Cutting limestone with a diamond blade
First of all, thanks to everybody who answered my questions about concrete saws. On the weekend I successfully cut an opening in my double masonary walled house for a set of patio doors. Hard work (and damn dusty) but I got the job done. So glad I went out and got the diamond blade instead of stupidly trying abrasive wheels.
I have a question as regards cutting limestone with the same diamond blade. I purchased a slab of limestone for the sill which just needs to be trimmed up on the sides to fit the opening. The supplier told me that real limstone (as opposed to brick or block) will dull a diamond blade in no time. If this is in fact the case, would I be better with an abrasive wheel or two instead of destroying my diamond blade? How bad will a diamond blade be dulled with 3″ limestone?
Thanks for your help again.
Bill
Replies
I don't know about your limestone but i have at least 20 pallets of salvaged limestone... at least 2000lbs per pallet... so i'm always try'n to use it up...
I always cut it with a diamond blade for long even cuts... I carve alot of it and i've found any sharp woodworking tool will shave/carve it... and it doesn't seem to dull even a wood chisel... I've found it to be very forgiving and easy to work...
I think you are fine with your diamond blade.... I think i posted that i use whatever i can get off ebay usually less than $40 for a 12-14" diamond blade and have had no wear issues...
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There are different kinds of diamond blades for different materials, they work by gradually wearing the binding metal which exposes new diamonds, if you use the wrong blade you can get poor wearing and the blade dulls or you can destroy a blade early. Follow the link to a FAQ, (btw, I don't recommend their blades - at least the ones I got were poor quality but they may sell several grades) More info here:
http://www.ebladedirect.net/faq.asp
Edited 6/6/2006 1:26 am ET by storme
I seem to recall that to "resharpen"a diamond
blade after cutting material that peticular blade
wasn't designed to cut, is to make a few passes
through a "cinder block"thus cleaning the gunk
from the substrate holding the diamonds. Limestone
is concidered a soft stone ,easy to work oldtimers
used it for spring houses and boxes.Ive got a supply
of diamond blades from my days bricking cement kilns,
I never throw anything away somebodys gonna have a
heck of a garage sale when I turn into worm food.
Limestone is not a hard stone to cut at all. Even if your diamond blade is intended for masonary it should work just fine with very little wear from one piece of stone. I have cut lots of limestone with various diamond blades with no concerns that it is too hard on the blade. Unless you are using some very cheap diamond blade it should be fine ( but if it is a cheapo blade...why be concerned about it wearing quickly).
If you were cutting granite, I would say you can certainly expect a blade not designed for the task to wear much quicker than it should.
Keep a little stream of water running over the cut as you go through the stone to minimize the dust.
>>"The supplier told me that real limstone (as opposed to brick or block) will dull a diamond blade in no time.
I've cut limestone and marble (which is really a type of limestone) for days long at a time using a wet diamond blade with no apparent ill effects on the blade. Don't know what your supplier is talking about. If you go back, maybe ask him why he said that and what he would recommend to cut it with. Both limestond and marble are on the softer side of stone hardness (till you hit the quartz in marble). Quarries cut it with wet diamond tools.
Would definitely recommend wet over dry due to the dust. If you do cut it dry, use a good mask. Limestone and marble both contain silicates and if you do a lot of cutting over time you can end up with silicosis. The limestone itself is base and alkalizer on the acid/base scale so breathing/swallowing a lot of the dust can potentially screw up your body's electrolytes too.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
In all seriousness:
I would buy an abrasive wheel and try it out. You seem to have a curiousity about them. They are cheap. These are short cuts you are doing so one blade will suffice. And if not, you still will have the diamond blade.
Once you try it, you will NEVER ask a question regarding their use ever again.
a) You have to use them dry and they are thicker than diamond blades. Therefore there is a LOT more dust.
b) They wear pretty fast and cut very slow. This will frustrate you, especially after having used a diamond blade.
Frankie
There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas