Cutting paving slabs

Would a normal bog standard cheapo angle grinder be ok for cutting a few garden slabs the 2 x 3 foot size? Or would I need something more substantial, got about a dozen to trim and in no rush.

Reply to
ss
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Should be ok taking it easy with a 9" cheapo and a diamond blade. 2 x 3 foot? Blimey, are you a weight lifter?

Reply to
stuart noble

I have actually cut these on a £30- tile cutter..but after the first one I hired a diamond bladed big angle grinder. Took less time to drive to town, get one, cut the slabs and take it back than I spent cutting the first one.

So the answer is yes and no.

You need power and you need a proper diamond stone cutting disk.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Provided you have the depth of cut yes. You might not even need the full depth, just cut as deep as you can from the face side, place cut along the edge of lath and break the slab. Get diamond blades, ordinary stome cutting abrasive ones just won't last.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Get mask, ear defenders, eye protection (I use full face cover), gloves, changes of clothes and somewhere that the dust doesn't matter.

Reply to
polygonum

That goes without saying when getting the angle grinder out doesn't it?

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

I'd hope so - but the OP doesn't appear to have much experience of using them in this sort of role. And it is a whole extra chapter of muck from, maybe, trimming a bolt or other relatively trivial use of an AG.

Reply to
polygonum

You can hire a machine like a guillotine that will crack them.

Or if you cut a slot with the angle grinder, you can turn them over and tap the back until they break.

As long as they are not "granolithic" fairly easy to do.

Reply to
harry

If you don't need a nice smooth edge, then you can just use the angle grinder to score a line, then tip up the slab and tap with a lump hammer along the line on the back and it will break along the line but the edge under the cut will be a bit rough.

John M

Reply to
John Miller

I had to remove, and then twice more move, ten 2' x 3' slabs, before finally disposing of them - 9 of the B's were the proper 2" thick ones too. I don't think my left knee has ever been the same since :(

SteveW

Reply to
SteveW

The source of much crazy paving I imagine :)

Reply to
stuart noble

The source of much cursing! Especially getting them back out of the trailer when I finally got rid of them!

SteveW

Reply to
SteveW

So are those cheapo diamond core bits and diamond cutting discs any use ? I've got very wary of Axminster own brand products.

Reply to
fred

got very wary of Axminster own brand products.

Don't know about the core bits, but any diamond cutting disk is many times better than the alternative types. If I was cutting such things regularly, I'd buy good disks, but for relatively small numbers, cheapos will do.

Reply to
SteveW

I recently cut three concrete fencing barge boards (with reinforcing rods?) with a cheap angle grinder and a diamond disk, purchased from Aldi, without problems (I did have to cut from both sides because of the depth of cut)

Reply to
alan

Need a diamond blade or it will wear away like hell and make a mess of things

Reply to
Rick Hughes

Have a look at this site

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i would sat higher a water bottle and cutoff saw. regards george.

Reply to
brickjig18

I used a 4.5inch Matika angle grinder with a diamond wheel, and it beat the hell out of a similar Bosch angle grinder, as I f*****d up 2 of those, cutting some 2x2 paving flags.

Reply to
Bob H

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