Comments on: Hot or Not? Makita’s Turbo Rim Masonry Blades http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/29/hot-or-not-makitas-turbo-rim-masonry-blades/ All tools. All the time. Your source for news, information, and reviews of hand tools, power tools, and tools of all kinds. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 17:17:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Iguana's Paradise http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/29/hot-or-not-makitas-turbo-rim-masonry-blades/#comment-504596 Iguana's Paradise Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:10:51 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=11922#comment-504596 1. 14" is the size you want in masonry. More important, though, is that you want a saw with the engine's shaft sideways the same as the axle through your blade. The old Stihl (sp?) saws have the engine shaft at some other angle (front-to-back?), so changing the speed of the engine TWISTS the damn thing, while you're cutting $$$$ stone. Makes cutting fine lines impossible. Turbo vs segmented? If you're gonna hit rebar or mesh, you want turbo (safety). Turbo cuts a wider hole than segmented. The cheapest diamond blades are "single use", which means they are useless. The good ones are, oh, pricey. They sometimes explode (a friend had chunks of blade embedded in her by her exploding blade - she hates motorized cutters, now). I prefer the wet cutting blades, because of no dust. A light touch with a 7" or 14" diamond blade, and they last and last and last... ... while the stone just melts away. Quite peaceful work, if you've got good earplugs in. 1. 14″ is the size you want in masonry.
More important, though, is that you want a saw with the engine’s shaft sideways the same as the axle through your blade.

The old Stihl (sp?) saws have the engine shaft at some other angle (front-to-back?), so changing the speed of the engine TWISTS the damn thing, while you’re cutting $$$$ stone.

Makes cutting fine lines impossible.

Turbo vs segmented?

If you’re gonna hit rebar or mesh, you want turbo (safety).

Turbo cuts a wider hole than segmented.

The cheapest diamond blades are “single use”, which means they are useless.

The good ones are, oh, pricey.

They sometimes explode (a friend had chunks of blade embedded in her by her exploding blade - she hates motorized cutters, now).

I prefer the wet cutting blades, because of no dust.

A light touch with a 7″ or 14″ diamond blade, and they last and last and last…
… while the stone just melts away.

Quite peaceful work, if you’ve got good earplugs in.

]]> By: fritz gorbach http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/29/hot-or-not-makitas-turbo-rim-masonry-blades/#comment-499910 fritz gorbach Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:29:27 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=11922#comment-499910 Try the cheap ass version from harbor freight. They cut smooth and are pretty durable...and just a couple of bucks on sale. I always keep one or two with my angle grinder. Also try their diamond cup wheel for planing concrete and stone. Maybe these aren't as durable as the pricey models. I can't say cause I only use them occasionally, but i've been using the same set for a year with no problem. Try the cheap ass version from harbor freight. They cut smooth and are pretty durable…and just a couple of bucks on sale. I always keep one or two with my angle grinder. Also try their diamond cup wheel for planing concrete and stone. Maybe these aren’t as durable as the pricey models. I can’t say cause I only use them occasionally, but i’ve been using the same set for a year with no problem.

]]> By: Barri http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/29/hot-or-not-makitas-turbo-rim-masonry-blades/#comment-491354 Barri Sun, 31 Aug 2008 03:09:37 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=11922#comment-491354 I have used these types of blades in the UK for the last 2 years. Not makita mind you but exactly the same design. We use the type that will cut metal as well as concrete so when we hit rebar it goes through like a hot knife through butter. Beware thought tarmac will mess these blades in one fall swoop. Far better than seg blades because of the smoother cut. I have used these types of blades in the UK for the last 2 years. Not makita mind you but exactly the same design. We use the type that will cut metal as well as concrete so when we hit rebar it goes through like a hot knife through butter. Beware thought tarmac will mess these blades in one fall swoop. Far better than seg blades because of the smoother cut.

]]> By: fred http://toolmonger.com/2008/08/29/hot-or-not-makitas-turbo-rim-masonry-blades/#comment-485102 fred Fri, 29 Aug 2008 18:21:11 +0000 http://toolmonger.com/?p=11922#comment-485102 Maybe my tile sub would use the 4-1/2 inch size (he uses angle grinders with dy-cut blades) - but we will stick to Quasar blades for our masonry saws. Besides the largest blade that Makita makes in this line is 7-1/4 - not much use in our 14inch saws (12-14 inch saws are pretty standatd for masonry work) Maybe my tile sub would use the 4-1/2 inch size (he uses angle grinders with dy-cut blades) - but we will stick to Quasar blades for our masonry saws.
Besides the largest blade that Makita makes in this line is 7-1/4 - not much use in our 14inch saws (12-14 inch saws are pretty standatd for masonry work)

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