How to cut concrete with an angle grinder without dust

How to cut concrete with an angle grinder without dust

During repair or construction it is sometimes necessary to work on concrete: to cut an opening for a window, an alcove, to ream the walls for wiring. Masters know how many small particles are formed. Cleaning after such activities is quite a laborious task. Let’s find out if it is possible to cut concrete without dust and how to organize this process.

Concrete is a strong material, so it is quite difficult to work with it. To perform cutting, most often use an angle grinder (angle grinder). This tool is more commonly known as an “angle grinder”.

The diamond wheel is used as a bit. Depending on the design, they are divided into several varieties:

The first version is a solid base with a segmented edge. Such a wheel is low cost, but not too suitable for working with strong materials. Also note that it is only used for dry cutting. The solid disc has a continuous diamond edge which prevents chipping. It heats up quickly and therefore needs to be cooled with a continuous stream of water.

The combination or turbo diamond wheel is universal. It withstands the maximum load and is also suitable for cutting reinforced concrete.

Before buying a nozzle of the right type, it is necessary to understand what material will have to work with. Reinforced concrete reinforced with metal bars that the cutter can bump into in the process. Therefore, if you intend to deepen more than 10 cm, you should use discs of increased strength, that is turbocharged. Fresh concrete is more abrasive, the material hardens over time, its strength increases. This factor should also be taken into account when selecting a wheel for cutting.

The disc segments are attached to the blade either by silver brazing or laser welding. The first method is best suited for wet cutting, the second only for dry cutting. When choosing a suitable diamond wheel, you should also pay attention to its diameter, which must fit the parameters of the angle grinder. Another important criterion is the rotational speed of the blade. It is better if it is higher than the maximum possible value, which is stated in the technical data of the “angle grinder”. This will ensure the optimum mode of operation.

Wet cutting technology in concrete

Using water allows you to cut concrete with an angle grinder without dust or overheating the tool. The technology allows you to solve several problems at once:

One way to ensure a continuous supply of water is to fix the hose in such a way that the liquid falls on the disc. If there is no running water in the work area, an assistant can be involved. He uses a simple device made of a plastic bottle to wet the disc. At the same time, the place of the cut is moistened with liquid. Be careful not to get water in the tool.

The method is not very applicable in high-rise buildings, as there is a risk of flooding the neighbors from below.

How to make your own hands cover under the vacuum cleaner

To get rid of small particles of material formed in the process of cutting “angle grinder” allow angle grinder with a built-in vacuum cleaner. But what to do if you need to saw concrete with an ordinary tool without additional options? The easiest solution would be to buy a casing for the vacuum cleaner separately, or make a device with their own hands. It is possible to involve the assistant who will collect the particles formed at sawing with a vacuum cleaner.

It is easy to make a convenient nozzle from a simple plastic canister, which is often sold as auto “antifreeze. For work you will need a construction cutter and a container of suitable size, the nozzle which fits into the diameter of the hose vacuum cleaner.

The sequence of manufacturing is as follows:

• Seating holes are cut on both sides, so you can easily change the direction of rotation of the disk.
• A cut of suitable size is made under the wheel.
• To attach the cutter of the angle grinder, another hole is cut out.
• Hose couplings with the canister neck and fasten the adapter ring with a clamp.
• “angle grinder” is placed in the casing and connect all the elements.
• Close the opening that is not in use with the cover.

A simple five-liter polyethylene bottle also makes a good dust collector. It is attached by means of a standard protective cap, and the hose pipe of the vacuum cleaner to the throat. Such a design is suitable for any type of work, except for grinding.

Last tip: in order to make the cut evenly, you must first apply the marking. Then wooden blocks are fastened along the line. After that, a shallow cut of up to 1 cm is made, the stoppers are removed and the work continues. A coolant is applied to the blade of the disc during the entire process. Perform all manipulations in safety glasses, respirator and gloves.

Concrete cutting and drilling technology

Concrete cutting is done for different types of construction work, depending on this selects the appropriate tool.

During repairs, it is often necessary to cut through concrete, such as for service lines.

Cutting can be performed under the laying of cables, to remove a window opening (to combine with the loggia), if you want to dismantle any part of the concrete structure in the redevelopment of the premises. The technology of cutting itself is not very difficult, but it requires certain knowledge and skills, as well as physical strength.

