Ever hear the term Diamond Tools being used? What is a Diamond Tool anyways? I'll give you a pretty good idea in simple terms so you can have a better understanding of what they are and how they work.

Basically Diamond Tools are considered any type of tool that uses Diamonds as an abrasive for cutting. Usually the "cutting teeth" are metal segments made up of metallic powders and diamond crystals. These segments are then shaped into rectangular teeth and then welded to the metal core of the tool.

There are many different type of diamond tools being used every day in the construction industry for cutting a wide variety of materials such as: Reinforced Concrete (Concrete with Rebar), Cured Concrete (Old Hardened Concrete), Asphalt, Asphalt over a layer of Concrete, Brick, Block, Stone, Marble, Granite, Tile, Glass, Ceramics, Porcelain & many more materials. Here are 3 most common types of diamond tools and their uses:

Diamond Blades

A Diamond Blade is a circular saw blade used on High Speed Gas Powered Cut-Off Saws, Walk Behind Saws, Angle Grinders, Table Saws, Tile Saws, etc. They are used for making straight cuts in just about any type of material known to man. They are used daily by contractors and construction companies all over the world.

Grinding Cups

A Grinding Cup is a circular grinding tools with diamond segments on one side only. They are used for grinding uneven surfaces to leave a flat & smooth surface. They can be used for grinding concrete, granite, marble and other hard materials. They are commonly used on angle grinders.

Core Bits

A Core Bit is a long hollow tube with diamond segments on the tip. Core Bits are used for drilling holes through Granite & Marble Countertops, Concrete Walls, Reinforced Concrete and other similar materials. They are commonly used in the construction industry for all types of drilling, such as electrical installations.

There are many more types of Diamond Tools such as Concave Diamond Blades for cutting curves in Counter Tops (Installing Sinks in Counter Tops), Ductile Blades for cutting steel, Diamond Polishing Pads for Polishing Marble, Tuck Pointers for removing mortar and restoring old brick walls, Crack Chasers for repairing cracks in walls and many more.

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, leave me a comment on my blog or you can email me at diamond.blades@yahoo.com For more information about Diamond Blades you can visit Master Blade.

¿QUÉ ES UN DISCO DIAMANTADO?

What is a Grinding Cup?

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. Grinding Cups are generally composed from a matrix of metal powders and diamond crystals formed into small rectangular segments which are then welded to the steel core.

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 that needs to be done. A Single Row Grinding Cup, for example, would be used for fast aggressive removal or flattening or Concrete or Stone. On the other hand, Double Row Grinding Cups are used to leave a smoother finish on finer materials.

Grinding Cups with different designs, bond & diamond concentration are available. These factors vary based on the hardness of the material being cut.

Safety

Safety is extremely important at all times, especially when Grinding Cups or any other power tools are involved. Safety awareness and an understanding of the materials and processes involved is essential. Appropriate safety gear must be worn and all safety procedures must be followed.

Information provided by www.MasterBlade.net
Toll Free #: 1-888-627-4510

Should you use a Dry Cutting Diamond Blade or a Wet Cutting Diamond Blade?

This is one question that one may ask themselves when cutting different materials. Basically, Dry Cutting Diamond Blades are recommended when it is no longer practical to use water as a coolant. For example, you cannot use wet cutting diamond blades on an electrical hand grinder for obvious reasons.

However a Dry Cutting Diamond Blade can still be used with water to reduce the dust created by cutting the desired materials.

When cutting with a Dry Cutting Diamond Blade you should do small passes (1″ at a time for example) to avoid overheating the blade. You can also intermittently allow the blade to run freely, out of the cut, allowing cool air to pass between the gullets and cool the blade between cuts to help prevent overheating as well.

As a general rule and safety precaution, always employ measures of dust control when Dry Cutting as these materials can be very harmful to your breating functions if used improperly.

Wet Cutting Diamond Blades are commonly used when cutting Roads/Highways on Low Horsepower or High Horsepower Walk Behind Saws. While a Dry Cutting Diamond Blade can also be used on a Low Horsepower Walkbehind Saw, It is still required to use water.(to reduce the amount of dust created from the cutting)

For additional information, you can visit www.masterblade.net/information.htm

Information Provided by:
Master Blade International LLC
http://www.MasterBlade.net
Toll Free#: 888-627-4510

¿WHAT IS A DIAMOND BLADE?

A DIAMOND BLADE is a circular blade for cutting a wide variety of materiales with special cutting equipment. It is made up of a STEEL CORE containing special Diamond Segments. There are several different types of segments: Segmented, Continuous Rim, Turbo (Serrated Continuous Rim), Turbo Segmented Blade (with serrated segments).

