Tile saw question-

[edschmidt]

I just finished a 4000sf patio display at a mega building store where damn near every brick had to be channeled and/or cut for conduit, or for custom cuts on retaining wall block. Well we started with a $99 14" chopsaw which was designed for cutting metal. It was sending fire outside of the vents within 8 hrs of cutting with an abrasive blade. I swapped out the saw for a new one (same type) bought a 14" diamond ($49)blade and put one of those green scrubby things over the intake of the saw. It cut flawlessly for the next 2.5 weeks. Im talking 10hrs a day damn near nonstop. The only other saw which I used on the project was a makita 7.5" circular saw with a diamond blade. Again it was still running fine at the end of the project. Wear your dustmask, Dont overload the saw, and if you can find a way of filtering the air that goes into the saw thats a bonus.

P.S. I looked into renting a saw for the project and it would have run $50/day plus $25/day for the diamond blade with an additional wear charge for the blade which would have totalled $250. Im pretty sure I ended up ahead (plus I have 2 decent 14" diamond blades with over 1/2 of their life left.

[ikhan42]

Originally Posted by edschmidt

I just finished a 4000sf patio display at a mega building store where damn near every brick had to be channeled and/or cut for conduit, or for custom cuts on retaining wall block. Well we started with a $99 14" chopsaw which was designed for cutting metal. It was sending fire outside of the vents within 8 hrs of cutting with an abrasive blade. I swapped out the saw for a new one (same type) bought a 14" diamond ($49)blade and put one of those green scrubby things over the intake of the saw. It cut flawlessly for the next 2.5 weeks. Im talking 10hrs a day damn near nonstop. The only other saw which I used on the project was a makita 7.5" circular saw with a diamond blade. Again it was still running fine at the end of the project. Wear your dustmask, Dont overload the saw, and if you can find a way of filtering the air that goes into the saw thats a bonus.

P.S. I looked into renting a saw for the project and it would have run $50/day plus $25/day for the diamond blade with an additional wear charge for the blade which would have totalled $250. Im pretty sure I ended up ahead (plus I have 2 decent 14" diamond blades with over 1/2 of their life left.

EDSCHMIDT

The resaon I am asking this question is that the local hire places here in Sydney are quoting hiring charges of $100 per day for the saw and then seperate charges for the blade whick is dependant on how much of the saw is used in mm. I am looking at doing this slowly and with as little motar as possible inside if any so I dont want to pay $2000 for hiring the saw I may as well buy a precast dome if I am looking at those kind of expenses.

Imran

[mannextdoor]

Unless you need something for less then one day, one time. It's the prefect excuse to buy another tool. Once you have it. You'll use it again.

[ikhan42]

The problem is that to buy one is approximately $1000 unless I buy a manual brick cutter that looks like it would take forever to cut 150 bricks the way they need to be cut.

Any Aussie out there seen brick saws for cheaper that $800-1000 ???

Imran

Imran