As the diamond saw blades manufacturer, we introduce two options around the task of cutting hard materials. Both bonded cut off wheels and diamond cut off wheels are good at cutting jobs, but each has its pros and cons. Let’s take a look at each one. Hopefully in the end, you’ll be able to make an informed choice that better suits your specific needs.
Bonded Cut Off Wheels: These wheels seem to be the standard for the cut off wheels you probably see most often. The basic design of a bonded cut off wheel is pretty much the same as the bonded grinding wheel we talked about in the previous article.
Resin-bonded material holds thousands of sharp abrasive grains together so the wheel can cut efficiently. As the bonds and abrasive grains wear away, new, sharp abrasive grains are exposed, maintaining the cutting efficiency of the wheel. Bonded abrasive cut off wheels come in two main varieties: Flat Type 1 and Type 27 wheels with raised center hubs.
Some decisions about which one to use will come down to your own preference, although depending on the tool manufacturer’s recommendations, you may have no choice.
You may find yourself limited by the size of the tool guard too, but when in doubt, read the manufacturer’s specifications. Like grinding wheels, the particles in these cut off wheels can come from a variety of materials. Alumina is suitable for steel, while silicon carbide is suitable for non-ferrous metals.
Zirconia alumina and ceramic alumina are also viable options for a variety of different applications. These tend to be more durable than alumina wheels, but they also cost a bit more.
Diamond cut off wheel: As an alternative to abrasive cut off wheels, diamond saw blades consist of a metal wheel whose cutting edge is covered with a diamond coating. Basically, polycrystalline diamond is made in a high-intensity laboratory process. The diamond particles are fused with the cemented carbide substrate and brazed to the tool body to provide the cutting edge of the grinding wheel. Because diamond has such high wear and tear resistance, the service life of diamond cutting wheels will greatly exceed that of their bonded abrasive counterparts. In addition, diamond cutting discs are resistant to a variety of materials such as steel, sheet metal, stainless steel, rebar, ceramics, stone, etc.
Pro’ s and Con’ s of bonded cut off wheel and diamond saw blade:
Both bonded cut off wheels and diamond saw blade for granite have some advantages and disadvantages to consider. Over the life of the wheel, bonded wheels will cut faster than diamond wheels in most applications. However, it will also wear out faster. I’ve been told that diamond circular saw blade cut faster for the first few cuts, then drop off significantly. However, after the initial speed drop, the cutting efficiency remains fairly consistent until the blade wears out. At the same time, the high cutting speed of bonded wheels is always fast, but you may need to replace worn wheels regularly. Diamond blade turbo for granite tend to be the safer of the two options. Bonded cut off wheels generate more sparks than rebar cutting blade because the workpiece material and abrasive grains, as well as the bond of the grinding wheel are ground at the same time. This is not the case with diamond grinding wheels, as the only thing that can spark is the workpiece material.
Of course, more sparkles look cooler. However, if you happen to be working near anything flammable, bonded abrasive cut off wheels can cause you more trouble. In addition, bonded wheels also break more frequently. If you wrap the wheel in the work material, the chances of a bonded wheel exploding are much greater than the stronger metal base of a diamond cut off wheel. Of course, the chances of this happening can be reduced by following the manufacturer’s recommendations for speed and materials, but the fact remains that bonded wheels are more fragile. While you have more bonded disc options to choose from, discs sintered diamond circular saw blade can handle a wider range of materials. For tile and concrete it may also be more effective.