The core of the blade is made of precision steel and may have several gullets (spaces between segments) depending on the usage of the blade. These gullets allow a cooling process through air or water circulation between the segments. They also allow the blade to bend under high tension cutting.

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

¿HOW DOES A  DIAMOND BLADE CUT?

A diamond blade doesn't cut like a knife, it grinds. Through the fabrication process, diamond crystals are exposed on the surface and the sides of the segments. These exposed diamonds do the grinding. The bond of metal powders hold the diamonds in place throughout the cutting process. Behind each diamond crystal, there's a "tail" (like a comet) which helps hold the diamond crystals in place.

Through the cutting process, the operator will push the blade through the material. The blade will begin to cut through the material, and the material being cut will begin the wearing process of the diamond blade, at the rate of which the blade advances.

The exposed diamonds will break into smaller pieces when cutting. Hard, Dense materials will fracture the diamonds faster. As this happens, the material being cut also wears down the metal bond through abrasion. Highly abrasive materials will wear the bond faster, exposing new diamond crystals to continue cutting.

¿HOW TO SELECT A DIAMOND BLADE?

Before you begin. The contractor 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 inicial cost of the blade.

Identify what you will be cutting. This is the single most important factor. The majority of diamond blades cut only a specific variety of materials. For more eficiency (of cutting speed and duration), you should be sure to select the best type of blade for your application.

Choosing between dry/wet cutting. Using some equipment you may not be able to use water due to electricity. For floor saws (walk behind) it is preferrable to use water to reduce dust levels and act as a coolant for the blade.

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

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).

Under Cutting of Segment Supports

Cause. Under cutting is a situation in which the base of the segments wear down before the diamond segment itself. Usually right at the union of the segment & the supporting steel core.

This condition is caused by highly abrasive materials creating friction along the blade in a consistent pattern.

In general sand based materials are responsable for this situation. For example: Green Concrete, Asphalt, Prefabricated Cement (with sinthetic of fractured sand), etc.

Remedy. The distribution of the abrasive residue over a larger surface area, further away from the critical support area beneath the segments. This is usually achieved by using Under Cut Protection segments which are deeper than the rest to help change the path of the abrasive slurry and distribute it over a larger & safer area. You should also use plenty of water to eliminate the abrasive residues.

Uneven wear of the segments

Cause. The segments wear down on only one side, reducing the lateral tolerance. The common cause is a badly aligned blade or the lack of sufficient water on one side of the blade.

Remedy. Verify the alignment of the equipment. Clean the water system making sure the water is evenly distributed along the border of the flanges (blade supports). Check to make sure the pump is sending enough water evenly to both sides.

Cause. The blade is wearing down badly due to worn bearings, worn shaft, an orifice on the blade's arbor which is bigger than the shaft of the saw, dirty/damaged flanges or excessive blade wear.

Remedy. Replace the bearings or the shaft. Examine the flanges to see if they are damaged.

This second post will touch base on Diamond Blades cutting Depth, Diamond Blades Cutting Speed, some simple calculations on how to get the most out of your Diamond Blades such as cost per cut, which size diamond blades to use, etc.

The following chart will help you select the size of the Diamond Blade you will need according to the depth of the cut that needs to be done. If you are using a HighSpeed Cut-Off Saw then please add 1" cutting depth to those listed in the chart below.

Knowing how much you need to cut is one of the leading factors in selecting your Diamond Blades or other Diamond Tools.

For example, if you have to cut thousands of meters of concrete, you would want to get the best cost per meter cut, to lower your costs. Buying a higher quality blade has a higher initial cost will actually save you money in the long run. (Cost of Diamond Blade vs. Cost per Cut)

However on the other hand if you only need to cut 500 meters, then you may be better off buying a standard quality product so you don't overspend and have part of your investment tied up in leftover blades.

Always determine the size of your job first, then you can decide whether you need a low up front cost product or if you will need to use the high-end products for longer life and lower cost per foot/meter. In the end it's all about making smart selections and being prepared in advance.

Decide which is best for you: Faster Cutting or  Longer Life?

Deciding what type of cutting you will need can be crucial to your success. Many factors apply when comparing cutting speed to cutting life. Here are a few to give you a small insight to how you could compare costs & save money in the process:

Faster cutting means less cutting duration. Many people require a faster cut when they rent their equipment and must get the job done in a timely manner.

Faster cutting also saves time & labor costs. Aside from the time and labor saved in getting the job done faster you also save money on gas usage. A fast cutting blade will finish the job quickly and with less gasoline than a slower cutting diamond blade.

