Professionals that work with diamond tools know that many options exists. Perhaps you have found that during your search for the best tools. The ability to choose the correct blade for a task goes far beyond knowing which ones work the best. Rather, to make an informed decision you must actually understand some basic information about the way diamond blades are constructed and how it affects their performance. In this article we will look at the basics of diamond blades. Then, we will briefly talk about how that information affects your choice of blade.
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The forst thing we will discuss is what the basic components of a diamond blade are. Knowing the terminology that is used when talking about diamond blades is a key to contemplating which blade to select for a given task. Some of the lingo that you may or may not be familiar with include the following terms:
As you can see from that partial list of terms associated with diamond saw blades, discussing even simple concepts can get fairly complicated if a person is not familiar with basic words and phrases related to diamond blades.
While we won't cover every aspect of diamond blade anatomy, we are going to summarize each of the main parts of a diamond blade to highlight key concepts to consider when choosing a diamond blade.
The first element of a diamond blade's makeup that we will consider is the core. The core of a diamond blade refers to the base of the blade. Meaning, the blades disc minus the seegments (which we sill define momentarily). Teh core of a diamond blade can come in a variety of designs, thicknesses, and strengths. Blade cores are designed to accommodate various types of segments. So when researching diamond blades, you will often read about cores and encoutner some of the follwing terminology:
From the list above it is clear that diamond blade cores vary in quality and performance. Knowing which type of blade core performs well with a particular material is learned through testing different blades and determining which types of core work best with a given surface and cutting environment.
The blades segments are the rectangular "teeth" that line the edge of the blade. These segments contain the crystals that actually grind away the stone surface in a narrow path to turn one piece of material into two separate pieces. In everyday terminology, stone workers use the term "cutting" but in reality, a diamond blade actually "grinds" away the stone to form a "kerf".
Diamond blades are manufactured using a variety of methods. The common ways that diamond blades are manufactured include:
Each of the above manufacturing methods uses a particular way of affixing the diamonds to the blade. Each kind of manufacturing method produces blades suitable for certain kinds of cutting on specific materials.
The bond of a diamond blade refers the way in which diamond crystals are held in place by a sintering process. A blade's bond is made up of various blended metal powders and plays an important part in the overall performance of the blade. How so?
The diamond blade's bond holds the diamonds that actually do the grinding. It has to perform a number of functions in order for the blade to wear in the right way and at the proper speed. This controlled wear is a contributing factor to the blade's efficiency. If the bond wears away too quickly, the diamonds would not be used to their full potential. Conversely, if the bond did not wear, the diamonds would break up and the blade would become dull and lack the ability to "cut" the material.
In addition to the aforementioned role, the bond also acts to move heat away from the cut. Keeping the edge of the blade as cool as possible is important because heat can cause damage to the blade which in turn can become a safety issue.
Diamond blades are available with different "edges". The edge of diamond blades are described using an array of terms. Some of these include:
Each of the above rim types lends itself to cutting particular materials. However, what really matters is the overall design of the blade. So when it comes to choosing a diamond blade to cut a surface, think about all the aspects of the blade rather than fixating on one aspect of the product. For example, low price is appealing and in some cases it is the right option. However, often times there is a reason why a blade may have a higher price tag. So before selecting a particular blade, familiarize yourself with which material(s) the blade is designed to cut. Then make your decision.
As mentioned above, there are diamond bridge saw blades designed to cut a variety of materials. And each blade will have advantages over its counterparts. For example, you will see blades for cutting quartz and blades for cutting marble slabs. These blades may have different design elements and perform differently on the same material.
When selecting a diamond bridge saw blade for use on a given material. First, make sure you know exactly what material you will be cutting. This might be more difficult than it sounds. Some materials resemble others from which they are very different. For example, quartzite is often mixed up with marble. Furthermore, even though these stones look alike, they are very different from one another. One is a very hard stone and the other is a soft material. So, just because a slab looks like a particular material, it does not mean that a diamond blade will perform the same on both.
After you you are sure that you have correctly identified the type of stone that you will be cutting you need to find the proper blade. There a re many blades on the market for each kind of material. So be sure that you select one that is of the proper quality and price. You might find that a low price blade is what you need if you are simply doing one or two jobs with that material. On the other hand, you might need a high performance blade. This will no doubt be more costly.
