Have had a few questions recently about the different types of saw blades so thought it worth a post.
Essentially, there are three main types of diamond saw blades used in the lapidary field – all have their pros and cons.
Sometimes referred to as Continuous Rim Blades, these blades are more expensive but tend to be longer lasting and offer better performance. Sintered blades are made embedding diamond particles in a metal bond around the rim of the blade – the diamond extends through the full depth of the rim and so as the metal bond rim wears away, new diamond particles are exposed and keep the blade cutting.
These blades are available in premium or economy versions – the manufacturing process is essentially the same but a premium blade will be better quality and should give a cleaner cut. Please note that even though the sintering process will give a more durable blade, they can easily be damaged by incorrect usage (insufficient cooling, rock jams, etc).
For smaller blades, the sintered metal bond rim will be continuous around the whole rim while for larger blades (say above 16″ diameter), there may be sections cut out along the rim to improve coolant flow and debris removal – these are called Segmented Blades.
The 301 Gemking Blade made by Barranca/MK Diamond is often called a Notched Rim Blade but this is a bit misleading. This one is still a sintered blade but the deep notches along the sintered metal bond rim allow for better coolant flow. This blade is designed for cutting of harder material but MUST be used with oil – water should not be used with these blades. This blade is just a slightly different type of sintered blade.
As the diamond particles are embedded in a metal rim, over time the surface of the metal bond can glaze over the diamond particles and affect cutting performance. If you feel that the blade is not cutting as it should, we recommend “dressing” the blade by cutting into it a few times with an abrasive material (ie. dressing stick, old silicon carbide wheel, house brick, etc). This process re-exposes the diamond particles allowing the blade to cut properly again.
A classic notched rim diamond blade is made by pressing diamond grit into the edge of a solid steel core – the process leaves small notches along the rim where the diamond works to cut the material. This is a much cheaper process compared to sintering and so these blades are generally much cheaper. They will not last as long but are very low cost for those on a budget.
They can be made very thin which can be useful for those cutting material where you want minimal wastage. The notches can be very thin or slightly thicker as shown in the photo above but there will be less diamond to work with compared to a sintered blade so factor this in when considering a blade of this type.
Like the sintered blades, these ones can be dressed if they appear to be slowing down but do this only as needed as these blades are nowhere near as durable as a sintered blade.
Electroplated blades are made by electroplating a thin layer of diamond usually in a nickel metal bond on to the surface of the steel blade. As the diamond is only adhered in a very thin layer onto the surface of the blade rim, these blades are not as durable as a sintered blade. They are generally quite a bit cheaper than a sintered blade but will not last as long – we do feel that they are better quality than the very cheap pressed Notched Rim blades though.
One advantage is that they can be made very thin so may suit applications where you want minimal wastage of valuable material. They have also proved popular with our glass customers as a blade that cuts clean with less chipping. Generally not available in very large diameter blades and not suitable for slab saw applications.
These blades should NOT be dressed – this will just wear them out with no benefit. Make sure you are using plenty of coolant – the diamond will rip off in seconds if these blades are used dry or with insufficient coolant.
These are the three most commonly available lapidary saw blades – there are a few other less common types suitable for specialised applications (eg. CBN blades for cutting meteorites or iron-rich material). Please consider your usage and available budget when selecting a diamond blade.
The three most important specifications are blade diameter, blade thickness and bore size (ie. centre hole) – please note that these measurements are usually quoted in imperial measurements (inches). See here for a quick conversion chart for relevant Metric/Imperial measurements.
If we can assist with any advice, please us via the Contact Page.
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A diamond blade is a saw blade which has diamonds fixed on its edge for cutting hard or abrasive materials. There are many types of diamond blade, and they have many uses, including cutting stone, concrete, asphalt, bricks, coal balls, glass, and ceramics in the construction industry; cutting semiconductor materials in the semiconductor industry; and cutting gemstones, including diamonds, in the gem industry.
Diamond blades are available in different shapes:
Diamond blades designed for specific uses include marble, granite, concrete, asphalt, masonry, and gem-cutting blades. General purpose blades are also available.
Blades using diamonds embedded in a metal coating, typically of nickel electroplated onto a steel blade base, can be made to be very thin—blades can be tens of Micrometres thick, for use in precise cuttings.
Vacuum brazed diamond saw blades are manufactured by brazing synthetic diamond particles to the outside edge of the circular saw blade in a vacuum brazing furnace. All of the diamond particles are fully exposed and fastened on the exterior cutting edge of the blade instead of being embedded within a metal-diamond mixture. Depending on the manufacturer's recommended blade application, vacuum brazed blades will cut a wide variety of material including concrete, masonry, steel, various irons, plastic, tile, wood and glass.
