Circular saw with concrete cutting blade

[GhostIntMachine]

Certainly would be.

TBH cutting mass concrete is really a job for a Stihl-type saw (which do have water suppression as standard these days) or possibly a large angle grinder. But it is a VERY dusty job. Accuracy within a couple of millimetres either way is generally regarded as acceptable (i.e. all you'll get in practice).

There are concrete saws which run on rails, use sintered diamond cutting discs and can do a precision job (e.g. Hilti), but they make @opps' Festool wall chaser look like a toy (and I believe the biggest ones cost almost as much as a small car).

What the OP's saw could do is cut hard cement-based materials such as cement fibre board by the addition of a 185mm PCD blade, but PCD blades probably wouldn't handle the aggregate in concrete and the teeth might shatter. Again, cement fibre board cutting is a very dusty job.

So unless someone can come up with a source of 185mm (or slightly smaller, down to about 160mm) stone cutting discs with (presumably) a 20 or 30mm bore, then the OP is out of luck

 

[opps]

From the edge of the material. Making cut outs or doing cuts requiring plunging cuts into concrete is probably best done by a water jet cutter


Ah, but most angle grinders currently have abysmal dust extraction unless you shell out for a special dust extraction kit (there are exceptions such as wall chasers), however those kits are the preserve of trade quality grinders, so maybe a bit of red herring.

But we have no idea if the OP plans to cut from the edge.

My comment about concrete dust was in reference to not using any dust extraction. I would expect a circular saw to be more likely to be damaged by the motor sucking in concrete dust.

 

[opps]

You have never used a circular saw to cut concrete if you have to ask how do you start the cut - you start with the V-notch centred on the line, and then slowly drop the blade into the line.
I've done this many times - no drama no problems. Its very simple to do. I use my old corded circular saw.

poster #12

Point taken. I didn't think that through. Oh, and I have used a dedicated concrete/tile saw in the past.

The OP has a "circular saw with a concrete blade" - its in the title of the thread; where's the mystery?

The OP doesn't have a concrete blade, hence they were asking if it would be appropriate.

 

[opps]

There are concrete saws which run on rails, use sintered diamond cutting discs and can do a precision job (e.g. Hilti), but they make @opps' Festool wall chaser look like a toy (and I believe the biggest ones cost almost as much as a small car).

It is not a wall chaser. It is designed, primarily, for cutting tiles but I have used it to cut straight lines in pebble dash between houses.

Those Hilti ones are impressive though.

 

[GhostIntMachine]

But we have no idea if the OP plans to cut from the edge.

My comments were based on having cut concrete from time to time - you just never end up plunge cutting it in the real world. I can't begin to imagine what might happen if you attempted to cut through embedded rebar with a plunge cut, other than if you were using one of the aforementioned Hilti saws (where the saw is actually clamped to the rail and the rail is bolted to the concrete and lowered in by a screw jack)

My comment about concrete dust was in reference to not using any dust extraction. I would expect a circular saw to be more likely to be damaged by the motor sucking in concrete dust.

I did agree that concrete, etc is very dusty (I reckon it's the cement component that's the biggest culprit). Using a goid dust extractor and mask is therefore an absolute must. I cut cement fibreboard from time to time (mostly for fireproofing and insulation, sometimes as tile backer in public washrooms) which is incredibly dusty. I often use a plunge saw with rails for that with a PCD blade and a decent industrial vacuum, but to date I haven't yet run a bearing. After a session of doing this I take care to blow out the motor and guard with compresed air before putting it away. When I need to trim small bits of it I sometimes use a 165mm cordless circular saw, again with a PCD blade, but for a couple of short cuts I don't always use an extractor. It is very dusty, but again no bearings have been killed to date

For cutting out tiles I mistly use a diamond blade in an angle grinder or multitool. Never yet seen a job where a perfectly straight cut into tiles would be required, so can't see much use for your Festool. But there is still time for me to hit such a situation before I retire

I've seen the Hilti saws used to remove concrete stairs and sections of floor to accommodate new lifts and escalators as well as to cut out plopenings in mass concrete. Two man and a dog job to manhandle them into position. There are also hydrostatic motor powered jobbies which do the same sort of jobs, but they're a tad pricey for DIY work

 

[opps]

For cutting out tiles I mistly use a diamond blade in an angle grinder or multitool. Never yet seen a job where a perfectly straight cut into tiles would be required, so can't see much use for your Festool. But there is still time for me to hit such a situation before I retire

On average, I only tile once or twice a year.

Prior to buying the Festool, I would either use my Rubi wet cutter or an angle grinder (or a snap cutter). I purchased the Festool (second hand) to cut through tiles on a rill. The customer wanted a 4m line which was absolutely straight (the tiles had been previously fitted by someone else).

We might be at cross purposes here. My tool is able to cut tiles prior to fitting them, and has the added advantage of cutting tiles which have already been fitted (should the need arise).

I know of people who have used it to remove tile grout in massive floors (eg at airports).

I have never tried to use a multitool to cut tiles. Are you talking about ceramic tiles?

 

[GhostIntMachine]

I have never tried to use a multitool to cut tiles. Are you talking about ceramic tiles?

More useful to cut the grout out if the joints are big enough, but diamond grit blades (as opposed to the more common carbide grit blades) can be used to make small adjustments to even the hardest of tiles. I wouldn't trust them to make long straight cuts (for which... diamond disc... angle grinder... yada, yada). TBH we gave tilers to do this stuff most of the time, but when needs must, etc, etc