Diamond Saw Blade Tensioning

Diamond blades are tensioned by the manufacturer to run true at the recommended rpm, which is stamped on the blade. Tensioning is designed to keep blades from distorting at high speeds. The blade is manufactured in the form of a dish that will straighten when the blade is rotated at optimum speed. The dishing is small, about 0.0005 inch per inch of diameter. The tensioning can be accomplished by a mechanical roller tensioning machine or a hammersmith. This process is especially critical for blades of larger diameter (more than 24 inches). If the design speed is not achieved, the blade will tend to wander as cutting begins. When a blade is said to be out of tension, the amount of dish is not correct. Such a blade wobbles while out of the cut, and it wanders when placed in the cut. An out-of-tension blade cannot be made to cut a straight line.

Brick Diamond Blades

Today, contractors and designers know that brick diamond blades have garnered many advantages over other blades. They virtually require no maintenance and are typically the best choice to make clean and professional cuts in brick. Certainly, with the advancement of blade manufacturing, these blades are reasonably priced products that advertise themselves to be the best cutting blades.

Brick Diamond Blades- Add versatility to your repertoire

However, there are hosts of cutting tools that will give you what you paid for. But, when it comes to approaching your cutting requirements, by factoring in time, performance and professional results, the effort you spend on choosing brick diamond blades may prove to be more than worth a cost.

Nothing match the versatility of brick diamond blades

When it comes to brick cutting, nothing matches the versatility of today's diamond brick blades. With the help of special design blades, contractors and designers are offering more cutting options than ever before, ranging from basic brick cutting to artistic designs and complex brick cutting. However, not all brick cutting blades will suit all purposes, depending on their composition, thickness, size, and durability.

Inquire about product quality

Unless you are familiar with the blades or know another contractor who swears by the same brand, you should better buy it from a reputed manufacturer who will give you a chance to inspect the tools closely and ask any questions you may have about the blades quality.

Consult an expert

If you are baffled by the multitude of brick diamond tools on the market, then get some expert advice. Call several contractors and ask them to explain what makes their jobs superior to others. Also ask experienced manufactures and designers about the tools they prefer to use and why.

Brick diamond blades at various cost levels

Manufacturers typically offer brick diamond blades at various quality and cost levels, ranging from basic economy to quality versions. Generally, the diamond content is the greatest raw material cost in manufacturing the blade. Moving up from basic blade to quality blade, you will get a higher concentration of diamonds and significantly prolonged blade life.

Buy blades as per your requirement

For small projects where you won't be giving the blade much of a workout, you may save money by going with the economy blade. For large jobs or frequent use, a premium blade may actually be the best choice in the long run based on a cost-per-cut breakdown.

Regardless of the job you are involved in; one should opt for the best-suited diamond brick blade for the job, application and material, which will ensure peak performance and a satisfactory return-on- investment.

National Diamond has been a leading US Diamond Blades Distributor. Offer huge selection of brick Saw Blades, Concrete Polishing Machines, Concrete Polishing Tools other specialty concrete cutting and finishing tools for over 20 years.

Source by ezinearticles.com

Tips to Evaluating a Diamond Saw Blade Performance

Here is Easy Tips to Evaluating a Diamond Saw Blade Performance

Cutting Efficiency is normally expressed as how much area the diamond saw blade can cut in unit time. It indicates the sharpness of the blade. This is the criterion that users should first consider. The blade’s sharpness should meet the user’s cutting efficiency requirement. Generally, using coarser diamond grit or/and lower diamond concentration can improve the sharpness of the blade.

Service Life is normally measured with the total area the diamond blade can cut. When a certain specification of material is cut, this criterion can be also expressed how long the blade can cut. It indicates the durability of the blade. When the user is satisfied with the blade’s cutting efficiency, its service life should then be paid attention to. Generally, adopting higher diamond concentration or/and finer diamond grit can prolong the blade’s service life.

Processing Quality here means the quality of the cutting on the material. This criterion mainly includes the flatness and roughness of the cutting surface, the parallelism of the two cutting sides, and the integrity of the edges.

How Diamond Saw Blades work

Diamond saw blades come in a variety of sizes, types and uses. These blades work by cutting with diamond crystals held together in a metal bond or matrix. As the blade cuts, the diamond crystals on the exposed edge will slowly wear down. At the same time, the abrasive action of the material being cut erodes the bond exposing new diamonds.

Diamond blades are designed to be used for either WET or DRY cutting. Wet cutting blades use water to cool the blades and flush away the cuttings. Dry cutting blades rely on airflow to cool the blade and remove the cuttings. Dry cutting blades can be used with water to control dust but wet cutting blades cannot be used dry.