Finer synthetic diamond grits will reduce the chipping of tile and burring of steel and provide a smoother finish. Larger diamond grits will provide a higher cutting speed, but will be more likely to cause chipping, burring, or cracking. Fire departments sometimes use vacuum brazed saw blades and require blades to be made with a very large diamond grit, to tear through material quickly. An intermediate grit size is used by the production industry.[1]
Sintered metal-bonded diamond blades are the most common type of blade. These blades consist of a steel core (the base is steel plate, unlike that of the wires used in diamond wire saws) and diamond segments, which are made by combining synthetic diamond crystals with metal powder and then sintering them. The diamond segments are also known as the "cutting teeth" of the blade.[2]
The steel core can vary in design. Some cores have spaces (known as gullets) between segments to provide cooling and slurry removal, while others have a single continuous rim for smoother cutting. The type of core that can be used depends on the type of materials that the diamond blade is designed to cut.
Generally, there are three types of sintered metal-bonded diamond blades according to their manufacturing methods: wholly sintered diamond blades, silver brazed diamond blades and laser welded diamond blades.
A wholly sintered diamond blade is made by putting the steel core, together with the diamonds and the metal bond materials, into a mold and then sintering it in a sintering furnace equipment. Consequently, the diameter of wholly sintered diamond blades is not very large, normally not more than 400 millimetres (16 in). Because it is participating in the sintering process, the steel core cannot be quenched, so the hardness and strength of the core are not very high. This means that these types of diamond blade may deform in high-load and high-intensity cutting processes and can exhibit low cutting efficiency.
Silver brazed and laser welded diamond blades do not have this weakness because their diamond segments and steel core are treated separately. The steel core can be quenched and processed with other heat treatments, so its hardness and strength can be high, meaning that the blade can be used in high-load and high-intensity cutting processes with high cutting efficiency and a smaller degree of deformation.
Silver brazed diamond blades' diamond segments are brazed to the steel core using a silver solder. These blades can only be used in wet cuttings. If they are used in dry cuttings, the silver solder may melt and the segments can break from the steel core and become a serious safety hazard. A laser melts and combines the metal of the diamond segment and the steel core creating a stronger weld, which can hold the segments even in high temperatures, meaning that laser welded diamond blades can be used to cut many types of stone without water cooling. However, when cutting very hard or abrasive materials, e.g., concrete containing reinforcing rebar, laser welded diamond blades should also be used with adequate water. Otherwise, it is possible for the diamond segment itself to break or the steel core below the segment to wear and break, creating serious safety hazards.
A diamond blade grinds, rather than cuts, through material. Blades typically have rectangular teeth (segments) which contain diamond crystals embedded throughout the segment for grinding through very hard materials.
The bond is a term used for the softness or hardness of the powder metal being used to form the segments. The powdered metals hold the diamonds in place. The bond controls the rate at which the diamond segments wear down allowing new diamonds to become exposed at the surface to continue grinding with a "sharp" edge. An important step in choosing a blade is to match the bond to the specific material to be cut. Additional factors to consider are the type and power of the equipment to be used and the availability of water. Harder materials need a softer bonded segment to allow for continuous diamond exposure. Softer materials like asphalt or freshly poured concrete can use a harder segment to resist the increased wear that softer, abrasive materials create.[clarification needed] In addition, the diamonds' grit (size), toughness, and concentration should also match the nature of the material to be sawed. For example, when hard materials are cut, the diamonds should be smaller.
There are other factors that should be considered when choosing a diamond blade for a particular application. These include the type (manufacturing method) of the blade, the availability of water in the cutting process, the horsepower of the saw, and the acceptable level of noise created by the saw. For example, if the horsepower of a saw machine is large, the diamond concentration of the diamond blade should be higher, or the bond should be harder. Higher diamond concentration will decrease the impact on each single diamond in working, while a harder bond will hold the diamonds more firmly.
Many blades are designed to operate either wet or dry. However, diamond tools and blades work better when wet, and dry cutting should be limited to situations in which water cannot or should not be used. Water will prevent the blade from overheating, greatly reduce the amount of harmful dust created by cutting, remove the slurry from the cut, and extend the life of the blade, since diamond is unable to withstand the forces involved at the elevated temperatures involved in dry cutting ceramic and abrasive materials, and will be subject to rapid tool wear and possible failure.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Sintered General Purpose Blade.