Concrete cutting tools take a lot of abuse, simply by nature of the work they do, but proper care and maintenance of your saws will go far in ensuring they remain loyal servants in your equipment inventory for a long time to come. Following are some suggestions to help keep your floor, street and cut-off saws in tip top shape.

On a daily basis

One of the most important things you can do to keep your saws in great condition is unbelievably simple: Keep them clean. Normal wear and tear is always going to be there, but a lot of what you see when a saw comes back from rent is simply due to the machine not being thoroughly cleaned. The sawing process and water combine to create a slurry mixture that coats the sides of the machine. A good wash down at day’s end with a pressure washer or hose will remove any buildup, keep the saw looking good, and allow you to give it a thorough inspection before the next rental.

Always give the saw a thorough inspection before renting it to a customer. If you can catch a bent arbor shaft or a loose blade before starting up the machine, you can prevent damage and decrease the need for an extensive repair.

Likewise, a little lubrication goes a long way. Keeping the blade shaft bearings lubricated is one of the most important daily maintenance procedures. These bearings should be greased at the end of every work day. Many experts recommend giving each bearing two pumps of grease while the machine is still warm from operation, if possible, and while the shaft is turning over at idle speed. It’s important to note that over greasing can blow out the bearing seal and ruin the bearing, so don’t overdo it.

Oil levels should be checked daily. With dry cutting, you may need to change oil more frequently than you would with wet cutting because of the ingestion of dust in the engine.

Making sure the blade shaft belts maintain the proper tension is also important. With new saws, it’s a good idea to run them an hour or so and then retighten the belts. But like greasing, avoid going overboard. Over-tightening could damage the belts and bearings. After that, routinely check the belt tension until the belts have stretched to their limit.

If the belt happens to slip, saws can vibrate dramatically. Vibration can lead to premature wear to components, damage to the saw’s frame, and reduced blade life. A squealing sound is another indication that a belt is slipping. At that point, the belt needs to be tensioned immediately to avoid wear and potential damage.

Lessen the abuse

Sawing concrete creates especially difficult operating conditions for saws. Even when wet sawing, concrete generates fine dust particles that can easily make their way into bearings.

With this in mind, operators should hit lubrication points daily and routinely clean the engine air filter. Again, it’s important to check belt tension, especially when cutting expansion grooves or using a saw in other tough conditions, as a loose belt will reduce blade rpm and shorten blade life. Cutting a groove too deep, more than one or two inches in a pass, or cutting too fast can also damage blades, so be sure to go over these points with customers before your saw goes out on a rental.

Air cleaner maintenance changes according to whether you’re cutting wet or cutting dry. It’s important to set a maintenance schedule either way, but in dry cutting you’ll have dust to contend with. Dust gets lodged in air cleaners and is tougher on belts and bearings so it needs to be cleaned and maintained on a daily basis. With wet cutting, air cleaners need to be checked only once a week.

When wet cutting, water is the lifeblood of a fast-turning blade and it works to suppress dust. Without adequate water, blades can overheat, warp and ruin the cut. Part of any service regimen should include checking the water delivery system prior to rental. Make sure each of the two coolant tubes located on either side of the blade are not damaged or pinched shut.

Caring for the blade