Each diamond blade is designed for use on a specific range of materials. If the material being cut is soft or abrasive, the bond on the blade is hard so the bond does not prematurely release the diamonds. If the material being cut, is hard or less abrasive, the bond on the blade is softer so the diamonds release before they become too worn to cut.

There are several factors, which can lead to diamond blades wearing out prematurely. These include improper blade specification, improper blade rpm, inadequate water flow, or improper use of dry cutting blades. In addition, a diamond saw blade will stop cutting if the exposed diamonds wear down quicker than the matrix can expose new diamonds. This can happen if there is improper blade specification, failure to allow the proper break-in, insufficient power, or overheating the rim.

The metal bonds used in diamond saw blades are designed for use on a specific range of materials. Softer bonds that wear faster are used on materials that are harder or less abrasive such as cured concrete and brick. Harder bonds that wear slower are used on materials that are softer or more abrasive such as asphalt and cement block. To get maximum life from a diamond saw blade, it is important to select the proper blade specification for the application

Example using a cured concrete diamond blade in abrasive, materials such as green concrete or asphalt will cause the blade to wear out prematurely or using a high speed saw blade on a walk behind saw will also lead to a short life.

Diamond saw blades are designed to run at a prescribed RPM. A blade that has been overheated or suffers a shock such as being dropped can lose its tension. This causes the blade to wobble or flutter when being used

Types of Diamond Saw blades

Diamond Saw blades can be categorized by their shape, use, and manufacturing method.

Types by shape

If categorized by their style, diamond saw blades are available in different types: circular saw blades, gang saw blades and band saw blades.

Circular diamond saw blades are commonly sighted and the most widely used. Most diamond saw blades are of this style.

A diamond gang saw blade is a long steel plate with diamond segments welded on it. Normally, a group (tens or even hundreds) of diamond gang saw blades are used together to saw raw stone blocks.

A diamond band saw blade is a flexible closed steel band with diamonds fixed (often via the electroplating method) on the teeth of one side of the band.

Types by use

If categorized by use, there are marble diamond saw blades, granite diamond blades, concrete diamond blades, asphalt diamond blades, general purpose diamond blades, masonry diamond blades, gem cutting diamond blades, etc.

Types by manufacturing method

There are many methods to attach diamonds onto the saw blade's base . A common method is sintering the mixture of diamonds and metal powders are formed to the blade's cutting edges -- diamond segments, and the produced diamond blades can be called sintered metal-bonded diamond saw blades. Other methods include electroplating, vacuum brazing, extruding and so on.

Article by en.wikipedia.org

How Do You Choose The Perfect Diamond Saw Blade?

When it comes to making professional cuts in concrete, Diamond Blades are typically the best choice to go for. Commonly used in the construction industry for cutting hard or abrasive materials such as granite, blue stone, brick, graphite, cinder blocks, and other similar materials, Diamond Blades have carved a niche in the global industry for the outstanding performance in cutting jobs. However, the million dollar question remains of how to choose the perfect diamond saw blade for cutting concrete?

One must consider few points before buying diamond saw blade-

You must know what you are cutting
You must know when you want to make cut
You must choose from wet or dry cutting
You must ensure that your blade is compatible with concrete
You must know how to choose optimum performance tools

You must know what you are cutting

Cut concrete with the Right Diamond Blade

Try to match the blade as closely as possible to the material you are going to cut. For maximum cutting speed and blade life, you should match the quality and intensity of cutting the concrete. You must know few characteristics of the blade including the size and hardness of the materials you are going to cut and its compressive strength.

You must know when you want to make cut

Cutting concrete at the right time

The timing of cutting concrete dictates the type of blade you need. Some contractors like to cut control joints of the concrete when it’s still green to minimize the unwanted random cracking (especially in summer season, when concrete is likely to get hydrate faster). Blade manufacturers prefer hard-bonded blades, specifically for cutting concrete while it’s still green.

You must choose from Wet or Dry Cutting

Decision of cutting wet or dry depends on your job requirements

Decision of cutting wet or dry depends on your job requirements. Wet cutting reduces dust and makes it necessary to clean up the slurry while, dry cutting minimizes messy wet slurry. For indoor jobs, where there is a need of keeping the work area dry; a dry cutting blade saw may be the only best option.

Your blade should be compatible with saw cutting equipment

Match your blade with the speed range of the saw

You can diminish the performance and cutting life of your blade if operating it at a lower speed. On the contrary, exceeding the horsepower and operating speed can double the risk. You must also avoid using the blade exceeding the cutting depth capacity for the saw.