What to cut the concrete with?

At home for cutting concrete most often used angle grinder (angle grinder) with diamond discs. But before you start, you need to determine the quality of the concrete surface, as this will determine the choice of tools. Old concrete is much harder than newly put, so for its cutting use diamond discs “Turbo”, having a wave case, perfectly copes not only with this task, but also without any problems cutting metal reinforcement, often present in the cement screed.

Diamond discs are commonly used for cutting concrete.

In the composition of concrete there are various fillers that give the surface a certain type of strength. For example, river sand is considered more hard than sand extracted from rocks, while cutting quartz and basalt the diamond tips can be blunted, so you need to stock up on changeless. If the concrete screed contains coarse aggregate, such as gravel, then diamond discs with soft segment bonding are used for cutting, and the speed of the angle grinder is reduced. The power of the selected tool is important: the higher it is, the higher quality and durability should be the nozzle. For powerful angle grinders choose a disc with a large m diamonds and a higher bonding of segments, otherwise the blade can quickly blunt.

Diamond discs, which are made by means of laser segment welding, are considered to be the strongest and most productive, and are mainly used for dry cutting. Dust-free concrete cutting (wet cutting) involves using discs with brazed segments that contain silver solder. When choosing a nozzle for a particular type of work, you must pay attention to its diameter and the size of the hole for fixing, they must meet the technical characteristics of the tool, which will be used to cut the concrete pavement.

As a tool for cutting concrete will be an angle grinder.

Before you start work, you need to take care of your own safety. It is mandatory to use a respirator that will prevent dust from getting into the lungs, do not forget about special glasses and clothing with protective inserts. Dust-free concrete cutting is the most commonly used method, in which a stream of water is directed at the blade, providing a continuous process, significantly reducing dust, increasing efficiency, keeping the sharpness of the blade for a long time. But in some cases wet cutting is contraindicated, for example, when a large amount of water can damage the tool or there is no water supply nearby.

Dry cutting technology is significantly different from wet cutting technology. During work, the blade should not heat up, for this reason it is necessary to give the tool a rest: the disk is removed from the cut, let it rotate at free speed for 1-2 minutes or turn off the saw. If it is necessary to make a deep cut, the work is carried out in several stages. The first thing to do is to mark out with chalk on the floor a line for the trimmer of the cut, along which the wooden rails are installed. This ensures a smooth cut and a smooth movement of the tool.

Make a superficial cut of 0.5 to 1 cm, let the tool rest, then cut through the surface again, and so on. д.

Use a wall saw to make vertical cuts in concrete.

Repeat the operation until the desired result is achieved.

If you need to cut a vertical concrete surface, then for this purpose use a special wall-cutting machine with a diamond disk, which has a low noise level and high performance. The tool is connected to a special hydraulic pipe, which provides water flow to the blade, as well as a vacuum cleaner with an attachment, which ensures dust removal. If you must make an opening in the wall, the work is performed as follows: first, a chalk marking is made, then drilled several pilot holes in the concrete (in the corners), from which the cut is performed first horizontally, then vertically.

For drilling holes in concrete it is often used a peorator with a special drill. This tool has its advantages and disadvantages. With his help you can drill only small holes from 3 to 5 cm in diameter, which is clearly not enough if you need to pave the way for the release of ventilation pipes.

If you need to drill a deep hole and there is reinforcement in the concrete surface, the tool can burn out if it encounters such an obstacle.

To drill holes from 5 to 45 cm a powerful drill bit with a carbide drill bit is used. Bits with a diameter of up to 25 cm can be used with a low-powered tool. Experts do not recommend using adapters in order to install a crown from a powerful torch on a low-powered one, as it will put the tool out of operation. It’s also not safe to work with these tools.

The victorious bit can only handle thin reinforcement, if it bumps into a thick metal lattice while drilling, it will surely break off the teeth. If you need to drill a through or deep hole, then first use a bit of pobedite, then use a spade, then take the bit again, and so on. д. If necessary, the tool is fitted with a special extension piece.

