Masonry Magazine February 2005 Page. 22
HANDHELD SAWS
Keeping a saw in good shape will also make the diamond blades last longer.
Blades, such as the turbo-style, with a continuous, castellated rim that gives a wide cutting diversity and performs very well on brick, concrete, stone aggregates and roof tile.
The fact that the saw can be taken up on the scaffold - and dropped from that perch - makes some of the care and feeding tips different than with a table saw. Fortner notes, "Blades should always run in accordance with the directional arrow shown on the blade. Water as a coolant is always a plus when using the supplied water kit. The water keeps the blade cool and allows for easier cutting and maximum blade longevity."
MK Diamond manufactures a wide variety of masonry saws including a number of hand held units. According to Brian Delahaut, Vice President of MK Diamond, "Hand held masonry saws are one of the most widely used and versatile saws for masons. But masons often fail to consider the electrical power requirements of a masonry saw. The electrical requirernent is the most important consideration when choosing any masonry saw."
He adds, "Masons must also consider the type of blade being used. While all blades claim to be designed for cutting masonry materials not all of them are designed for handheld saws. Consideration always should be given to the quality of the blade."
The most important way a mason contractor can improve the life of any masonry saw is to clean the saw after each day's work and to replace those parts that need to be replaced as a result of wear or use.
Contractors must also consider an effective maintenance program that includes daily cleaning of the air filter and tightening of the drive belt. "Failure to do either of these basic maintenance steps will mean that the handheld saw will have reduced performance and length of use," claims Delahaut. "Tightening the drive belt will ensure that the maximum amount of power/torque is transferred. One more thing: If a blade is being used dry, allow the blade to cool periodically by lifting it from the cut for a few seconds to ensure the blade does not experience any core failure or damage."
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February 2005
Speed and Power
THE NEXT STEP UP in size and power is the gas-powered cut-off or high-speed saw. Used extensively in cutting openings, grooving concrete and other heavy applications, the high-speed saw also finds its way up on scaffolding to provide quick brick and block trimming far away from the table saw.
Many companies make these workhorse saws, each with some feature set that makes it a little different. Partner Industrial USA, a division of Electrolux Construction Products, makes saws for masonry and concrete applications in a wide variety of form factors from cut-off, high-speed saws to ring and chain saws.
In fact, Partner invented the ring saw, a variation that allows significantly deeper cuts into block walls, for example, than regular high-speed cut-off saws. In the mid-80s, Partner patented the hydraulic ring saw where the drive disk rotates the ring blade from the inner edge of the blade, not the center where the axle limits the cutting depth. With its ring cutting principle and 10-inch cutting depth, the Partner K 950 Ring Saw also has the maneuverability and versatility of a gas-powered saw.
Most masonry applications on brick would call for a saw like the K700 or new K750 high-speed saw, however. Even using a 12-inch blade, the saw can cut four inches deep and www.masoncontractors.org