Have These 2 Things In Mind Next Time You Are Selecting A Concrete Saw

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

Concrete saws will come in handy when you need to make repairs on your concrete surfaces, including floors, walls or pavement. One major aspect that will make your concrete cutting project a success is the type of concrete saw you use. Concrete saws come in different types as well as sizes, so it pays to know exactly what to look for. For first-time buyers, this can be a challenge. Therefore, to help you in your selection, here are some invaluable tips to remember.

Look At The Concrete Saw's Source Of Power

Finding out how the concrete saw is powered is the first step to knowing whether you will get the most out of it. Typically, you will find pneumatic, electric, and hydraulic concrete saws. The kind of project you have will determine the type of concrete saw (in terms of power source) that will work best for you. For indoor use, electric concrete saws would be the ideal option. Pneumatic concrete saws usually come with a separate generator, which means that when you're using these saws, you can expect some fumes to be emitted. Since you need enough ventilation to operate pneumatic concrete saws, using them indoors may not be a good idea. Portability is also sometimes a concern when it comes to using pneumatic concrete saws because of the separate generator. However, these saws, especially those whose generators use diesel, are oftentimes very powerful. This makes them practical and effective for use on foundations or basement floors and other surfaces with thick concrete.

Hydraulic concrete saws may be a good choice if you intend to do the cutting on your own but aren't fully accustomed to concrete cutting. This is because for beginners, the concrete saw blades may get stuck in the concrete a considerable number of times. With a hydraulic concrete saw, all you will have to do when this happens is to release the air pressure. Doing this will help the blade to come loose.

Decide Whether You Are Cutting Wet Or Dry

Concrete saws use blades to make cuts through concrete surfaces. These blades are usually designed to cut either wet or dry. While dry blades can also be used in wet cutting, their wet counterparts cannot be used without water. Therefore, know when to use wet or dry cutting. When making deep cuts, wet blades may be the good choice because the water will help reduce the immense build-up of heat caused by this kind of concrete cutting. Too much heat can damage the blades. Besides, with deeper cuts, you expect a lot of dust, so the water will help manage it. Dry blades are ideal for shallower cuts because they only rely on the flow of air to prevent heat build-up. In fact, whenever you are using dry concrete saw blades, it is advisable to let the blade spin freely, preferably out of the cut to increase cooling. They are excellent for intermittent concrete cutting where the blades can cool periodically.

23 May 2017