Diamond drill is the best tool for drilling concrete, with its help you can get a hole of any diameter and different depths. No dust generated thanks to water cooling. The diamond drill bit can easily operate with rebar, which is important. This drill has a tubular design, which enables it to drill very deep holes. Using the recommendations of experts, you can easily perform the cutting and drilling your own hands.

Concrete cutting and drilling technology

Concrete cutting is carried out during various construction works, depending on this the appropriate tool is selected.

During renovations, it is often necessary to cut through concrete, for example, in order to run utilities.

Cutting can be performed for laying cables, in order to remove the window opening (to combine with the loggia), if you need to remove any part of the concrete structure during redevelopment of the room. Cutting technology itself is not very difficult, but it requires certain knowledge and skills, as well as physical strength.

What to cut the concrete with?

At home for cutting concrete most often used angle grinder (angle grinder) with diamond discs. But before you start the work, you need to determine the quality of the concrete coating, as it is from this that the choice of tools will depend. Old concrete is much harder than recently put, so for its cutting use diamond discs “Turbo”, having a wave case, perfectly copes not only with this task, but also without any problems cutting metal reinforcement, often present in the cement screed.

It is common practice to use diamond blades for cutting concrete.

In the composition of concrete there are various fillers, which give the surface a certain type of strength. For example, river sand is considered more hard than the sand extracted from rocks, when cutting quartz and basalt diamond tips can be blunted, so you need to stock up on replacement. If the composition of the concrete screed contains a large filler, such as gravel, then to cut the diamond wheels with a soft bond segment, and reduce the speed of the angle grinder. The power of the selected tool is important: the higher it is, the better and more robust the nozzle should be. For powerful angle grinders select a disc with a large m diamonds and a higher bonding of segments, otherwise the blade can quickly blunt.

Diamond discs, made of laser welded segments, are regarded as the strongest and most productive, and are used especially for dry cutting. Dust-free concrete cutting (wet cutting) involves using a disc with soldered-on segments, containing silver solder. When choosing a nozzle for a particular type of work, you should pay attention to its diameter and the size of the hole for fixing, they must comply with the technical characteristics of the tool, which will perform cutting of the concrete coating.

As a tool for cutting concrete will be an angle grinder.

Before you start working you must take care of your own safety. Always use a respirator to prevent dust from getting into the lungs, do not forget the special glasses and clothing with protective inserts. Dust-free concrete cutting, where a stream of water is directed at the blade, is the most commonly used method, which ensures a continuous process, greatly reduces the amount of dust, improves work efficiency, preserves the sharpness of the blade for a long time. But in some cases wet cutting is contraindicated, e.g. when large amounts of water can damage the tool or when there is no water supply in the vicinity.

The technology of dry cutting is quite different from wet cutting. During work, the blade should not get hot, for this reason it is necessary to give the tool a rest: the disk is removed from the cut, let it rotate at free rotation for 1-2 minutes or turn off the saw. If you need to make a deep cut, the work is done in several stages. The first thing to do is to mark out with chalk on the floor a line for the trimmer of the cut, along which the wooden rails are installed. This ensures a smooth cut and smooth tool movement.

Make a superficial cut of 0.5 to 1 cm, let the tool rest, then cut through the surface again, etc. д.

Use a wall saw to make vertical cuts in concrete.

The operation is repeated until the desired result is achieved.

If you want to cut a vertical concrete surface, then for this purpose use a special wall saw with a diamond disk, which has a low noise level and high performance. The tool is connected to a special hydraulic pipe, which provides water flow to the blade, as well as a vacuum cleaner with an attachment, which ensures dust removal. If it is necessary to make an opening in the wall, then the work is performed as follows: first, a chalk marking is made, after which several control holes are drilled in the concrete (in the corners), from which the cut is made first horizontally, then vertically.

For drilling holes in the concrete often use a peorator with a special drill. This tool has its advantages and disadvantages. With its help you can drill only small holes from 3 to 5 cm in diameter, which is clearly not enough if you need to pave the way for the release of ventilation pipes.

If you need to drill a deep hole, and there is rebar in the concrete surface, then, bumping into such an obstacle, the tool can burn out.

