Diamond Blade Myths

Myth # 1 - "A bigger, or taller segment hight = more blade/cutting life."
(It depends on a number of variables. Diamond concentrate, Mesh Size of the diamonds, Aggregate, coolant; amount of water being used, HP of saw, operating speed or RPM of saw, depth of cut, length of cuts, etc)
ie; a 7mm segment height blade may outlast a 15mm segment height blade if there is less diamonds in the 15mm segment! the metals that make up the segment do not cut anything - the diamonds do! So, if the 7mm blade has 3k in it, and the 15mm has 2k... well, you do the math!

Myth # 2 - "General Purpose Diamond Blades are fine for cutting any type of material."
(Generally speaking, a general purpose diamond saw blade that is spiing at thousands of RPM's will cut anything in its path. However, that doesn't mean it should! A diamond blade that is tensioned and bonded to cut cured concrete with wire mesh & rebar in it, is not going to cut asphalt very well. It will cut, but it will burn out quickly. Same holds true for a Asphalt Blade cutting Cured Concrete, etc. (Hard bonds cut soft, or abrasive materials, and Soft bonds cut Hard materials.) Now, with NEW Technology, some manufacturers have been able to make blades with different bonded segments, or sandwich segments of multiple bonds. These are TRUE General purpose, "Cut-All" diamond blades." Look here.

Myth # 3 - "Cheap Blades work just as good as expensive blades"
(This really depends if somewhere along the line, you bought a cheap diamond blade at a high price in the first place. Dont be fooled by sales mumbo jumbo. As with everything else in life, you get what you pay for. There are no shortcuts. Two blades can look exactly the same, but one may last 5x longer than the other!) Its all in the bond, tensioning, etc.

Myth # 4 - "All diamond blades are the same"
(There are many different styles of blades, and grades of diamonds. Just like diamonds in jewelry... If the mesh size of each individual chip size is bigger, than the blade will cut more aggressively. Its that simple. If there is more diamond, or a higher concentrate of chips, then it will cut better.

Recap:
Try some different blades, build a rapport with your supplier, and stick to someone loyal. Unfortunately, there is a lot of "trash" spoken about during the sales process of diamond tools, and equipment. Be careful, pick your supplier wisely. Especially online! Is the site secure? Is the business a business, or just somebody looking to "push blades" for a profit? At Precision Diamond Tools, Inc. we are dedicated to making your diamond blade & cutting tools shopping experience be easy, informative and completely consistent. Bookmark us for more educational info and supplies, when you have a chance! www.PrecisionDiamondinc.com

Diamond Blade Online Superstore Factory Direct Wholesale Prices

Diamond Blades and Cutting Tools by Precision Diamond Tools, Inc.

At www.PrecisionDiamondinc.com we offer a wide selection of professional diamond saw blades and cutting tools at the deepest discounted, wholesale, factory direct prices packaged with outstanding customer service for today’s contractor. With a huge assortment of Diamond Blades varying from general purpose segmented diamond blades, professional turbo segmented diamond blades, laser welded diamond blades to sintered diamond blades. We truly have a diamond blade or cutting tool for every contractor in the construction industry.

We also have a wide variety of diamond core bits, polishing pads, cup wheels, crown bits, profiling milling wheels, diamond drill bits, crack chasers, tuck pointers, Ring Saw Blades, Early Entry Concrete Blades, and other diamond tools. Our inventory covers the entire spectrum of diamond blades and cutting tools. While we offer a wide variety of cost effective diamond blades there are an equal number of high end, long lasting, supreme quality, signature product that is guaranteed to tackle the toughest cutting around.

We list all of our diamond blades by materials that you may be cutting. Choosing the correct material enables you to properly select the correct diamond blade and bond for your project’s needs and saw type. Browse through all of our diamond blades and cutting tools. Here, quality is not sacrificed for great pricing. Enjoy your shopping experience and please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.

Diamond Saw Blade Cutting Depth Chart

(Blade Diameter) --- (Cutting Depth)

12" --- 3 5/8"
14" --- 4 5/8"
16" --- 5 5/8"
18" --- 6 5/8"
20" --- 7 5/8"
24" --- 9 5/8"
26" --- 10 5/8"
30" --- 11 3/4"
36" --- 14 3/4"
42" --- 17 3/4"
48" --- 19 3/4"
52" --- 20 3/4"




For more info visit www.PrecisionDiamondinc.com

Factors that Affect Diamond Blade Cutting Performance

Factors that Affect Cutting Performance

The life of a blade or bit and the speed at which it will cut depends on the following application conditions. For a manufacturer or distributor to supply the proper blade, they must be told what the material, project timing, and equipment conditions are for your job. If any of these conditions change, you should know how the change will affect blade performance.

Type of aggregate

The type of aggregate has a pronounced effect. Hard aggregates shorten blade life and slow the cutting rate. Cutting concrete with a hard aggregate, such as quartz, will cost much more than cutting concrete with a soft aggregate, such as limestone. Cutting concrete made with hard aggregates also requires more power.
Blades used to cut hard aggregates should have segments with tough diamonds and soft metal bonds otherwise the diamond particles will wear down even with the bond, and the blade will become glazed and unable to cut. Likewise, segments for cutting soft aggregates should have hard metal bonds, so that the diamond particles are not lost before their cutting life is used up. Aggregate hardness can be measured using the Mohs Scratch Test, the Los Angeles Abrasion-Loss Test, or the Shore Hardness Test. Size of aggregate is also important. Concrete made with two-inch flint aggregate will be extremely difficult to cut, but concrete with; one-half-inch flint aggregate will cut much more easily. This is because there is more aggregate surface per unit volume of concrete in contact with the cutting segments when a larger size aggregate is used.

