Use a wet saw...10-inch!

[SpringJim]

I can't imagine cutting a couple of hundred firebricks in half and then cutting various angles for your dome without a wet saw.....So I strongly recommend that anyone starting one of these projects buy a wet saw and use a (cheap, $30) diamond blade.

The HF saw is just fine for this project and you can get a contiuous or segmented diamond blades for about $30. (amazon, free shiipping!)

I used up two blades building my dome but had some pretty hard recycled bricks to cut. You sure know the blade is shot when you get sparks from the wet saw! and/or it just stops cutting halfway though a cut! I substituted a small blade after trashing the second blade and what a pain...nice to have the 10-inch saw for this work!

The grinder is great for a few cuts or trimming offensive bricks, but it's so dusty doing any dry work. No dust whatsoever with the wet saw!

IMHO
Jim

[RTflorida]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

I will second that.
For those wondering if they will ever use it again...you will. If you are enough of a DIYer to tackle an oven, you will be doing tile, retaining walls, pavers, sometime in the near future and will need the saw. Even if YOU don't, a friend of neighbor will.....sell it to them or put it on Craigs List. A 10" wet saw is invaluable.

RT

[asudavew]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

i USED a 7 inch tile saw.
If I could ONLY do one thing over...
10" HF saw.

FOR SURE>>>

Dave

[berryst]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

I used a table saw with a 10"diamond blade. Put a styrofoam cooler over the motor to keep it bone dry and hooked up a hose to keep the blade wet when cutting.

[thebadger]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

Just my 2 cents for anyone on a tight budget...

I used the HF 10" DRY saw! Cut great but boy did it kick up the dust. I used a respirator and only cut outside on "windy" days.

Worked like a champ...

Only $60 or so.

Dick

[SpringJim]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

I used a table saw with a 10"diamond blade. Put a styrofoam cooler over the motor to keep it bone dry and hooked up a hose to keep the blade wet when cutting.

Damn, I love innovation!

[SpringJim]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

Just my 2 cents for anyone on a tight budget...

I used the HF 10" DRY saw! Cut great but boy did it kick up the dust. I used a respirator and only cut outside on "windy" days.

Worked like a champ...

Only $60 or so.

Dick

but I really hate the cement dust.....

[thebadger]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

SpringJim
I agree 100% the dust was a pain. But I saved a lot of money I was going to sell the saw but I'll keep it in case I have to make any future masonry cuts.

Dick

[atdabch]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

I also agree, the wet saw will help with the dust...check the pawn shops early on during the project...you can find a sweet deal somtimes

[Raoul Duke]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

The alternative is to soak the bricks in h2o before cutting. I am using an old Makita 10" mitre saw, retired from wood projects, and found wet bricks save the blade, kick up less dust and cut easier. Make sure you blow out the dust from the motor and bearing area. The dust will eventually eat the bearing races.

[dbhansen]

Harbor Freight blades

Do many people soak the bricks before cutting with a diamond blade on a wet saw? I've gone through more cheapo Harbor Freight diamond blades than I care to say, and I'm wondering if wet bricks would help with that. I'm switching to a Husky for my next blade, so I'll see how that goes. If I had known, I would have purchsed a more expensive blade at the start. You get what you pay for, I guess.

[ined]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

Curious about the operation of your HF 10" tile/brick wet saw. When cutting, does your saw vibrate quite a bit. Is it the "nature of the beast".

I purchase one this week and cut a few fire bricks. It did a satisfactory job, but seems to have more vibration in the motor/blade assembly than I'm accustom to with other power saws. The extra vibration causes a kerf that is wider than expected from the 10" wet diamond blade and causes a trailing edge corner to break off. I called HF support, and they told me to tighten the belt (trial and error until it smoothed out). I made a couple of adjustments to the belt, but it still vibrates. I'm just wondering if other owners experience smooth operation or vibration.

[dbhansen]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

Mine has been smooth so far, ined.

[RTflorida]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

db, soaking is necessary (not sure if it helps with blade wear, but because dry firebricks suck the moisture out of your mortar).
I've used my HF/10" wet saw and HF $30 diamond blade for a least 1000 brick cuts in my oven, have since done granite tile, slate, and ceramic tile...all on the original blade. You're not using heavy duty firebricks, are you? They are a bitch to cut and probably cause excessive blade wear.

ined, no vibration issues.....so far

RT

[Les]

Re: Use a wet saw...10-inch!

Ined - is the blade sitting flush on the arbor and washer? Maybe some metal flashing causing a seating problem. Bent blade??? Mine runs pretty true for what it is. Won't cut porclean worth a damn, but did pretty good with the bricks.

In regard to soaking the bricks - I didn't do it. I sprayed them off after the cuts, but that was it.

Les...