To drill holes from 5 to 45 cm a powerful peorator with a carbide drill bit is used. On small power tools, teeth up to 25 cm in diameter can be used. Specialists do not recommend using adapters in order to install a high power drill bit to a low power one, because it will damage the tool. Besides, it is not safe to work with such a tool.

the victorious bit can only handle thin reinforcement, if it bumps into a thick metal lattice while drilling, it will definitely break off the teeth. If you need to drill a through or deep hole, you first use a tungsten carbide drill bit, then use a spade, then take the drill bit again, and so on. д. If necessary, a special extension cord is installed on the tool.

The diamond drill is the best tool for drilling concrete, with its help it is possible to obtain holes of any diameter and depth. Thanks to the water cooling system, there is practically no dust generated during operation. Diamond drill bit easily copes with rebar, which is important. Such drill has a tubular design that allows you to drill very deep holes. Using the recommendations of experts, you can easily perform cutting and drilling concrete with your own hands.

How and what to cut the concrete properly

In the process of repairing apartments and houses, as well as in the construction of “new construction”, it is necessary to deal with such works as cutting concrete. If the repair is not global, and local, there is a critical question of how to properly cut the concrete with a diamond disk, grinder, without dust.

Whether it is necessary to make chinks in the concrete wall, cut openings for windows and doors or simply make a recess. in all cases concrete angle grinder blades are one of the best solutions. Although the least dusty, but more expensive option for the work will be a classic sledgehammer.

At home, when self-repair for cutting concrete is used angle grinder with a special diamond disc. In some cases, if someone is engaged in repairing professionally, it is possible to apply a strobot cutter. However, an angle grinder is a more versatile tool, and it does not make sense to buy a chisel cutter for a single repair.

Choosing diamond discs for concrete cutting

Diamond discs for cutting concrete can be purchased at any construction store, discs can be both domestic and foreign made. For Priera, up to 4 000 depending on the size of the disk: the smaller it is, the cheaper. As for the angle grinder (angle grinder), then for domestic needs, the tool of medium power is quite suitable, for example, Bosch or Makita.

However, the main problem when cutting concrete with an angle grinder is a huge amount of the accompanying dust generated during cutting. It’s good if you have an angle grinder with a built-in vacuum cleaner, but if not. And here it is necessary to give some examples how to find a way out of the situation:

• The easiest way is when one works with an angle grinder and the other stands by it and picks up dust with an ordinary vacuum cleaner.
• As already described above, buy a tool with a built-in vacuum cleaner.
• Changing the design of the hood, to attach a vacuum cleaner by yourself. There are a lot of ideas about this on the Internet.
• To pour water on the diamond disc while working. By the way this method gives a better effect than a vacuum cleaner. But here again: either work together with a “waterer”, or attach a hose with water so that water is supplied to the disk.

ways to keep the dust from flying when working with an angle grinder

Repair, probably because it takes place only in the warm season, because at any time you can leave the house. And what is the main enemy of this action?? That’s right, dust. That it leads to consequences such as asthma. It’s the one that “pokes its curious nose” everywhere. It becomes especially important when working with an angle grinder. Nevertheless, there is a way to protect yourself from dust. Even two. And that’s what we’ll talk about.

Wetting the surface

When sawing stone, concrete, ceramic tiles or bricks, a large amount of fine particulate matter is produced. This structure fills the entire work surface, not only does it have a negative impact on health by getting into the respiratory system.

The easiest way to prevent dust is to simply wet the work surface with water. To do this, you can use a sprayer, or in the lid of a plastic bottle to make a needle holes. It is necessary to wet the surface directly at the moment of sawing, so that the structure coming out from under the angle grinder immediately gets wet.

The method is quite effective, but it requires an assistant. In the process of sawing with the angle grinder two hands are usually busy, so the help of a bystander to wet the surface is just necessary.

This method has one significant disadvantage. the dust, mixed with water, forms a slurry, which the angle grinder splashes around.

About HDD pins

With the pins it is a little bit more complicated. An ordinary brush will not help them, and they get the dirtiest. But not for nothing an eraser was mentioned a few subheadings ago. You can go over the contacts with a rubber band. Use light pressure, otherwise the dirt will not come off. In the same way you can “remove” the visible dirt on the seagate, another screw.

Then remove the remaining dust with the same brush as mentioned above. But try not to break or bend anything.

