Selecting Concrete Cutter Applications

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Created: August 21, 2006

Knowing the length and depth of the cut is just the beginning when selecting the right saw for your customer's cutting applications.

Because so many factors go into proper blade selection, it pays to consult your blade supplier to determine which blade will be most cost-effective and productive given the material to be cut and the size of saw your customers plan to use.

A weighty issue

Mid-size and larger walk-behind saws are generally all self propelled. "When you start getting above 13 hp, the weight of the saw itself comes into play," says Richard Tremain, Husqvarna Construction Products. "We have one with a 31-hp diesel engine that weighs about 1,000 lbs. You wouldn't want to push that." Even the company's 24-hp gas-powered model weighs 560 to 580 lbs.

The additional weight is needed to ensure the saw blade maintains a straight line while cutting. "Where you have a real long cut, you want a bigger, heavier saw that stays straight for a long period and does the work for you," says Ed Varel, Stone Construction Equipment.

Recently, lighter-weight, imported saws have become prevalent on the market. These saws tend to be less expensive than their domestic counterparts. "One of the ways they keep cost down is to use thinner-gauge metal. They lighten up the saws," says Varel. "If there isn't a lot of weight there, the blade tends to rise up out of the cut. If they don't have any way of getting weight onto the saw, that can be a detriment."

He adds, "We like to tout that we have a very heavy box frame that keeps the saw blade in the cut."

Heavier material can also influence the service life of the saw. "It might cost you 25-percent more to buy a domestic saw with higher quality versus an import," Varel contends. "But you'll get five, six, seven years longer life than what you might see with the less expensive saw."

Ingersoll Rand WS-Series Saws

Nine walk-behind concrete saws
Cutting depths from 4.6 to 15 in. and 12- to 36-in. blades
Honda, Wisconsin or Deutz engines
Heavy-duty, seven-gauge steel frame with steel splashguards
Three manually propelled models
Four largest models include hydrostatic drive propulsion systems with a six-belt or nine-belt drive

Diamond Products CC1200

9-hp Robin/Subaru or 13-hp Honda engine
Extra sturdy handles with no slack and adjustable to four positions for precise control
Solid, sealed self-aligning blade shaft roller bearings
6 5/8-inch maximum cutting depth
Available with 14- or 18-in. blade guards

Wacker Floor Saws

CUTMATIC system, which allows the operator to preset the depth of the cut before cutting and remember that depth when changing direction
Spring-assisted lever allows oeprator to easily lift the blade from cut
Two models
20-in. maximum blade diameter with a 7.5-in. cutting depth and 1-in. arbor
13-hp Honda engine
Self-propelled BFS 1350ALS offers adjustable and electronically controlled traveling speed

Soff-Cut X-5000 Paver Gas Saw

For highway and paving applications
27-hp gas engine with electronic remote key start and choke
2- to 4-in. adjustable depth of cut
Switch-activated blade depth control
20-amp regulated charging system
Switch-activated retractable guide
Patented low noise and low dust blade block enclosure
Positraction drive and self-propelled via lever activated hydrostatic transmission

Norton Pro-Cut PC13E Concrete Saw

13-hp Honda engine and an 18-in. blade guard standard
Includes an offset rear wheel to prevent tracking over cut
Pivoting blade guard for cutting up to curbs and walls
Spindle saver blade shaft collars
Three belts for maximum power to the blade shaft

Allen Engineering RB-400 Green Saw

Allows cutting of concrete control joints in green concrete slabs within two hours of the last trowel pass
4-hp gasoline engine
Cutting ability up to 2 in.
7-in. blade diameter
Adjustable handle height
Dust extraction chute sends dust to the right side of cut for easier cleanup

Stone CS1 Saw Devil