In conclusion, we have taken a look at some of the basic features of diamond blades. The core, segments, bond, and rim of diamond blades are contributors to their performance on specific materials. In the end though, knowing which blade to go with will really depend on the material you are cutting and what amount of work you will be doing with that material.
A Diamond Blade is a circular steel disc with a diamond-bearing edge. The edge of the blade may be smooth or textured, continuous rim, or a segmented rim with smaller, individual sections. The blade core is a precision-made steel disc and may have a continuous or slotted rim. The slots (also called "gullets") provide faster cooling by allowing water or air to flow between the segments. The slots also allow the blade to flex under cutting pressure.
Most blade cores are tensioned at the factory, so the blade will run straight at cutting speeds. Proper tension also allows the blade to remain flexible enough to bend slightly undercutting pressure and "snap" back into position.
Diamond segments or rims are made up of a mixture of diamonds and metal powders. The diamond used in blades is almost exclusively manufactured and is available in various grit sizes and quality grades.
In the manufacturing process, the metal powder and diamond grit mixture is melted at high temperatures to form a solid metal alloy (called the bond or matrix) in which the diamond grit is suspended. The segment or rim is slightly wider than the blade core. This side clearance allows the cutting edge to penetrate through the material.
To attach the diamond rim or segments securely to the steel core, several different processes are used.
Diamond Blade Rim Types
1) Brazed - Silver solder is placed between the segment or rim and the core. At high temperatures, the solder melts and bonds the two parts together
2) Laser welded - The diamond segment and steel blade core are welded (fused) together by a laser beam
3) Mechanical bond - A notched, serrated or textured blade core may by used to "lock" the diamond rim or segments onto the edge of the blade. Mechanical bonds usually also include brazing or other metallurgical bonding processes to hold the rim or segments in place
* This information applies to diamond blades, diamond bits and other diamond grinding wheels
Diamond blades don't really "cut" like a knife… they grind. During the manufacturing "break-in" (grinding) process, individual diamond crystals are exposed on the outside edge and sides of the diamond segments or rim. These exposed surface diamonds do the grinding work.
The metal "matrix" locks each diamond in place. Trailing behind each exposed diamond is a "bond tail" (also called "comet tail"), which helps support the diamond.
While the blade rotates on the arbor shaft of the saw, the operator pushes the blade into the material. The blade begins to cut through the material, while the material begins wearing away the blade.
Exposed, surface diamonds score the material, grinding it into a fine powder. Embedded diamonds remain beneath the surface. Exposed diamonds crack or fracture as they cut, breaking down into even smaller pieces. Hard, dense materials cause the diamonds to fracture even faster. The material also begins to wear away the metal matrix through abrasion. Highly abrasive materials will cause the matrix to wear faster.
This continuous grinding and wearing process continues until the blade is "worn out". Sometimes, small unusable parts of the segments or rim may remain. It is important to understand that the diamond blade and the material must work together (or interact) for the blade to cut effectively.
For a diamond blade to work properly, the diamond type, quality, and grit size must be suited for the saw and the material. The metal matrix must also be "matched" to the material.
Blades for cutting hard, dense (less abrasive) materials (tile, hard brick, stone, hard-cured concrete) require a softer metal matrix. The softer metal matrix wears faster, replacing worn-out diamonds fast enough for the blade to keep cutting.
Blades for cutting soft, abrasive materials (block, green concrete, asphalt) must have a hard metal matrix to resist abrasion and "hold" the diamonds longer.
Blade performance is a combination of both cutting speed and blade life. Selecting the right blade (for the saw, the material and the job) is the most important factor in getting maximum performance. Many other variables also affect blade performance. Changing any variable will have an effect on cutting speed and blade life. Read more about Variables That Affect Diamond Blade Performance.
Speed, life, and cutting depth are important factors in matching the diamond tool to the equipment and the job. Check out our blog that displays the maximum cutting depth of your diamond blade based on the diameter of the blade.
Factors Involving Concrete
When cutting concrete, several factors influence your choice of diamond blades. These include compressive strength, hardness of the aggregate, size of the aggregate, type of sand, steel reinforcing and green or cured concrete.
The guidelines in this section are for general reference only. Your best source for information on the characteristics of the concrete you are cutting is from the original contractor. Contact your local Department of Transportation or City Hall for help in tracking down this information.
