Chop saw - use for cement blocks?

not without ruining it from the dust. try a tile wet saw

A very good application for a HarborFreight tool. I wouldn't hesitate to use my 10" HF SCMS (it was fine for what I bought it for) or an old circular saw. If he dust gets to it, no great loss.

I agree. It will certainly "work" but concrete dust is not good for a precision tool. I have an old Craftsman circular saw with a broken blade guard (unobtanium) and I just keep a diamond blade in it for cutting concrete.

I'm not sure if this will matter since I don't really know about Allan Blocks, but here's what happened to me after I cut some patio blocks:

They disintegrated after a few years.

I have a parking spot off to the side my driveway where I park so that I don't block SWMBO's car. There used to be dirt next to the spot, so I paved it with grey 8 x 16 patio blocks so I wouldn't be stepping in mud all the time.

In order to follow the curve of the street and the driveway asphalt, I had to cut a number of blocks at an angle. I used an old circular saw and diamond blade.

After a few years, the cut blocks began to fall apart, from the cut edge in, turning into little pea sized bits of concrete. At first I thought it might be salt, but it only happened to the cut block, not to any of the full pieces. In one case, where there was a fairly small piece (1/4 of a block) the piece has been gone for years, but the full sized block that was next to it looks as good as new.

Diamond blade me be overkill & expensive depending on how many blocks you expect to cut.

They are really getting to be cheap enough for the casual user and they last for a real long time. They also hold their diameter a lot better than a regular cutoff wheel. That is important on relatively deep cuts.

Thanks for the URL. Will be cutting about 100 blocks (the top caps - both sides) on this project. Two other projects are in the future.

I could rent a saw; however, may as well use this as an excuse to buy another toy :)

Gary

That's an odd one. I've cut, and seen old cuts, that have experienced no deterioration like what you describe, even after years of exposure. You must have gotten a bad batch.

It may have been a bad batch, but like I said, none of the uncut ones show any sign of deterioration.

They don't seal those things do they? I was thinking that maybe I exposed the innards and allowed the bad stuff in.

Let me know how you get a big block in a chop saw. On the flat caps, yes, you could do it in two cuts, but it would be iffy to get them straight.

Go get a used 10" wet saw with a big tray and a lot of travel. I bought one about a year ago, and I have been using the heck out of it, now doing work that I would have never considered before. One is now to do a 400sf (approx) area in 4 x 8 pavers, 2" thick, having to cut some to make the pattern, and some just to fit in odd areas. It's a dream to just put it on there, saw, and it's done. No dust.

A 10" saw is a tool that is used infrequently, but when you do pull it out, it does it right the first time. I think you could get a used saw for what any chop saw would cost you, and the chop saw makes dust, which causes silicosos, a very dangerous human ailment.

Mine cost me $60 at a yard sale. It retails for about $600. It's not new and pristine, but it works, and I think it's worth what I paid for it.

Steve

Heart surgery pending? Read up and prepare. Learn how to care for a friend.

{harbor freight}

I just became a harbor-freight dude.

check out their 10" wet saw-

Jim

-snip-

I meant to add-- Once you've cut on a wet saw after experiencing the toxic, go-everywhere dust storm of dry cutting, it is hard to go back. You'll start looking for blocks to cut in half.

Jim

Um... From the OP:

"I'm building an Allen Block (cement) retaining wall and need to trim a large number of top caps which are 11"w x 11"d x 3 3/8"h."

Not all cement blocks are 12" blocks.

Now *that's* the right attitude.

A follow up:

I called both Porter Cable and Makita. The Porter Cable tech said that the PC chop saw could not be used with a diamond blade. No reason given.

The Makita tech rep said there would be no problem using a diamond blade. The Makita chop saws are sealed units; that is, there is no danger of cement dust getting into the bearings. He said to ensure I blew out the unit with an air hose after use. (To get dust out of the armature?)

So, I purchased a Makita 2414NB on sale :)

Thanks for all your responses. Gary

On that basis I'd buy the Porter Cable. The bearings may be sealed-- but the motor & brushes aren't. When the motor sucks dust filled air through it you will be coating the armature with dust that will only come off if you completely dis-assemble the saw.

You will be cutting the saw's life in half at best. [which is fine if it will just sit on a shelf for most of the next 20 years-- but I'd rather get the right tool for this job- and sell it later. [the right tool in this case if a wet saw of any description-- not just for the saw's life-- but for the 1/2 acre or so that get's covered with dust after a few dry cuts]

OTOH- did you record the tech's conversation? I'd put a copy of that with the warranty and cite it when the saw fails prematurely.

Jim

I was told the PC was not suitable by the PC tech rep. The Makita tech rep said the Makita chop saw was suitable - just blow the dust out after use...

Also, the hardware store advised me against PC because in the PC/Delta/DeWalt franchise, the PC's quality is now the low end of the three, unlike the past where PC was top notch.

One thing voting for the PC was price - $110, the Makita was $150.

I have to admit that I'm a Makita freak. I started buying Makita tools in 1980 and have never been dissapointed.

Cheers, Gary

I guess I wasn't clear. The PC guy told the truth. The Makita guy was wrong- either through ignorance or because of greed. The dust you will create will be unbelievable. My job was 150' from a road, but cutting one 4x8x12 in half stopped traffic if the wind was wrong.

There is not just a lot of it- it is sticky and abrasive. It will ruin your saw.

Buy/rent/steal a wet saw.

-snip-

So buy the Makita chop-saw- and saw wood with it. Don't ruin it with masonry dust.

Jim