Blade Usage by Size
Of the many tasks performed in stone fabrication, several can be done using various sizes of blades. Depending on the tool used, the task being performed, and the type of material worked, specific blades will be selected. Choosing which blade to use will take a number of factors into account.
4 Inch and 41⁄2 Inch Blades
Smaller diamond blades are used for a variety of tasks. Additionally, they are also used in conjunction with various tools. One of the main ways that 4 and 41⁄2 inch blades are used is for grinding. Using these blade sizes on angle grinders allows fabrication professionals to clean, smooth, and shape surfaces on which they are working. Furthermore, 4 and 41⁄2" blades come for a range of purposes.
4" Turbo Blades
Turbo blades are available in an assortment of sizes, among which are 4 and 41⁄2". As the name implies, Turbo blades are made for speed. Professionals use turbo blades for many of the tasks mentioned in the previous paragraph.
4 and 41⁄2" Tile Blades
One purpose of 4 and 41⁄2" blades is to cut tile. Tile blades must be designed with the purpose of cutting material that is extremely hard and even in some cases, brittle.
4.5" Rodding Blades
Blades for cutting the channel in which fiberglass, carbon fiber, or steel rodding cna be inserted usually are small. The width of the channel depends on the blade style and dimensions.
5 Inch Blades
Blades in 5 inch size are used for many of the same tasks as the 4 and 41⁄2" blades are. However, 5 inch seems to be preferred by more professionals. 5 inch diamond blades are made for specific materials, targeted tasks, and for making specific cuts.
5" Contour Blades
5" blades are a common size used for making cuts and smoothing stone edges along a curved edge. These are referred to as contour blades. And while 5" is not the only size of contour blade available, they are certainly one of the popular sizes of contour blades.
5" Calcareous Stone Blades
As previously mentioned, diamond blades are often designed for use on specific materials. One such case is that of 5" "marble" blades. Although these blades are called
marble blades, they may be used on other calcareous materials. There are a few natural stone materials that are calcareous and you can read about them here on our site. Some types of calcareous stone include:
Although the materials above are called by different names, these materials are, to a large degree, composed of the same mineral that marble is. Thus, 5" marble blades may be used on any of them.
6 Inch Blades
The 6" blade size is where you will find a great deal of the tile blades available. There are also some 6" turbo blades in the category along with 6" contour blades as well. Yet, many of the blades in our 6" realm, are made for cutting tile.
6" Continuous Rim Blades
Continuous rim blades in the 6" size are very practical. These blades are used on a selection of tools. Forexample, angle grinders and tile saws are a couple of specific machines that accommodate the 6" continuous rim blades.
6" Side Cut Turbo Blades
Another 6" blade that is very handy to have in the shop is the 6" side cut turbo blade. This blade is especially handy for working and shaping stone using a grinder. However, it also has benefits when used on a tile saw. The diamonds on 6" side cut turbo blades extend down the sides of the blade so that when the cutis made on the material, the edges insode the kerf are smoohted out at the same time. This makes for very clean cuts.
7 Inch Blades
Our 7" diamond blade selection consists of a couple of blade types. However, these blade types come with some specific purposes and benefits.
7" Multi-material Blades
The Puma 7" turbo blade is a blade designed to work on a variety of materials. This makes it a desirable turbo blade. Being able to work on a granite slab and then switch over to working quartz or quartzite without a blade change is a practical feature. And while you can get specific blades made specifically for granite, marble, and quartzite, having one blade that works on them all is handy.
7" Granite & Quartz Blades
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, there are good all around blades. However, you can also get 7" granite blades that are made specifically for cutting only granite and quartz. In contrast to good all-around blades, these blades will cut granite and quartz the best.
7" Side Cut Blades
We mentioned side cut blades previously when we were talking about the smaller sizes of blades. But 7" blades are also available in the side cut style.
8 Inch Blades
The one thing that you'll notice about the 8" blades are that they are not as common as some of the other sizes. You will see that the selection of 8" diamond blades includes continuous rim blades. Continuous rim 8" blades are made for cutting brittle materials like ceramic, porcelain, and glass. These materials can easily chop when they are cut and a continuous rim blade reduces the chipping.
