HF brick saw issue

[rwiegand]

So I knew that HF tools were crap, and there would be compromises in buying a $200 brick saw vs a $1200 saw. I'm just trying to find out if mine is typical, and how much of an issue what I'm seeing will turn out to be.

When I'm trimming a thin wedge from a brick such that the saw emerges from the cut part way through, as soon as the waste piece breaks off rather than continuing in a straight line the head of the saw and /or the blade flexes and leaves an untrimmed corner on the brick. On repeated passes the saw bends to follow the contour and won't trim the last bit off. It doesn't matter how slowly/gently I push the brick through the saw.

I'm using a Bosch blade, so I'd think it would be decent: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-10-in-Premium-Segmented-General-Purpose-Diamond-Circular-Saw-Blade-for-Cutting-Concrete-Masonry-Block-Brick-and-Stone-DB1041C/100391087

I guess the good news is that as I go up the dome the angles will be steeper and this may become less of a problem.

[Toomulla]

That is a common issue on all saws it is not a fault, saws do not perform well cutting thin off cuts in any material due to flexing in the blade and a natural tendency to follow the line of least resistance. If you have a need to recut I suggest you get a diamond cup stone in a grinder and gring it back. Not forcing the saw, i.e using less pressure will reduce the issue

[mongota]

I have a small scrap piece of wood, say 1" square by 8" long. I'll hold it against the side of the spinning blade (against the smooth metal, not against the diamonds) to help prevent the blade from flexing away when making a thin cut.

[Gulf]

Before trying that, make sure the guides are adjusted properly. There should be no slack side to side. After adjusting the guides, make sure that you are not forcing the cut. Let the blade eat at it's on pace. If you see the blade starting to distort, your going too fast.

[Gulf]

Also, take a framing square and place it on the cutting table. When rolling the table in or out, the square should stay the same distance from the blade. If it pinches or pulls away, adjust according to the instruction manual for your saw.

[Gulf]

Sorry for the multiple posts, I was firing the oven and working from the iPhone. One other thing. There are better blades out there. You don't have to buy a $1200 saw to run a better blade. They are interchangeable .

[rwiegand]

The link to the blade I'm using seems to be broken, here's a different link https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-DB1041C.../dp/B000N6KW86

What would you suggest as a better blade? I'm certainly not adverse to having a better one! It wouldn't be the first time I had a blade that was more expensive than the tool I put it in.

The saw itself though is very flexible in comparison to the MK Diamond saw I rented for my last project (or compared to any of my woodworking tools). I notice that when trying to set a compound angle, the head moves a couple of degrees with just very modest pressure on the handle. Nothing loose, just poorly supported.

I did check the setup prior to starting to use it, re-checking after a days' use is probably in order. It was square and true out of the box.

[Gulf]

That blade should be fine. When I posted, I had forgotten about the the tilt feature on the new saws. Mine is the older version where any and all angles were accomplished by placing the brick on the table in a template. Or, in my case free handing. I'm not sure how stable the new version of the saw is. However, do make sure that you are not forcing the cut. Toomulla has a point about feather cuts. You have to almost think the the brick forward. It's hard to explain. Just have some patience with those cuts and see if things improve.

[shojidoug]

I am able to make cuts less then a blade width with my HF 10" saw. Just go very very slowly and let the blade grind away, then I make a few sliding passes with the blade until it looks/ sounds even.