Do you want to cut marble? Use diamond saw blades. Along with all the fanciful decorative use of diamonds, you must also know that diamonds are one of the strongest mineral resources. It would surprise you that only a minimal percentage of the world’s diamonds are on necklaces and watches. Most diamonds are in major industries today and are used for making precise and neat cuts and finishes, especially for marbles. This article will describe four things you should know when cutting marbles with diamond saw blades.
Table of Contents
- 1. Choosing the right diamond saw blade.
- 2. Tips for cutting marble
- 3. Effects of Diamond saw blade on the marble.
- 4. Safety Precautions in Cutting Marble
- Summary
Figure 1: Diamond Saw blade cutting marble
1. Choosing the right diamond saw blade.
Like many other professionals, you must have come across different materials you need to cut. Finding the perfect blade to give you the perfect cut and still be efficient is the dream of any professional.
In this case, however, you need to cut marble, a type of stone. In this section, therefore, we will examine how to choose the right diamond saw blade.
Type of Cut
There are two types of cuts you can carry out with the diamond saw blade, namely;
⦁ Dry cutting: this type of cutting is common among handheld saw users and is mostly used to cut stone and concrete materials. They are explicitly applicable in areas where you are not allowed to use water.
Figure 2: Dry Cutting of Marble
⦁ Wet cutting: this type of cutting is more advantageous for most users as the water increases the blade’s service life. This cutting method also applies to cutting ceramic, concrete, and stone.
NOTE: As a rule of thumb, you should use the continuous-rim diamond blades for wet cutting, while the other sintered diamond blades can use for dry. Keep in mind that the wet cutting of marble increases the longevity of diamond saw blades.
Figure 3: Wet Cutting of marble
Type of material to cut
When choosing the right blade, you must know what you are cutting. Manufacturers produce blades to attain maximum efficiency in Speed and blade life.
Hitherto, you must know the characteristics of the material you are cutting, as the manufacturers will design the blade with these characteristics.
Marble is composed of the mineral calcite and sparse content of other minerals. Hence, it would be best to use a specialized blade for cutting marble.
As a rule of thumb, the blades should be vacuum brazed. Vacuum brazing of saw blades is especially essential because they allow the blades to cut a wide variety of materials, including marble.
Blade Quality
You will most likely find different quality ranges of your diamond saw blade. These blades will differ in diamond content and price range.
It then poses you with the challenge of what is more efficient, which means to give optimal performance and, at the same time, remain economically valid.
Vacuum-brazed diamond saw blades are quite efficient for cutting marbles. These blades have prolonged longevity because they don’t get stuck in the marble-like other saw blades
2. Tips for cutting marble
Cutting marble is a bit challenging, which is why this article section will provide you with the necessary tips for cutting marble.
⦁ Marble position:
Now, the marble must always align with the saw blade’s right side(Cutting Side). Failure to consider this will lead to wrong or shortcuts of the blade.
More so, you must ensure you are using the right side of the blade, and a way to ensure this is to test cut on a scrap piece. Also, while cutting the marble tends to move, you must then use a clamp always to keep the marble in position
⦁ Cut Slowly:
A golden rule in cutting marble is always to cut slowly to prevent cracks and breakage. Marble will most likely chip if you opt to cut through quickly, so most professionals advise that you don’t for the process.
Instead, you move at the pace of the machine. An excellent way to know you are cutting too fast and need to slow down is if you begin to see smoke when you are cutting.
⦁ Cut with the finished side facing the foam:
One of the critical aspects of setting up your marble and saw is to have foam underneath the marble. This foam will help keep your marble flat and protect it from scratches.
Hitherto, making a small cut on the back of your marble with the finished surface facing the foam will help keep it from chipping.
⦁ Cutting thick or thin slabs:
For cutting thick slabs, you will have to flip the finished surface over to continue cutting. However, when cutting very thin slabs, you don’t need to flip your finished side over to make a complete cut through the slab.
⦁ Clean Finishing:
After cutting the marble with your diamond saw blade, you must ensure a clean finish over rough patches. You can use wet or dry sandpaper to carry out the Finishing.
However, never use coarse sandpaper as it can scratch the marble. You can also use the electric angle grinder as an automatic alternative to the sandpaper for finishing.
Figure 4: Using Grinder for finishing
3. Effects of Diamond saw blade on the marble.
Wear resistance: a diamond blade is an efficient tool that generates little or no waste. The low waste removal of the diamond saw blade makes it resist wear longer than other contemporary blades.
This feature allows the blade to cut for longer while maintaining the same cut depth.
Smooth Cut: It allows the blade to cut smoother due to the presence of its configuration. The blade’s gullet helps to reduce the chipping or breaking of the marble due to the saw’s vibration.
The blade’s structural design gives you better control of the smoothness you can cut on the marble.
Precision and Speed: the diamond blade’s structural makeup allows you to maintain the accuracy of the blade. The precision level of the blade helps you cut faster and, at the same time, prevent loss of material.
4. Safety Precautions in Cutting Marble
Cutting can be hazardous if done recklessly, and marble is no different. It then poses a responsibility to know the safety practices to prevent fatalities. Here are some safety practices that can sure protect you when cutting:
⦁ Using protective gloves:
The freshly cut marble and the diamond saw can be sharp enough to cut your hands. To reduce the risk of cutting yourself, you must look to get gloves of thick material that will protect your hands.
⦁ Using protective googles:
Small marble fragments can sometimes chip off when cutting and fly toward your eye. To prevent any form of eye injury, you must wear protective goggles that cover the entire eye.
⦁ Avoid loose clothing or long hair :
As a general practice in the workshop, you must cease having loose objects on you. The reason for this is quite simple: loose objects like your hair or a tie can get cut up in the saw, which can lead to a fatality.
⦁ Use protective boots:
There is always a tendency to have things dropped on your feet, whether a slab or a blade. Having protective boots with impact resistance will prevent any real damage.
⦁ Use ear muffs:
Cutting marble with your diamond saw blade can be very loud and sometimes above the human decibel range. Using ear muffs in cases like this will prevent any form of deafness or disorientation.
⦁ Turn off the machine and clean the workspace:
It is vital always to turn off your machine whenever it is not in use. It goes for whether you are done with a job or cutting multiple slabs. Another necessary safety practice is cleaning after each appointment. Clean surfaces with rags to keep pieces of equipment in good shape.
Figure 5: Protective goggles against kickbacks
Summary
Using the diamond blade to cut marble is a well-known practice popular among professionals, skilled users, and unskilled users. Marble is a useful stone that has multiple uses in the world today.
As popular as cutting marble is among users, it remains difficult to cut. This article, however, looks to enlighten the entire process of using a diamond saw blade to cut marble.
So, look no further as you continue to look out for a better understanding of how the diamond blade cuts marble. NCCuttingtools has got you covered.
Click here for a video with up-to-date information about cutting your marble and how to make the best choice.