A faster cutting blade will cost more per cut (per foot/meter), While a slower cutting blade will save you money per cut. You should take into account other factors which influence such as gas usage, time & labor as well.

Below is a comparison chart which can help you get a better idea of some of the pros and cons of using different types of blades.

VARIABLES WHICH AFFECT CUTTING SPEED AND DURATION.

Here is a chart for Recommended Cutting Speeds:
(Speeds may vary due to Hardness of Material and types of Blades)

Determining what your cost per cut is can save you large amounts of money and help you select the best blade for your investment/cutting job.

Initial Diamond Blade cost should not be the only deciding factor when selecting your ideal Diamond Blade for the job.

To determine the cost per cut for feet/meters you will need to calculate several variables ranging from the initial cost of the blade, the amount that has been cut & the cutting depth at which you will be cutting.

Once you have recorded the test results you can make an educated comparison of which product would be most cost effective for your specific needs.

Shown below is an example of how inicial cost could be further investigated and find the better value for your specific needs through the process of testing and comparison.

*Ex.: Let's say you purchased an asphalt cutting blade for $250 and cut 1000 feet at a cutting depth of 4" inches deep.

Here's how you would calculate your cost per cut on the information provided above:

Formula: (Initial Blade Cost: $250) divided by (How many Feet cut at 1" deep (1000*4"))

Take the results and figure out what your cost per Foot is at 1" inch deep:

1)      Cut 1000 Feet at 4 inches deep = 4000 Feet
2)      Blade cost $250 divided by 4000 Feet = $0.06 per Foot

*Ex.2: Now let's take another example and compare it. You now have purchased an asphalt blade for $200 and cut only 500 feet this time at 4" inches deep.

Formula: ($200) x (500ft x 4"deep = 2000ft at 1"deep)
                $200 divided by 2000 feet = $0.10 per foot

Here a blade that costs you $50 LESS is actually costing you almost twice as much per foot being cut. This is a very simple test that everyone should use to find out how effective they are cutting and how much they can be saving. Initial cost is just a price by itself, a true expert does the tests and select their Diamond Blades with facts and knowledge.

Should you switch diamond blades for different cutting applications? Or use a multi-purpose blade?

Well in my opinion, most Diamond Tool providers will usually say their "Multi-Purpose" blades will cut everything from asphalt and green concrete to steel and refractory brick. This is usually just sales hype to try to get consumers to purchase their products. In reality it is impossible to use just 1 blade to "Cut it all" because there are so many variations of Density, Abrasiveness, Hardness, Etc. in your cutting materials.

A multi-purpose blade can be a very useful product because in some cases it can save you a lot of time and sometimes even money (initial cost only for most cases)

A multi-purpose blade can usually cut a wider range of materials such as: Concrete, Asphalt, Green Concrete, etc. but the Diamond Blade Bond is not specific to any one of these materials.

You can save time by using a multi-purpose blade but it usually means your cost per cut is higher (cost per foot/meter).

You can get longer life and usually faster cutting by switching blades and always matching the best blade to the material, however you lose time (and labor costs) each time you have to change blades.

Decide whether you will need multi-purpose blades or specific blades for each different material. The main factor is how many different types of material you will be cutting and how much time would be spent on switching blades, etc.

LASER WELDED DIAMOND BLADES VS. SINTERED DIAMOND BLADES

Laser Welded Blades are always better for a number of reasons: they are safer, capable of longer life, guaranteed against breakage & stronger.

Laser welded blades are more costly than sintered blades but the benefits are much better and well worth the difference in price due to safety purposes, longer duration, etc.

Remember whenever cutting with Laser Welded OR Sintered blades, always check the last few millimeters of the segment height periodically to avoid cutting with useless welding metals (which contain no diamond concentration).

Laser welded blades have a welding pad of approximately 1mm where diamonds cannot be used due to the welding process. So if the blade characteristics specify 10mm segment height, then be sure to only use 9mm of the "useful" segment to avoid damaging or forcing your equipment.

Sintered blades also have a portion of useless segments near the base where the heat pressed rim is fused to the core. Always check the segments periodically once they have about 2mm left to make sure you avoid cutting with segments which no longer contain diamond crystals.

For additional information about Diamond Blades, Grinding Cups, Core Bits and other Diamond Tools, our website is located at http://www.MasterBlade.net stop by and look around, you might find something you like ;)

Good luck on all you upcoming projects!

Best Regards,

Brian K.
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Website: http://www.MasterBlade.net
Phone #: 888-627-4510