moderate pressure and
never turn the blade while cutting. If possible, avoid uneven surfaces.

Grinding Cups

A Grinding Cup is a tool with diamond tipped segments used
to grind or remove concrete, stone & other similar construction materials.
Grinding Cups are commonly used on handheld grinding saws.

There are many different types of Grinding Cups such as
Turbo Grinding Cups, Single Row Grinding Cups, Double Row Grinding Cups, T-Seg
Grinding Cups, Etc.

Each Grinding Cup serves a different purpose which depends
on the type of grinding or polishing that needs to be done. A Single Row
Grinding Cup, for example, would be used for fast aggressive removal of Concrete
or Stone. On the other hand, Double Row Grinding Cups are used to leave a
smoother finish with less swirl marks on the material.

Grinding Cups with different designs, bond & diamond
concentration are available. These factors vary based on the hardness of the
material being cut or the type of polish required (rough or smooth).

Core Bits

Core bits are hollow steel tubes with a crown of diamond
segments on the tip. They can be used for drilling through cured concrete,
reinforced concrete, hard stone, marble, granite and other masonry materials.

Coring drill bits can be used for many different things
from electrical installations such as wiring, extraction of core samples,
drilling holes in stone for use with non-explosive expansive agents for quarries
or demolition, counter tops, etc.

Some core bits can be used in dry cutting applications for
hard abrasive materials but for cutting through hard reinforced materials such
as cured concrete with rebar, you should use wet cutting core bits.

There are several types of core bits used in the
construction and mining industry. In the construction industry the most commonly
used core bits are laser welded segmented core bits or turbo segmented
(serrated) core bits.

Diamond tools information provided by

www.MasterBlade.net

Diamond Blade cutting information

Diamond tools or any other power tools for can be potentially dangerous if not used correctly. This article will touch base on a few of the do's and don'ts of general diamond saw blade usage.

Things you should check before you begin cutting.
(Always wear proper safety equipment)

1. Make sure the diamond blade has no damage to it (shipping or previous use) before mounting on your saw.
2. Make sure the arrow indicates the correct rotation direction when mounting on the saw, if you put a diamond blade on backwards the efficiency will be greatly reduced and you will not get the full life out of the saw blade.
3. Tighten the flanges (plates that hold the diamond blade on the crank shaft) to avoid the blade from slipping during the cut and to ensure full cutting performance.
4. If you are using a wet cutting saw, make sure the waterways are clean and unobstructed to prevent overheating of the diamond blade and to clear the cut of any slurry. (cutting material left behind during the cutting process)
5. Make sure you know the correct RPM speed of the blade and use the saw accordingly.
6. Wear respiratory safety gear to avoid breathing any potentially hazardous air born dust cause by cutting. (Even when wet cutting, it is always recommended to wear all the proper safety equipment)
7. Make sure the diamond blade still has cutting segments! All diamond blades have a welding line, whether it be laser welded or sintered there is always about 1mm of useless segments. Check your diamond blade periodically when you notice the segments are nearly worn. By cutting with useless segments you can damage your cutting saw.



Tips to ensure correct cutting procedures.

1. Make sure your saw has proper maintenance: Check the flanges, crank shaft (arbor), bearings, belts, filters, oil, etc.
2. Make sure your cutting saw's arbor shaft spins on a true axis. A shaft than has any type of wobbling will greatly reduce the life of your diamond tool.
3. Use light to medium pressure when cutting, allow the diamond blade to push through the material at a safe speed.
4. Never apply excessive pressure or you may overheat the diamond blade or worse yet, throw a segment which can be potentially fatal considering the RPMs at which the saw runs.
5. Make sure your time blade has enough diamonds protruding on the surface or it will not cut effectively. Common cause of this is cutting a material that is too hard for the diamond blade's bond. You can cut highly abrasive materials to sharpen the diamond blade, such as asphalt or abrasive cinderblock.
6. Make shallow cuts in the material you are cutting. For example, if you need to cut 4 inches deep you should cut in 2 passes. The 1st pass at 2" deep and the second pass at the full 4" depth to avoid overheating and extend the diamond blade's life duration significantly.
7. Never use a diamond blade for grinding materials. A diamond blade should ONLY be used to make straight cuts, if you try to cut in curves it is very likely that the diamond blade will get stuck or break a segment and send it flying at dangerous speeds. At the very least, the blade will wear unevenly and overheat (since the diamond segments lose their width they also lose their potential to retain heat, thinner objects overheat much faster)
8. Make sure the diamond blades is not bent, this is a hazard since it could get caught in the cut and throw segments.
9. Never stand in front of the saw, it can send the cutting material forth at high speeds and potentially cause injury.
10. Use the diamond blade only on materials it is specifically manufactured for. Using the wrong diamond blade on specific materials can cause segment loss, smoothing of the segments (causing it to cut very slow and ineffective), extremely fast wear or not cut at all.

If you follow these simple steps you'll save time and money through the effective use of diamond blades and save yourself lots of grief or possibly injury in worst case scenarios

Thanks for reading, good luck on your upcoming cutting projects!