Vacuuming the dust from the hood of the angle grinder

A more efficient way is to build a small system. With this method, you can get rid of the dust without an assistant. To construct a dust outlet, you need to take:

Instead of duct tape, you can use a good quality duct tape.

To create a reliable system, you need to place the angle grinder on the table so that the disk was on top parallel to the working base. Then place the plastic tap on the angle grinder, pressing it with pliers or other clamping device under the hood. Turn on the angle grinder, and in the plastic outlet saw a hole about 3 cm long. In this position, the plastic tube is taped to the body of the tool, entering the branch into the saw blade. The pipe must be wired firmly so that it is absolutely stationary.

Tape the open part of the cowl with painter’s tape, connecting it with the branch pipe. It is easy to connect a vacuum cleaner to this system. The dust will disappear immediately. True, only a construction vacuum cleaner is suitable for this method, which is provided for the collection of construction debris. When sawing, the disk is driven into the machined surface from the motor side, as close to the outlet as possible.

A power controller with your own hands

Speed regulator is installed mainly on professional angle grinders, which many users can not buy at a price. In addition, many of the features of professional lathes at home are unnecessary. However, not seldom the nature of the work performed even at home requires selection of necessary working spindle speed. The option of installing a self-made speed regulator on the angle grinder is quite realistic.

The simplest regulator, based on the change of voltage, to assemble it is not difficult at all if you have some knowledge of carrying out works related to electrical technology. Circuit components: triacs, thyristors, capacitors, resistors are readily available in specialized stores. How to install such a unit on the angle grinder is described in the following video. Speed control device is made by a separate node, which is located outside the angle grinder. The author has installed a voltmeter on it for the convenience of tracking the value of operating voltage, because at indications of about 50 V and below can stop the angle grinder because of the lack of torque under load.

In case of doubt in the manufacture of the regulator by your own hands, you can buy a ready-made unit. This is what the author of the following video did. To install the device he decided in a separate box of suitable size from the housing with a lid, which already had holes for the exit wires. As any “Chinese” product, after a thorough inspection it had to be finalized. For better cooling, the contact points between the triac and the radiator are treated with a thermal conductive compound to eliminate gaps and improve adherence to each other. After all, 2 kW is a rather high power, requiring compliance with all technical standards. Testing conducted with brushes (cord brushes) showed effective work of the working tool by selecting the optimal speed with the regulator.

Does not work

Failure of speed regulator is not a rare phenomenon. The angle grinder may not respond to scrolling the mode dial, as is the case in the following video. In such cases, you should first inspect the contacts as external, connecting the controller to the electrical circuit of the angle grinder, and the bundling of internal components of the electronic circuit. If there is no apparent malfunction, the triac is usually the main cause. It works in the most severe conditions with increased temperature and cooling failure is the main reason of breakage. It is necessary to unsolder it from the board and install a new one with the same or similar characteristics.

The design of speed regulator with feedback, where the control chip receives a signal about the value of rotor speed of electric drive, takes place on one of the Makita models in the following video. Here such element, giving a signal, is the magnet fixed on one of ends of a rotor, by the spring and lock rings. Its absence paralyzes the regulator. This defect was found by the author of the video, who corrected it by installing a new magnet.

Sawing without dust | how to cut concrete without dust | the cover on the angle grinder

, the way of Andrei Shaiter. Testing in action how the vacuum cleaner works with concrete and plaster.

In the absence of power tools, you can make a stitch by hand. To this end, use a chisel and hammer. This technique is not suitable for hard materials like sand-lime bricks or concrete. Using a chisel, a groove is made in the wall, and then deepened and widened. The tool is held in the right hand, parallel to the surface, and is struck with a hammer.

Is there a technology for cutting concrete without noise and dust?

Thinking about what to cut the concrete, you must also take care to reduce the amount of dust, which inevitably appears during the execution of works. In some cases it is impossible to do anything and you have to work in harsh conditions, but in other cases it is quite realistic to remove the dust. The main thing is not to violate safety requirements and to use proven methods.

Cutting concrete is the deliberate application of rotating parts to the monolith. Cutting does not involve impact noise, but always involves noise from the tool drive motor and its moving parts that cut a groove in the stone or cut through rebar, cut into pieces, etc.д.