10 Inch Blades
10" blade categories are diverse. And even though there are a variety of them, the selection is not as broad as some of the other sizes.
10" Continuous Rim
We won't go into detail her about the significance of a continuous rim blade since we mentioned it in the previous size description. But 10" continuous rim blades do the same thing as the smaller blade with continuous rims. They are just capable of cutting thicker material.
12 Inch Blades
12" blades are made for many of the same uses already mentioned in the previous sizes. However, in addition to many of those tasks, the 12" size includes a blade made for use on CNC sawjets as well as bridge saws.
14 Inch Blades
Like some of the other smaller sized blade categories, the 14" blades are a truly commonly sought out size. Because of this, these blades are made for a variety of tools, tasks, and materials.
14" Blades for Calcareous Stone
Cutting calcareous stone brings with it a characteristic that makes specific blades best suited for the task. Cutting marble, travertine, and other calcareous materials can gum up a 14" bridge saw blade if it is not made in a specific manner. The 14" blade category includes a calcareous sotne blade.
14" Low Horsepower Blades
Blades that are 14" in diameter and made for saws that are low horsepower are available. These blades work well with rail saws like the Blue Ripper but also are fitting for use on low horsepower saws like the Achilli TSA portable tracck saw as well.
14" Milling Wheel
You may not think of a 14" milling wheel as a "blade", but it is in our 14" blade category. Milling wheels work well for leveling out the surface of stone that is going to be used.
16 Inch Blades
16" blades are another size of blade that is made for use on a wide range of machines. Specialized 16" diamond blades are arranged in categories as follows.
16" Hard Stone Blades
Hard stone can be a challenge. The harder the material is that is being cut, the larger the toll on your blade can be. This means it is critical to have a diamond blade that is designed for cutting hard stones. In the 16" category there is more than one blade that can be used for cutting hard stone. Choosing a 16" hard stone blade will yield the best results if that is what you are cutting.
16" Dekton Blades
Sintered stone materials such as Dekton take skill and experience along with training to cut. However, professionals are only as good as the tools. So the 16" Dekton blade is a necessity for any shop that is going to be cutting this unique material. Dekton blades are designed specifically for cutting ultracompact surfaces and other sintered stone slabs.
16" Extra Large Slab Porcelain Blades
Similar to the reasons just mentioned regaerding dekton, 16" extra large slab blades are made for cutting porcelian slabs that are especially big. Large panels of porcelain demand that the blade being used be engineered for the task. These 16" blades are so designed.
16" Miter Blades
Miter cuts in natural and engineered stone surfaces take a special blade that can hold up to potential tension of cutting at a 45° angle. 16" miter blades are made for it. Whether it is a 16" ceramic miter blade or a 16" reinforced core miter blade, it must be designed for making the cut at an angle.
18 Inch Blades
Moving into the 18" sized blades, you won't have as many options. However, they are available and are capable of carrying out the needed tasks for which they were made.
20 Inch Blades
When you talk about 20" blades, you are not going to find nearly as many as you will find in the smaller sizes. Saws that require a 20" blade are not something you run across on the shelves of a big box store like Home Depot or Lowes. However, saws that take a 20" diamond blade are used quite a bit. Concrete cutting and other specialty tasks are best performed using these big blades.
24 Inch Blades
Like their 20" countertparts, the 24" diamond blades are harder to find unless you know where to look. After all, there are much fewer machines that require a blade that is 2 feet in diameter. There is one type of machine though that not only takes a 24" blade, but also needs a specifically designed 24" blade.
24" Donatoni Blades
Donatoni machines not only take 24" blades, but these machines take blades with a second hole bored into the core. Finding a blade that is compatible with these machines is nto hard if you know where to look;
hint: see the 20" and 24" categories.
As you can see, there are a many, many different sizes of blades used for natural and engineered stone surfaces. Knowing which blade to go with will involve several facets. Knowing what you like, having the proper machines to use them on, and selecting a blade designed for the way the the professioanls work are all keys to choosing the right blade(s) for the job.