You must know how to choose optimum performance tools

Is it the initial cost of the blade or the total saving cost?

You need to know what is more important: is it the initial cost of the blade or the total saving cost? Depending on the nature of your work and requirement, you can use the blade. For instance, where small cutting job is required, you can buy the economy blade.

By now you will be armed with the relevant information to find exactly the type of diamond saw blade you need for your sawing project. Now, it is much easier than ever to classify which certain blade gratifies your requirements.

Mark Bruddy work with Premium Blade, a leading US manufacturer and distributor of diamond blades, brick diamond blades, soft cut concrete saw and other specialty diamond cutting and finishing tools for over 20 years.

Article from articlesbase.com

How to Sharpen a Diamond Circular Saw Blade

Diamond circular saw blades can become dull, especially if you use them a lot. If you want to have a good, even cut, you need to expose the new diamonds to have a sharp blade. A dull blade can cause the saw to jump or kick back on you, causing injury to you or someone else. You can take the saw blade to a professional blade sharpener, or buy a new blade. Why not save the expense and sharpen your diamond circular saw blade on your own.

1. Place a brick or concrete building block on an old table. Make sure it is a table that you won't mind cutting into if you happen to slip with the saw.
2. Hook up a water hose and turn the water on to a medium flow. Have a friend hold the water hose as you sharpen the blade. The water needs to run over the brick or concrete building block as the saw blade cuts through. The water mixes with the remnants of the brick and turns it into a paste-like slurry. This slurry is what sharpens the saw blade.
3. Put on eye protection to protect your eyes and then plug in the saw. Turn on the power.
4. Cut into the block or brick carefully. Make a cut that is about 2 inches deep. Stop the saw and unplug it.
5. Check the blade for sharpness. If the blade is still dull, then repeat steps 2 through 4. The length of time it takes to sharpen your blade depends on how dull your blade is and the abrasiveness of the brick or concrete building block.

source : http://www.ehow.com/

Troubleshooting Diamond Saw Blades

Slow cutting and short blade life are common problems with diamond blades. It is very important to understand that the segment of the blade is designed to wear at a certain rate. That is one of the important factors that makes one blade different to another.

Slow Cutting Speed
Cause: Usually occurs when a blade is used to cut a material that is too hard for the segment. The hard material wears the exposed diamonds, but not the metal portion of the segment. The segment wears too slowly, no new diamonds are exposed and you see slow cutting speeds.
Solution: Cut a soft, abrasive material until diamonds are well exposed. Try asphalt, block, sandstone, or dried mortar. Choose the proper blade for the application.
Potential: If this problem is allowed to continue, heat builds up and the blade begins to bounce leading to segment loss, core cracks and a very unsafe condition

Short Blade Life
Cause: Usually occurs when a blade is used to cut a material that is too soft and abrasive for the segment. The abrasive material wears the metal of the segment too fast, and you see short blade life.
Solution: Specify the correct blade for your application. Check water flow. Make sure the blade is rated for the equipment used. Check saw is in good condition.
Potential: If blade specification is not changed, the problem will reoccur. Customer will not get the full blade life and efficiency of the diamond tool

Core or Segment Cracks
Cause: Blade is too hard for the material. Saw is in need of repair. Blade is mounted improperly. Overheating. Twisting while cutting or attempting to cut curves.
Solution: Specify a softer bonded blade for the material. Check all bearings, belt, shaft, and flanges. Check direction of blade travel. Follow guidelines for proper blade operation and cooling procedures.
Potential: If this problem is allowed to continue, it will result in segment loss and possible core destruction. This is an extremely dangerous situation. Do no continue to use this blade.

Wobbling/Warped Blade
Cause: Blade is out of tension...the steel core is not straight. Wrong size collars or mounted incorrectly. Blade is allowed to overheat (bluish-black marks). Blade run at improper RPM.
Solution: Return blade to factory for repair. Use the correct size blade collars. Check flanges are smooth and tight fitting. Follow guidelines for proper blade operation and cooling procedures. Check RPM rating for blade and saw.
Potential: If the problem is allowed to continue, heat builds up and the blade begins to bounce leading to segment loss, core cracks and a very unsafe condition. Produces poor quality cuts.

Undercutting:
Cause: Steel core is worn faster than segments by abrasive material being cut.
Solution: Specify a blade with a wear-retardant design. Increase water flow to flush cut.
Potential: If this problem is allowed to continue, the core will wear out from under the segment and allow the segments to separate.