Reinforcing steel

Diamond blade / bond systems are designed to cut concrete which has an abrasive component present at all times. When diamond blades cut steel there is very limited abrasive material present resulting in slower cutting rates. The ratio of the volume of steel per unit volume of concrete has an impact on blade performance. The higher the ratio is the slower the cutting rate will be. Blade life will generally decrease as well.

Tip: When steel is encountered, reduce blade speed if possible, increase cutting pressure, and decrease water flow.

Operating speed

To keep blades from distorting at high speeds, they are manufactured in the form of a dish that will straighten when the blade is rotated at optimum speed. The dishing is small, about five ten-thousandths of an inch per inch of diameter. If the design speed is not achieved, the blade will tend to wander as cutting commences. This dishing is called tensioning. When a blade is said to be out of tension the amount of dish is not correct and the blade wobbles from side to side while out of the cut and wanders in the cut. An out-of-tension blade cannot be made to cut a straight line. It will cut a very regular sinusoidal line.
Manufacturers usually list the recommended operating speed directly on the blade. Recommended operating speeds for diamond blades are based on the blade size and the type of material to be cut. For optimum blade life and cutting speed, the actual operating speed will most likely have to be adjusted for the type of aggregate and the amount of steel encountered.

When in doubt about the correct operating speed for a particular material, choose a lower speed rather than a higher speed. Then, if the blade cuts well, try increasing the speed to improve blade life. To cut softer and more abrasive materials use a faster operating speed, faster forward speed, and more water.
In general, higher operating speeds tend to lengthen blade life and slow cutting.

WARNING: Never operate a blade above the maximum or "Do Not Exceed" RPM stamped on the blade. Failure to comply with this speed will result in injury or death.

Depth of cut

The depth of cut should be adjusted such that a forward speed of 8 to 10 FPM (feet per minute) can be maintained. This speed has been determined over many years of cutting to be the most economical cutting speed based on labor costs, blade costs, machine costs and operation costs.

Coolant

Water or some other coolant must be used to cool most diamond blades.
If not enough water is used, the swarf (fine particles) will not be removed from the cut quickly. This is a common cause of undercutting: the abrasive particles from the cut wear away that part of the steel core where the diamond segments are attached. Without sufficient water, the core will also overheat, causing cracks and premature loss of segments. To minimize blade wear, an adequate volume of water is essential. The water flow for saw blades should be between 1/2 and 3 gallons per minute. Sawing water systems can deliver a maximum flow of 5 gallons per minute.

For more information, visit our complete educational section here: www.precisiondiamondinc.com

Diamond Tools & Technology

Diamond Tools & Technology

A diamond blade is a circular steel disc with a diamond bearing edge. The edge of the blade may be a smooth or textured continuous rim or a segmented rim with smaller, individual diamond sections.

The diamond blade core is a precision-made steel disc, which may have a continuous rim or a 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 under cutting pressure and "snap" back into position.

Diamond segments or rims are made up of a mixture of diamonds and metal powders. Diamonds used in blades are almost exclusively manufactured diamonds in various grit sizes and quality grades. In the manufacturing process, the metal powder and diamond grit mixture is pressed and sintered to form a solid metal alloy (called metal 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 without the blade core coming into contact with the material being cut.

To attach the diamond rim or segments securely to the steel core, several different processes are used:

• Brazing: Silver solder is placed between the segment or rim and the core.
  At high temperatures, the solder melts and bonds the two parts together.

• Laser Welding: The diamond segment and steel blade core are welded
  (fused) together by a laser beam.

• Mechanical Bond: A notched, serrated, or textured blade core may be 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.

For more information visit: www.PrecisionDiamondinc.com

Diamond Blade Basics

Diamond tools don't really "cut" like a knife... they grind. Envision trying to saw through a 2 x 4 using your hand wrapped in sandpaper, this is how diamond blades cut.

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, or bond, locks each diamond in place. Trailing behind each exposed diamond is a "bond tail" (also called "comet tail"), which helps support the diamond. Nothing known to man sticks to diamond (i.e. acts as an adhesive) therefore, in the sawing application, the metal bond surrounds the diamond and locks it into place by a mechanical lock or hold.

The primary function of the metal bond is to lock the diamond in place and support it under load. It is important to note that due to the shape of diamond crystals, one-half of all the diamond put into a segment is thrown away. A simplified diamond crystal shape is shown hi Fig 4. As you can see, once the surrounding metal wears to the point that is equal to or below the "equator" of the diamond crystal, the crystal will pop out. This is like trying to hold the end of a flat- blade screwdriver after dipping it into oil. The harder you grip the screwdriver the more it wants to slip out from between your fingers. To better utilize the diamond crystals in a segment the metal bond is designed to develop bond tails. This extra metal holds the diamond crystal in the metal bond longer and is the reason that bond tail development in a cutting segment is so important for blade performance.

While the blade rotates on the arbor shaft of the saw, the operator or saw 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 bond 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 grinding and wearing process continues until the blade is worn out. Sometimes, a small, unusable part 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.

In order 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 or bond must also be "matched" to the material.

Tools for cutting hard, dense (less abrasive) materials (such as tile, hard brick, stone or 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.

Tools for cutting soft, abrasive materials (such as block, green concrete or asphalt) must have a hard metal matrix to resist abrasion and 'hold' the diamonds longer.

For more details visit www.PrecisionDiamondinc.com