When choosing a diamond blade, drill or core, to ensure you get the optimum level of performance for your needs, there are a number of factors you need to consider:
WHAT PRICE DIAMOND BLADE DO YOU NEED?
What is the most important price factor for you? The initial price of the blade, or the cost per cut? For smaller jobs, occasional use, or for DIY customers, a lower priced blade from our 3 or 4 star ranges may the best choice for you.
For larger jobs, regular use, and for professionals, choosing a higher priced blade will actually be less expensive in the long run, because it will deliver the lowest cost per cut.
For regular, professional use and larger jobs, the lowest possible sawing cost per cut or metre is likely to be much more important to you than the initial price of the tool. So for large jobs, or continuous use, we recommend our 5 or 6 star products.
WHAT MATERIALS ARE YOU WORKING WITH?
Correctly identifying the material(s) you are going to cut or drill is the most important factor in choosing a blade, drill or core. Matching the right product to the right materials directly affects the cutting speed and the life of the product.
Most diamond blades cut a range of materials. However, the material should be matched to the blade as closely as possible. As a general rule, determine the material that will be cut most often or the material for which blade performance is most important and then select the most appropriate blade type (bond).
Most materials will fall into the following categories:
Hard materials: granite, clay products, flint concrete, engineering brick
When cutting hard materials, such as granite, a soft bond is required. The soft bond will release the diamond grit at the point of the maximum utilization, without the danger of the bond holding the grit for too long, which would cause the blade to overheat and stop cutting.
Medium-hard materials: concrete products and building materials
When cutting medium-hard materials, such as concrete kerbs and slabs, a medium-hard bond type is required. This bond provides the right balance needed to keep the diamond grit fully exposed and at the same time ensures the material wears the bond at the correct speed, giving the best possible life. Most universal blades will be a medium bond product.
Soft and abrasive materials: bricks, blocks, concrete roof tiles
Extremely abrasive: asphalt, 3 newton concrete block
When cutting soft materials, such as Asphalt or 3 Newton Block, a hard bond is required. This hard bond will hold the diamond grits longer so they can be more productive. If you use a soft bond to cut soft material, the bond will release the diamonds before they have reached maximum utilization and good diamonds will be lost prematurely. The blades will still cut adequately but productivity will be poor.
ARE YOU USING YOUR DIAMOND BLADE FOR WET OR DRY CUTTING?
Choosing wet or dry cutting may be either a matter of user preference, job requirement or the tool you are using.
- Important: Wet blades MUST be used with water. Dry blades may be used either dry or wet as the job or equipment allows:
- When using a hand tool such as an electric grinder, it is not safe to use water because of the electrical power source.
- For floor saws wet cutting is usually preferred because you can cut deeper when using water as a coolant.
- For tile and masonry saws, either wet or dry cutting can be used, but when used with water the blades will cut quicker and last longer.
- For hand held petrol saws, dry blades are more popular, but they are often used wet as a form of dust control.
