Diamond Tools For Granite Fabricating

Diamond tools are, of course, cutting tools which contain diamond segments for cutting or grinding through a wide variety of natural stones like granite and marble which other industrial-strength cutting tools cannot. The segments are composed of diamond crystals and powder metal which form the bond, or matrix, of the segments.

The matrix is one of the prime factors when selecting which tool to use for cutting a specific material depending on how hard, or abrasive, the material is. The matrix is what decides the rate at which the metallic powders wear down and expose new diamond crystals at the surface to maintain what would be considered a sharp or effective removal edge.

For cutting hard materials, a diamond blade with a soft bond would be needed. This means the metallic powders in the segments or teeth of the diamond blade wear fast enough to release old, dull crystals; and expose new diamond at the edges to continue cutting efficiently. On the other hand, to cut a soft, abrasive material like asphalt or freshly- poured concrete, you would need to use a diamond blade with a hard bond so that the segments do not wear down prematurely, and the blade’s life is not shortened dramatically. Diamond is especially suited to cut highly-abrasive materials, such as ceramics and tiles… in addition to granite and stone.

The diamonds used in these cutting and grinding tools are synthetic or natural industrial diamonds of different grain sizes and shapes. It should be understood that all of these hard vs. soft matrix considerations don’t equate to making the choice of the proper tools a guessing game. But, you should be aware that these considerations have a very profound impact on what success you might expect when using diamond tools. The best advice is to follow the manufacturers’ recommendation and guidelines for diamond tool selection, your wholesaler, distributor or retailer can also often offer excellent guidance as well.

Simple saw and diamond blade maintenance can extend a machine’s life and keep cuts straight and true. If you believe cutting granite or stone is harder than it should be, you might be right. Your saw or blade may not be performing as it should, causing you to force the blade through the material… leaving you with less than perfect cuts. The solution may be a simple saw tune-up or blade change, performed in tandem with basic maintenance and proper care of these workhorses. Anytime excessive force has to be used to get the blade to cut, or uneven wear of the blade is evident, then there’s a problem. It could be a tool breakdown, or it may be that the wrong equipment is being used for the job.

Diamond blades have been to be proven to be so reliable in countless applications that fabricators take them for granted and don’t always maintain them properly… assuming they’re always going to perform flawlessly. Diamond blades should periodically be inspected for fatigue cracks. This type of wear can impede the blades performance.

Also, different types of stone may require a specific blade, run within a specified operating speed or range. Ignoring or not following the manufacturer’s specifications can prematurely wear out the blade and cause imperfect cuts. For instance, if a blade runs too fast… it will glaze.

Basic maintenance includes using the proper blade for the corresponding material hardness, ensuring the shaft bearings aren’t worn, and keeping the saw head aligned. These simple procedures allow for better equipment operation, extending tool longevity and increased safety.

 

In doing a demo for a complete bathroom remodel. a Sawzall reciprocating saw was used to cut through 2×4 and 2×6 studs with and without drywall attached. It cut through copper pipe, MDF, laminate counter top, and even through a plastic/fiberglass bathtub insert that had to be removed in several pieces. Overall, the Sawzall tool was used for several hours over the course of 2 days and there was nothing that it couldn’t cut (it almost asked for more). There was plenty of power to get through the toughest materials. Sawzall blades can be changed quickly without the use of any tools… as can the shoe that controls cut depth. If you’ve ever experienced the heavy duty design and durability of a high-quality sawzall… then this tool will be very familiar to you. The Sawzall can be purchased online and you’ll have a wide selection of models and prices from which to choose. It’s a fabulous tool to have in your tool box that will be handy for any serious do-it-yourselfer.