Different methods are used for cutting concrete. manual, machine, wet and dry. The first two are determined by the type of tool chosen, the wet method involves the impact of water on the cutting part and on the concrete surface itself, the dry method does not use the water supply. Regardless of the chosen method of cutting the amount of dust that accompanies the process is always quite high.

Important to know

Modern manufacturers offer a variety of models of equipment, so it is not difficult to find a specific model of equipment (as well as companies or specialists who quickly and efficiently perform the work). But it is necessary to remember about some nuances.

• Wall-cutting machines are not used in high-rise panel houses because of the risk of flooding the lower floors with water. The machine is also not suitable for working in confined spaces, if you need to perform a small amount of cutting.
• Slots can be cut in parts (minimum of 6 pieces) to reduce noise. The price of work in such a case increases and depends on the number of pieces to be cut out.
• All holes/openings in supporting walls are only made by certified companies and in strict compliance with the rules.
• Legalization of hatches / openings in the bearing walls requires an application to the state authorities with the provision of a full package of documents.

Cutting concrete without dust is a difficult task that can only be partially realized. It is very difficult to get rid of dust completely, but it is possible to significantly reduce its amount through the right choice of equipment and attachments, cutting method, as well as the use of construction vacuum cleaner and creation of special devices for dust collection.

How to make your own hands guard under the vacuum cleaner

Get rid of formed during the cutting “angle grinder” of small particles of material allow angle grinder with a built-in vacuum cleaner. But what to do if there is a need to saw the concrete with an ordinary tool without additional options? The easiest solution would be to buy a separate cover for the vacuum cleaner or make a device with your own hands. You can involve an assistant, who will collect the particles formed during the sawing process with a vacuum cleaner.

Make a convenient nozzle can easily be made from a simple plastic canister, which often sells automotive “frost-free water”. For work you will need a construction cutter and a container of suitable size, the nozzle which fits the diameter of the hose with the vacuum cleaner.

The sequence of manufacturing looks as follows:

• Seating holes are cut on both sides so that you can easily change the direction of rotation of the disc.
• Under the circle made a cut of suitable size.
• To attach the cutter “angle grinder” another hole is cut.
• Hose dock with a canister neck and fasten with an adapter ring with a clamp.
• The “angle grinder” is put into the casing and all the elements are connected.
• Close the unused hole with the lid.

A simple five-liter polyethylene bottle also makes a good dust collector. It is attached by means of a standard protective casing, and the pipe of the vacuum cleaner to the neck. Such a construction is suitable for any kind of work, with the exception of potholing.

One last tip: in order to make the cut evenly, first make a line. Then wooden blocks are fastened along the line. Then a superficial incision of up to 1 cm is made, the cut is removed and the work is continued. Coolant is applied to the disk blade during the entire operation. All manipulations must be performed in protective goggles, respirator and gloves.

How to make your own hands cover under the vacuum cleaner

The angle grinder with integrated vacuum cleaner allows you to get rid of small particles of material generated during cutting with the angle grinder. But what to do if the need arises to saw concrete with an ordinary tool without additional options? The easiest solution is to buy the cover for the vacuum cleaner separately or to make a device with your own hands. You can involve an assistant, who will collect the particles formed in the sawing process with a vacuum cleaner.

You can easily make a handy nozzle from a simple plastic jerry can, which is often sold as auto “antifreeze”. For work it is required a construction cutter and a container of the suitable size, the nozzle which suits the diameter of a hose of the vacuum cleaner.

The sequence of manufacturing looks as follows:

• Seating holes are cut on both sides, so that the direction of rotation of the wheel can be changed easily.
• Make a suitable cut under the wheel.
• To fix the cutter of the “angle grinder” another hole is cut.
• Hose is fastened to the canister throat and fixed with an adapter ring with a clamp.
• The “angle grinder” is placed in the casing and all elements are connected.
• The unused hole is closed with a cover.

A simple five-liter polyethylene bottle also makes a good dust collector. It is fastened with a standard protective casing, and the pipe of the vacuum cleaner to the throat. Such a design is suitable for any type of work, except for grinding.

