Block cracking

[Steve B]

I have about six tons of "Windsor Wall" blocks, plus a few tons of pavers I have to set. The "Windsor Wall" blocks are about 12" wide, 6" deep and 6" tall. There is a lip on one edge so one can stack them, and they form a receedin taperedg wall. The pavers are about 6" x 8" x 2".

I need to cut a lot of them, either to make them fit, or cut into halves.

I cut a couple with a diamond blade on a Skil M77 saw, and they did good, just a ton of dust, and a lot of time. Plus, blades are $20 per.

I can make a hydraulic press (I'm a welder) that will chomp these between two blades, but first I would score a line on each side about 1/8" deep. I have seen blocks and bricks cut with a wide mason's chisel, and done a few myself. It works good if you have a line scored, and make a good solid hit with a large hammer.

Has anyone had any experience with "chomping" these blocks/pavers between two sharpened edges using massive hydraulic pressure to achieve cutting force?

Steve

[gfretwell]

Real paver guys use a wet saw. You can score them with your diamond saw and pop them off with a brick set but it is not as clean.

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

That's how my local supplier did my blocks 6 years ago- [Versalok

6x12x16] I needed 20 1/2'd to build a little pedestal at the end of a wall. They made quick work of them and didn't charge me a thing. No scoring necessary. If memory serves there was a bit of a tit on the bottom of the press- and a wedge that looked like a wood splitter. I remember thinking that the hydraulic cylinder wasn't nearly as big ass I expected. They split mine in both the 12 and 16 inch directions.

Advantage of that method is that it gives you a surface on 2 adjacent sides that is identical. Call your local place and ask if you can look at their press- I can't imagine a business like that not wanting to suck up to a welder.

The ones I had to cut I used a diamond blade with a shop-vac duct taped nearby to minimize. . . .reduce dust. Those blades last a long time. Glad I got wet & dry blades. Now I plug my sacrificial skilsaw into a GFI & run a trickle of water into the cut. The mud is nasty-- but it eliminates dust.

Only caution- mine were new- green blocks. If your blocks are a year old they might react differently.

Jim

[Jim]

I steve... I am also a welder by trade... try a masonary blade on a cut off saw.....Jim