Compressive Strength
Concrete slabs may vary greatly in compressive strength, measured in pounds per square inch (PSI). Most concrete roads are 4-6,000 PSI, while typical patios or sidewalks are about 3,000 PSI.
Hardness of Aggregate
There are many different types of rock used as aggregate. Hardness often varies even within the same classification of rock. For example, granite varies in hardness and friability.
The Mohs scale is frequently used to measure hardness. Values of hardness are assigned from one to ten. A substance with a higher Mohs number scratches a substance with a lower number - higher Mohs scale numbers indicate harder materials. Most aggregates fall into the 2 to 9 range on the Mohs scale.
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Aggregate hardness is one important factor when cutting concrete. Because hard aggregate dulls diamond grit more quickly, segment bonds generally need to be softer when cutting hard aggregate. This allows the segment to wear normally and bring new, sharp diamond grit to the surface. Softer aggregate will not dull diamond grit as quickly, so harder segment bonds are needed to hold the diamonds in place long enough to use their full potential.
Size of the Aggregate
The size of the aggregate affects diamond blade performance. Large aggregates tend to make a blade cut slower. Smaller aggregates tend to make a blade cut faster.
Type of Sand
Sand is part of the aggregate mix, and determines the abrasiveness of concrete. "Small aggregate" is usually sand. Sand can either be sharp (abrasive) or round (non-abrasive). To determine the sharpness of sand, you need to know where the sand is from. Crushed sand and bank sand are usually sharp; river sand is usually round.
Green concrete is more abrasive than cured concrete. When the concrete is not fully cured sand can more easily be scraped off the surface being cut. More loose sand means more abrasiveness.
Amount of Steel Reinforcing (Rebar)
Heavy steel reinforcing tends to make a blade cut slower, while less reinforcing tends to make a blade cut faster. "Light" to "heavy" rebar is a very subjective term.
Green or Cured Concrete
The drying or curing time of concrete greatly affects how the material will interact with a diamond blade. Green concrete is freshly poured and has set up, but is not yet fully cured. It is softer and more abrasive than cured concrete. You need a harder bonded blade with undercut protectors to cut green concrete. You need a softer bonded blade to cut the same concrete in a cured state.
Typically, concrete defined as "green" is six hours from pour or younger, but this can vary widely. Weather, temperature, moisture in the aggregate, time of year and the amount of water in the mix all influence curing time. Also, additives in most new concrete can either shorten or extend curing time. Consult your mix design to find the relative curing time for your job. As soon as wet concrete sets up and does not spall or ravel, green cutting can begin.
Even though diamonds are the hardest substance known to man, they will eventually wear down and become dull. The material being cut should have enough abrasiveness to wear away some of the bonding matrix material to expose a new diamond grit. As the old diamond is worn away, a new diamond will take over the task of cutting.
Sometimes the material being cut is not abrasive enough to expose a new diamond. If the blade is not sharpened, it will rub against the surface resulting in heat build-up in the core. To prevent this it is necessary to Dress the Wheel.
To dress the wheel it is necessary to cut something that is abrasive in order to expose the new diamond grit. Good results can be achieved by cutting a concrete block or asphalt. Cut approximately 10-20 feet to adequately dress the blade.
Indications that the blade needs dressing are:
1) The diamonds in the matrix appear shiny because they are worn flat.
2) The blade stops cutting or noticeably slows down.
Always let the blade do the cutting. There is no need to apply excessive force on the part of the operator of the articular saw being used.
Your Guide in Understanding diamond saw blades
In rock and gem cutting, you need something to... well, cut ‒ your material. And while you can use other methods to break your rough rock (e.g., rock hammering, throwing it to shatter into smaller pieces, etc.), cutting it precisely with a saw is the best method, both for precious and semi-precious rock. It reduces the "waste" that you get when shattering the rough. When cutting rock, especially the more valuable ones, we don't want to waste any of the material if we can help it.
Diamond blades are the blades used in lapidary saws. They are preferred to regular saw blades because they are designed to cut denser and harder materials. Diamond saw blades have diamonds evenly embedded into a metal matrix that makes up the rim, which cuts directly through the material.
If you're wondering whether "diamond blades" have real diamonds, the answer is no. The diamonds used in these blades are synthetic diamonds, also known as lab-grown diamonds. They are created by scientists in a laboratory by growing a small diamond seed in layers through high pressure and temperature.
Although these diamonds are synthetic, their physical and chemical properties are the same as natural diamonds. Thus, their hardness is no different and they can still cut through most hard materials.