Last tip: in order to make the cut evenly, you must first apply the marking. Then wooden blocks are fastened along the line. After that a shallow incision of up to 1 cm is made, the cutters are removed and the work is continued. Throughout the process, coolant is applied to the disc blade. All manipulations must be performed in safety glasses, respirator and gloves.

Peculiarities of work with the angle grinder

an angle grinder for cutting concrete is an indispensable tool, but it can also cause injuries. It requires working with the equipment to comply with the rules of operation.

• Work must only be carried out when you are sober and in good health;
• Before starting work, it is recommended to prepare such devices and protective equipment:

• A face mask or goggles to prevent sparks from getting in your face and especially your eyes;
• A vacuum cleaner or a respirator;
• Gloves, preferably thick or leather gloves;
• Protective clothing that covers all parts of the body;
• Attachments that the instruction manual for the equipment allows you to use;
• Headphones.

• The cover, which is installed between the tool and the person.

All of these items will keep the worker safe when cutting concrete.

Selection of equipment

Correctly selected equipment is a guarantee of quality and long life of the tool. When buying it, you need to pay attention to such basic parameters as: power and diameter of the cutting wheel.

Tip: Buyers are often afraid to buy high-powered models. But this is completely wrong! It should be borne in mind that a machine with low power can jam the discs. the machine does not have enough power to pull it out.

For beginners, you should buy a tool with these characteristics:

Equipment with such technical characteristics may well be able to saw iron. If the technical characteristics of the chosen model is suitable, but it is inconvenient to use it during the work, it is worth giving preference to another option.

Types of concrete cutting tools

For cutting concrete, diamond wheels are used, their main dimensions:

• External diameter of the discs, between 100 and 600 mm;
• Thickness, between 0.4 and 3.5 mm;
• Diameter of the fitting hole. more than 15 mm, the optimal diameter is 22.23 mm.

Diamond wheels are also differentiated by other characteristics.

The last two characteristics are the main ones for tool classification.

The table shows diamond blades with different configurations of working edges:

According to the technology of spraying are distinguished circles:

• With a silver brazing solder, they are only used for wet machining of concrete surfaces;
• With laser welding. These are the strongest and most durable discs that can withstand dry cutting. Such a diamond disc on concrete for angle grinder is mostly used for cutting reinforced concrete;
• With a coating of special compositions, which are then exposed to high temperatures. These are universal discs with average characteristics.

Disparate wheels and the degree of concentration of the spray, which in quality tools is more than 30%, and the abrasive grit is distributed throughout the entire volume of teeth and furrows. This design significantly increases the life of the disk, with its abrasion opens new layers for cutting material.

Tip: Choosing a wheel for cutting concrete, you should consider all the above characteristics of the tool.

Determining the type of concrete

Before you start cutting concrete with an angle grinder, you need to determine its type. This determines the selection of the type of diamond blade.

• If the depth of cut is about 100 mm or deeper, there may be a metal grid or reinforcing cage. For this purpose, there are special discs;
• The change over time of the material’s structure must be taken into account. Fresh concrete is more abrasive and old concrete is more hard. Because of this, diamond wheels for fresh and old materials must be different;
• There are different schemes for reinforcing concrete;
• If possible, it is worth studying the structure of the material in more detail, this will allow you to buy the most suitable wheel for cutting. Materials such as basalt or quartz will quickly dull the tool edges. In this case, the diamond segments are chosen to be bound with soft material, with new diamonds becoming faster to “cut in”;
• On the speed of cutting affects the size of the filler. the larger it is, the work will be slower.

In domestic processing, hand tools are most often used for cutting concrete. As a rule, masters adapt for the task an ordinary angle grinder (angle grinder). For the tool to give the expected effect, it is necessary to use nozzles capable of breaking the structure of solid stone:

How and what is the best way to cut. the main ways

So far, several ways of cutting concrete block have been established by experimentation. This includes the manual method, where you can apply an angle grinder, wedges, splints, as well as the method in which specialized equipment is used. Each method requires detailed consideration.

Manual method

Using the manual method of sawing assumes the absence of automated equipment, the master will have to cut the block with his own hands.

For this it is good to use:

Even the lightest concrete block cannot be broken or cracked by hand. The material has a good margin of safety, so you can’t do without the use of auxiliary tools.

