Cutting aerated concrete blocks

Jun 08, 2022 Last reply: 4 years ago 7 Replies
L

Hi all



I need to cut a number of aerated concrete blocks to the same size and along the length. So far I have been using a hand saw which has worked fine. I was thinking of using my saw table for this but was wonder what the best blade to use is. Should I use a stone cutting disk (type you would use on an angle grinder) or a normal circular saw blade (assume an old one as it will blunt it easily)?



Anyone tried this before? Any top tip? E.g. was wondering if I need to put it on a skid or something to slide it on the wooden surface



Thanks in advance



Lee.


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N

Handsaw or bolster. You could use a saw table, but only if you want to make a dust cloud and wreck the saw table at the same time

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J

You can get special block saws with extra coarse teeth... e.g:

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Is this a table saw designed for wood or masonry? While one designed for wood will work, I would be less keen on what the fine masonry dust would do to the bearings...

Old metal blade would probably be best, since normal table saws don't have the rotational speed to make abrasive discs cut well.

You can get bandsaws adapted for the process - some of those have sliding tables - but I expect you could cope without.

When I needed to reclaim a load of bricks and trim off existing mortar, I built a lash-up masonry cutting saw using a 9" angle grinder:

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Probably overkill for aerated blocks, but would work. You would probably need to clamp a fence to it, and then flip the block to cut from both sides.

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L

Thanks all for your thoughts. I should have said that the saw table is home made (similar to your post John but with a circular saw below and a fence to run the material along. All made of wood). In your grinder option John where was the dust collecting flue pipe located? Sounds like it is below the table and I assume on the side where the disk is travelling up towards the table?

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T

Yes, I seem to recall that builders tend to buy the cheapest most disposable hand saw and then throw it away afterwards

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J

I was thinking of using my saw table for this but was

ok so probably not as exposed to dust ingress as a traditional table saw with exposed trunnions etc :-)

This photo probably shows it best:

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It was just a bit of 2" plastic pipe, and I put a slit into one side of it at the end with the AG disc. Then placed it under the table such that the disk was buried in it with the edge of the disc roughly inline with the centre of the pipe. Then hot glued the end to the underside of the table.

Underside yes, but on the front "down" side of the disk where it "exits" the table after the cut.

So if you look at:

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I added a 1/2" clearance hole at the lip of the disk nearest the corner of that brick. Since the blade is travelling down at this point, much of the dust is swept down through the hole in the table.

So the pipe under the table just controls the stream of exit dust a bit and helps drop it in a pile on the ground. You still get some airborne fine stuff that blows away though.

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A

Don't do it at work incase H&S turn up.

A several grand fine followed.

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A

I was watching Garden Rescue on BBC1 recently and one of the workman was filmed using a angle grinder with a stone- cutting disk to cut some slabs. He was wearing eye protection and ear muffs but didn't bother with dust suppression along the lines of an attached pressure sprayer full of water

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