In lapidary, there are three common types of diamond blades. Those are sintered rim, segmented rim, and notched rim blades.
A sintered diamond blade is a continuous rim blade, where diamonds are embedded in the metal alloy. If ever the metal bond wears out, new diamonds will be exposed and the blade will continue cutting. This is a thin blade and is perfect for cutting precious gemstones and soft materials, because of it having less kerf and the clean-cut it gives.
Segmented rim blade has wide and deep gullets to allow the coolant to flush the dust and cool the blade. This is a versatile blade. It can cut precious and semi-precious rock precisely.
Notched rim blades are a production blade that can withstand demanding usage. It has small notches where segments are inserted and pressed to form the rim. This has the longest life, hence it is popular in industrial lapidary.
In certain instances, like using other kinds of diamond blades in construction, or when cutting softer materials like asphalt or cement, a diamond blade may cut dry.
However, it is not the case when it comes to cutting rock and gemstones. In lapidary, a saw and a diamond blade can only be used in wet cutting. This is crucial in preventing friction or heating up between the blade and the rock. It will also make the blades last longer.
Although we say "cutting rock", diamond blades don't actually cut, they grind! The diamonds are supported by the metal matrix, and the exposed bits of diamonds grind a kerf onto the material. A kerf is the width of the material that is removed in grinding.
If the diamond blade keeps on grinding and is used for a long time, the diamond and metal bond will slowly wear out, exposing new diamond bits. This cycle will go on until no diamond is left on the rim. When the diamond is consumed and the blade won't grind anymore, that's the time when you have to replace your blade.
When choosing a diamond blade for rock cutting, you need to consider the size and quality of the diamond. For sizes, the higher the number, the finer the diamond particles and the smaller the number, the coarser the blade will be. If you're cutting hard materials, it's best to use a blade with fine diamond, while coarse particles are used when cutting a softer material.
A good quality diamond is determined by its ability to withstand high temperatures and maintain a sharp point. Some diamond blades in the market are sold really cheap. Those kinds of diamond blades have poor quality and will wear out after only a few uses.
Aside from using an appropriate high-quality coolant, a diamond blade needs to be sharpened every once in a while to maintain its performance. If your blade stops cutting or isn't producing good cuts, it probably needs resharpening. In most diamond blades, as long as the metal alloy and diamond are present on the rim, a blade can be salvaged by resharpening.
There are various methods of sharpening a blade, as recommended by other lapidarists. Those are cutting through obsidian rock and silicon carbide block. They're both acceptable methods, but the results aren't remarkable.
John Rowland, CEO of Highland Park Lapidary, made a video on how to sharpen a diamond blade, using a bastard file. In his tutorial video, he demonstrated how to pound lightly onto the rim of the blade, to expose the diamonds.
Watch the video here:
A diamond blade is a cutting tool with diamond grains fixed on the edge. It is commonly used in construction and manufacturing industries to cut through hard materials such as concrete, asphalt, and stone.
Choosing the right diamond blade is crucial to ensure efficient and precise cutting. Using the wrong blade can result in poor performance, damage to the blade or the material being cut, and even safety hazards.
Identify the specific material you need to cut. Different diamond blades are designed for different materials. For example, if you're cutting concrete, you'll need a blade specifically designed for concrete cutting.
The blade diameter should be suitable for the equipment you're using. Check the specifications of your saw or cutter to determine the maximum blade diameter it can accommodate. Using a blade with a larger diameter than recommended can lead to accidents and damage to the equipment.
The arbor size of the blade should match the arbor size of your saw or cutter. The arbor is the center hole of the blade that fits onto the equipment's spindle. Using a blade with an incorrect arbor size can result in instability and poor cutting performance.
Consider the specific cutting requirements and select the appropriate blade type. There are different types of diamond blades, such as segmented blades for general-purpose cutting, continuous rim blades for smooth cutting, and turbo blades for faster cutting. Choose the blade type that suits your needs.
Ensure that the diamond blade meets the necessary quality standards and specifications. Look for blades that have undergone rigorous testing and are certified for their performance and safety. Check for features like diamond concentration, bond type, and blade lifespan to ensure optimal cutting results.
By following these 5 steps, you can confidently select the right diamond blade for your cutting needs. Remember to prioritize safety and quality to achieve the best cutting performance.