If you are needing to cut concrete slabs, asphalt, or concrete in general for any reason, the best method to do this is with a specifically designed concrete saw, that has a wet-cutting diamond blade. While it may seem obvious to most, you don’t want to try to cut concrete with any other regular saw. As their blades, motors and overall design won’t be suited to the task at hand.
Wet-Cutting is the preferred method of cutting concrete. The use of the wet-cutting method not only helps to keep the blade cool (which reduces wear, extending the life of your blade), but it also helps to keep the dust produced to an absolute minimum. Silica dust can be harmful to your health and well-being in the long run. Wet-cutting with the right diamond blade enables faster cutting and cleaner results, compared to other methods like using the dry-cutting blades or angle grinders. This does require you to have a saw that is capable of distributing water, and safe to operate when wet. The Meiwa walk-behind concrete saws come with a 16–45 litre inbuilt tank.
While it is possible to hire these saws for when you need them, it would be better for yourself if you are able to purchase your own, if you require its use multiple times. Once you invest in a saw of your own it doesn’t take long to cover the cost of the hireage you would have paid. As this not only allows you to have the confidence that you have the right machine on hand right when you need it, but it also gives you the flexibility of using it in many other situations you wouldn’t normally hire for. On top of that it will also save you and your team a lot of time driving backwards and forwards to the hire company.
If you do need any advice on concrete saws, diamond blades or other products that we stock, feel free to get into contact with the team at Meiwa who will be able to help you in any way we can.
As mentioned previously, even though your saw needs to be able to deliver a constant flow of water while cutting the concrete, due to the nature of the concrete, it may still often be a little dusty. So, when operating a concrete saw, it is always good practice to wear a dust mask, along with the mask you should also have on you, a pair of safety glasses, thick sturdy gloves and some quality hearing protection. Ideally, it is also advised to have another person around, if possible, to be able to help you in the case that something unforeseen happened to you or the machine while in operation.
As with operating any types of machinery, it is imperative that safety is not only taken seriously but is also adhered to. As the last thing you would want to happen is for someone to arrive at work healthy, fit and raring to go; to then only be left in a worse condition with minor, major or extremely serious injuries due to some safety measures not being followed.