howdy, i’m going to be making a good number of cuts on pavers for a patio and walk-way, and i’d like nice clean cuts. i was wondering if there’s something short of a wetsaw i could use to cut them? for example, can i use my dewalt miter saw with an appropriate blade? anybody try this? is dry cutting just messy, or there other problems?
thanks for any advice!
james
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Replies
Don't use the miter saw unless it's an extra, or is about to be replaced. The dust is just too much for the precision parts in that sort of saw. Plus, I don't think you would be able to find the right diamond blade for it.
A circular saw with a diamond blade, and a shooting board if you need it, will make nice cuts. A framing saw, something rugged, works best. It's extremely dusty, it helps to use some water and a gfci outlet for the saw.
One way that I add water to a cut is to poke a small hole in the side near the bottom of a two liter bottle. You can adjust the stream size by how much air you let in the cap of the bottle, and direct the stream towards the cut.
If you've got many cuts to make, you won't regret renting a wet saw. It goes much faster and cleaner.
zak
"When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone." --John Ruskin
"so it goes"
what zak said..
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
What IMERC said. :-)
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
jamesskimyou need to rent a target saw, with sliding table.
Edited 11/26/2006 12:31 pm by brownbagg
I was kinda hoping for the demise of that DW MS so he could go out and get a Bosch 12" DB-SCMS for a replacement...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!<!----><!---->
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
You could lose your ManCard for cutting bricks on SCMS. Tread lightly Youngblood.
With the expense of a blade for the mitre saw and the saw getting ruined by the dust, why not buy a cheap saw for the cuts?
$88 at HD buys a wet tile saw with a "diamond" blade. It'll do what you want and might cost less than a blade alone...Buic
I just did that. And am sorry I did.
Bought the cheepest skilsaw Home Desperate offered. Put a dry diamond blade in her and went at my ceement blocks (4" high turfstones), to create a circular drive.
Burnt the darn thing up after 15 blocks.
Then bought the $110 Ridgid and she's still running.
Methinks the excess dust is simply too much for the cheep construction and the bearings get gooped up quick. The more expensive saw seems to sheild its bearings a bit better. Although you still gotta blow out the dust as the instructions say.
I've spent a good amount of time at the diamond saws cutting pavers and such. The absolute best thing to cut them with is a hydralic splitter. But the cuts are not as fine as the saw.
If you gotta saw, only someone cutting corners uses anything but a 14" wet block saw. It'll cut faster, quiter, and a whole lot less dustyier. A 10" is even too small to get the job done on time.
Pay a lot of attention to the table. The wheels should move smoothly, it should be large enough to comfortably handle your material. Then be sure the saw has the right electrical hookups for the pump motor to run off the same feed. Wrap the electrical connections inside a plastic bag and tape it shut. Hang that mess upside down so water will drip out as opposed to in. There's a lot of mist flying around that can cause your hookup to short if not kept dry.
Keep a bucket or heavy box close by for your cutoffs. It's a pain to have to handle them twice.
And if you have a curve to make, miter BOTH sides of the cut. It'll look a lot more classy.
Edited 11/26/2006 11:11 pm ET by peteshlagor
I didn't recommend a cheap skil saw. I suggested the cheap tile wet saw. It comes with a diamond blade and uses a water bath tray.
I've got one and it's on it's third bathroom. Still runs ok.
Buic
"...it's on it's third bathroom..."You cut bathrooms with your tile saw? must be a big'un! :-)
BruceT
wow, thanks for all the replies! i will try not to ruin my miter saw, although i guess i have a makita angle grinder with diamond blade already. used it on the bathroom cement board, and boy did it kick up a lot of dust, plus it's not quite as precise as a circular saw. i may be waiting for my father in-law to come up with his mk-100 wet saw. he's been installing 14,000 pavers for the last two months, in his new driveway.
Not only is it big, it's cute as h#ll...Buic
SonInLaw found a wet saw attachement for his Skill 77 that directed a stream of water over the diamond blade. He was and will be cutting a lot of pavers for the porches, breezeway, walks, patio, etc.
He got it at http://www.outlettools.com/.
I like the attachement, but damned if I would put it on my Bosch. I'd buy a Horace Homeowner saw with the blade on the wrong side for this work. After a slurry of brick dust, I don't think the saw will be too frisky.
I would probably look for a tile saw at Harbor Freight for that job.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
I tried cutting pavers with a circular saw (a fairly good one) and had a similar result...burned it out halfway thru the job. Rent the wet saw.