The manual method is chosen when the access of special equipment to the site is impossible because of obstacles. This technique is also suitable if you need to saw a small amount of block material and call a team of workers with the technique is expensive and makes no sense.

Sawing with an angle grinder

The first and most relevant method. work with an angle grinder. It is known that you can easily saw foam concrete, aerated concrete and other lightweight materials with this tool. But can an angle grinder handle a concrete block?? It is necessary to choose a powerful power tool. it must be in full working order.

Before starting the work, it is recommended to take care of personal protection equipment.

It is worth buying a gas mask or respirator in advance, you can use construction gloves. Goggles are a must: the fine dust from the concrete will fly in all directions and can get into the eyes.

It is necessary to choose a good cutting disc for an angle grinder. Since concrete is considered a tough material, it is difficult to work with it. For sawing it is better to use a diamond disc. They can be segmented, solid, and combined.

Segmental is not suitable for such a strong material, and solid heats up when sawing and should be watered. For cutting a concrete block it is better to buy a combined diamond disc.

It is important to find out whether there are reinforcing bars in the concrete block. If the blade cutter bumps into them while working, it could cause a malfunction. So it is better to choose turbine discs if the thickness of the block is more than 10 cm.

When all the tools are ready, you can begin the work:

• Marking. Before you make the cut, it is necessary to make a line mark where the cut will be made. It is better to do it with a contrast marker, so even with glasses the trimmer line can be seen. To make the line for the trimmer perfectly straight, you can put a wooden bar along it.
• Notch. After turning on the angle grinder, a cut of 0.5-1 cm must be made.
• Sawing. After that, the bar is removed and begin to run the cutting disc deeper. Until the concrete block can be cut completely. If the tool gets too hot, you must stop and take breaks for a few minutes at a time. Most likely, the cutting disc will also heat up: it can be periodically sprinkled with cold water in a thin stream.

The advantage of this method is the speed and minimum effort, as well as the ability to saw even those blocks that have metal reinforcements inside.

How to do with their own hands cover under the vacuum cleaner

Angle grinder with integrated vacuum cleaner allows you to get rid of small particles of material that are formed during cutting with an angle grinder. But what to do if it became necessary to saw concrete with an ordinary tool without additional options? The easiest solution would be to buy the cover for the vacuum cleaner separately or make a device with your own hands. You can use an assistant to vacuum up the particles produced during the sawing process.

You can easily make a convenient nozzle from a simple plastic canister, which is often sold as auto “antifreeze. The work will require a construction cutter and a container of suitable size, the neck of which will fit the diameter of the hose of the vacuum cleaner.

The sequence of manufacturing is as follows:

• Seating holes must be milled on both sides, so that you can easily reverse the direction of rotation of the disc.
• Under the wheel is made a slot of suitable size.
• To fix the cutter “angle grinder” another hole is cut through.
• Hose is coupled to the canister’s neck and fastened with an adapter ring with a clamp.
• “Insert the angle grinder into the cover and connect all components.
• Cover the opening that is not in use.

A simple five-liter polyethylene bottle also makes a good dust collector. It is attached by means of a standard protective cover, and the pipe of the vacuum cleaner to the throat. Such a design is suitable for any type of work, with the exception of potholing.

One last tip: in order to make the cut evenly, you must first apply the marking. Then wooden blocks are fastened along the line. After that a shallow cut of up to 1 cm is made, the limiters are removed and the work continues. Coolant is applied to the disc blade throughout the process. Perform all manipulations in safety glasses, respirator and gloves.

Tools

So, to perform this operation, you first need an angle grinder for concrete, which is popularly called an angle grinder. It is necessary to use a special diamond wheel on concrete for angle grinder as a nozzle.

It should be said that they exist of several types:

Segmented circles are not the best solution, as when cutting with them, certain problems may arise, which is associated with their segmented edges.But the advantage is its low price compared to other types of nozzles.

Turbo diamond discs with a wave-shaped housing allow you to perform the most demanding cutting, for example, when you need to cut reinforced concrete. Of course, this type of nozzle is the most expensive.

Tip! Cutting of reinforced concrete with diamond wheels is performed first to a depth of about one centimeter. If there are no problems with the angle grinder or disc at the same time, the procedure continues. Each subsequent cut should not be deeper than one and a half centimeters.