I realize this may not be appropriate for this group, but have not been able to find another. Does anyone have experience cutting concrete with a circular saw using a concrete cutting blade? Would the Skill Worm Gear saw and a diamond blade be the way to go? Any experiences that anyone can share? If someone knows of another more appropriate group, please let me know.
philly
Not worth it. Rent a cutter and make life easy.
alt.home.repair would be a better place to try.
And renting a concrete saw would be a better idea.
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
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Hi, You do not day how much you have to cut. I have cut quite a bit of concrete with a heavy duty circular saw both with abrasive blades and with diamond blades. Works fine for small projects. In facr I bought a used Skill worm drive saw mostly for cutting metal and masonry. Diamond blades work a lot better for masonry but are more $.
Mill
I've cut concrete paving stones (about 4" thick) with a diamond blade in one of those cheap bench-top saws. I had an old one that was pretty beat up already so I didn't mind trashing the bearings with concrete dust. I was doing 70 feet of driveway in a herringbone pattern that required 2 out of every 5 pavers along both edges to be cut, so that was a lot of concrete to be cut. It was very loud and made a huge amount of dust, but the saw (and me) survived. If I had to do a job like that again, I would rent the right equipment, i.e. a big wet saw.
I've also put a diamond blade in a skil saw and tried the same trick on slate. Not the normal 1" slate you get today, but huge hunks of stuff
3-4 inches thick. It worked fine. Same comments about noise and dust apply.On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 06:07:36 -0700, philly wrote (in article ):
Chances are good you'll trash the bearings in the saw, but... I have an old B&D circular saw, the $35 dollar variety, that I have used extensively for cutting concrete, bricks, and Hardie panel. The bearing is shot and it makes a horrible screeching noise, but still cuts. The abrasive discs will only last for a few feet. Best bet is to get one (or two) of the Harbor Freight 7" dry cut diamond blades (when on sale of course!) I have used several sizes of these and they work quite well for the money. I think a 7" blade will cost about $9 or so.
-Bruce
I would not cut concrete with a good skil saw! buy a cheap POS and be prepared to thow it away at some point! We have a mid priced saw at work with a diamond blade in it, it works fairly well for small jobs. The concrete dust has all but killed it, the bearngs are about shot so it is really noisey. Greg
=================== Sure...a regular masonary blade in a circular saw worked fine ...BUT it really depends on what you need to cut..and how much you need to cut... Honestly I do not own a Worm Gear circular saw and would have a hard time using that good a saw on concrete...
Bob Griffiths
As others have said, the asnwer really depends upon how much you have to do.
I took apart some tall slump block (solid concrete block) columns and a wall with my aged $35 department store SkilSaw. I was hoping to kill the darned thing (saw), but, alas, it survives. A DeWalt diamond blade still had enough cutting life left to slice up quite a few concrete brick pavers for the walkway once the porch wall and columns were removed.
For whatever it's worth, you can see what I'm refering to at
Yes, contrary to some other posts a worm drive will cut concrete up to about 2 1/2" thick in 1/2" increments. Use a diamond blade, wet or dry. Clean dust off saw when done, saw will outlive you even cutting concrete.If you have to cut deep, rent a gasoline concrete saw, use eye and ear protection with either saw. mike
I cut approx 30' at 3" deep recently to locate an in floor receptacle. The saw worked fine with an abrasive blade. I'm sure the diamond blade would have worked better. If indoors, I highly recommend building some sort of containment to keep the dust from going all over the house. I fashioned a single use thing from 2x4's and visqueen that I put over the saw. Put my shop vac hose into the enclosure and went at it. Still dusty but not as bad as it could have been. Just go slow. Cheers, cc
Ah grasshopper- you ask much of the worm saw- for a few more dollars you would be home free renting a gas operated diamond blade saw- In the contruction trade we daily cut garages or driveways with the gasoline type and they seldom even burp doing their task . To give you an example a ceramic/porcelean tile can be cut -semi- cleanly-albbiet slowly .with a chop saw and a diamond blade -but it and the operator doesn't care for the task- .and remember this cutting is without dealing with the stones in concrete. No, althought it could be done a more safe procedure would be the rented saw- thats my opinon and i ain't got no humble opinons -be well be safe and always use more power than you need .
I use an "everyday" 2hp Craftsman saw, and have done it a number of times. The saw is fine, and the cutting went smooth. Used cheap blades, they cut fine, but don't last real long before the center "hub" gets tore up. Have probably cut 100' of concrete in the last year with saw no worse for the wear. hth....
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