Hand Saw
MegasawHand Sawing

Everything You Need to Know About the Basics of Hand Sawing

Basic Instructions on Using an Old Fashioned Hand Saw Effectively

There are many reasons why you might choose to use a hand saw instead of a power saw. If you are working in a remote area, you might not have electricity for power tools. If you just have a few quick cuts to make, it might be easier to just grab your handsaw than to take out and set up an electric saw.

No matter what your reason, knowing how to use a hand saw properly is a useful and practical skill for anyone who hopes to be reasonably self-sufficient.

In this article, we will discuss the fundamentals of using a hand saw. Read on to learn more.

handsawing basics

Be Ergonomically Correct

Begin by setting up your work space properly:

  • Set the wood at a height that is comfortable for you to saw more effectively with less effort;
  • Your saw should be held at a forty-five degree angle over the wood;
  • Be sure your wrist, your elbow and your shoulder are aligned with the saw blade;
  • Use a shallower angle when making very fine cuts;
  • Use a steeper angle when making very aggressive cuts

Rather that grasping the handle with your whole fist, use three fingers for your grip. Your index finger should be on the side of the handle and pointing downward on the blade. Grasp the handle between your thumb and your remaining three fingers. This grip will give you more precise control.

Be careful not to push hard on your saw. This will just make your work more difficult. You will also get very tired if you push too hard, and this will have a negative effect on the straightness of your cuts. If your saw teeth are good and sharp, you should be able to saw through most materials with little effort.

Begin your cut with short pull strokes to get the cut started. Once you have the blade sunk into the material by a half inch or so, you can use longer strokes to engage the entire blade. When you have almost cut through the material, go back to shorter strokes and add more angle. This will let you finish your cut cleanly.

Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of a Dull Handsaw

If you find yourself struggling to saw and it is taking a long time to cut through materials, you know it is time to sharpen your saw.

Verify this by holding the blade of the saw up with a strong light shining behind it.

You will be able to see that the teeth are dull if light reflects off them. If they are sharp, light will not reflect.

You can re-sharpen your hand saw as long as it does not have a darker stripe along the edge of the teeth. If it does, this means the teeth are hardened and cannot be re-sharpened. If your saw teeth can be sharpened, you will want to engage the services of a professional. Search online or in your local phone book for a local saw, knife and blade sharpening service.

You Can Use Your Saw as a Square

There are a number of shorter tool box saws that have handles that can be used as a square. You will recognize this if you see that the handle is set at ninety degrees and forty-five degrees from the upper blade edge.

If this is the case, you can simply butt the correct edge up against your work in progress and draw your cutting line. Be aware that, while this is very handy, it may not be as accurate as using an actual square.

It’s All Done with Mirrors!

Of course, we are not talking about a real mirror. Instead, we are referring to a well-kept, shiny hand saw blade.

If you want to determine whether or not your blade is perpendicular to the material you are sawing, here’s a trick you can use:

  • Stand in the proper position for sawing and rest the edge of the saw on the material;
  • Look in the side of the saw blade for the material’s reflection;
  • Tilt your saw blade from one side to the other until you see that the reflection of the material on the blade is lined up with the edge of the material

This simple trick will let you know if you are holding your saw perpendicular to the material you wish to saw. Naturally, you must keep your blade clean and rust-free to use this method. Additionally, anti-friction coatings will hamper you from being able to do this.

Hand sawing is becoming a lost art, along with lots of other basic survival skills. When you know how to use hand saws and other hand tools correctly, you give yourself a measure of independence and competence. Follow the tips presented here to make the most of simple hand saws.

MegasawCore Drilling

Core Drilling Guide Part 3: Output Quality versus Technical Requirements

What output quality do you want from your drilling project? Your answer to this question will help determine what kind of drill bit to use.

Here are the two most common user requirements:

a) Material hole

– Drilling tasks in most cases involve creating a round and even hole. For such applications, you should use either a hollow or a solid drill. Hollow drills can be quite fast and efficient. The primary application for solid drills is in drilling primary holes in the range of .001” to 3/8”. On the other hand, hollow core drills are for drilling larger holes.

b) Obtaining material plug– Obtaining a material core is often the main reason for using diamond core drills. For this purpose, hollow drills offer the best results. The inner diameter of the core drill plays a critical role in such cases. Manufacturers take special care in developing drills with differing tolerances and specifications.

Aside from these two major requirements, there are other less common ones:

Finish or chipping requirements– The grit or mesh size of the diamond drill determines the finish quality of the surface, chipping level, microstructure deformation or damage of material, and smoothness.

In situations where chipping and surface finish are a critical factor, the perfect tool would be a metal bond, sintered diamond drill with very fine grit.

For getting the highest surface finish quality, you should use electroplated multi-layered core drills with a swivel water adapter running a high-pressure coolant. Water-soluble synthetic coolants offer the best surface finish results.

Cost of material– When the material drilled is expensive, valuable or precious, the associated drilling costs take a backseat.

Use thin walled drills to minimize deformation and loss of material. However, when it comes to cost of materials it is necessary to have a prior estimate of the target cost versus the quality of the resulting job.

Tolerances– To work with materials with specific tolerances you will need custom drills that are designed for very specific tasks.

Specification of tolerances may depend upon concentricity, run out, OD, and ID of diamond drills.

Use of coolant

Did you know that different drills have different coolant requirements? If you’re using a core diamond drill, use a coolant for the best results.

Regular drilling projects can use tap water, mineral oils, or a water-soluble synthetic coolant.
Using a drill dry will most certainly result in shorter drill life and the deformation of the material being drilled.

Nickel bonded electroplated drills are often used for dry drilling even if this is not the recommended method.

MegasawCore Drilling

Core Drilling Guide Part 2: Understanding Basic Drilling Components and Requirements

To understand basic core drilling components and requirements, you must familiarize yourself with various drilling tools. This part of the guide aims to throw light on this aspect of drilling.

Different Types of Drilling Equipment

For successful core drilling, you need equipment that ensures the best results from your endeavours.

Other factors such as coolants, RPMs, and feeds with the diamond bit or drill should also be taken into account. Remember even the best quality diamond drills will fail when paired with the wrong equipment.

Use them with equipment such as

  • Drill Press
  • Milling/CNC Machine
  • Hand Held or Angle Grinder
  • Air High Speed Spindle
  • Hand Held or Cordless Grinder

So who uses drill equipment such as CNC Machine or Drill Press? These are industrial manufacturing units, R&D departments, homeowners, hobby enthusiasts, and contractors. They use drills of the handheld variety, angle grinders, drill presses, and drilling rigs.

Various Applications

How often will you be using your diamond bits or drills? What specific tasks do you need them for? Your answers will help you determine your drill requirements.
These bits and drills have a wide application:

a) Production & Industries

They are part of standard equipment in many production and manufacturing operations. These include aerospace composite application, ceramic parts technical or advanced machining, countertop stone fabrication, and lens optical machining.

Machinists and engineers demand a high level of consistency, accuracy, and yield from their drill bits. For heavy-duty applications involving thousands of drillings per day, sintered metal bond drills are ideal.

b) Craft & Hobby

When it comes to art and craft projects, diamond bits or drills come in handy for working with glass, river rocks, beads, jewelry and lapidary.

One thing these applications have in common is that you can use these drilling gadgets occasionally for specific requirements and then keep them stored away.

For, something less than 100 holes, use nickel bonded electroplated drill. These are ideal for beginners since they are more forgiving to mistakes and errors.

Save time money and frustration, by choosing the right drill for your projects.

c) Research and Development

Whether it’s about drilling holes or obtaining core samples, nothing tests the limits of diamond bits or drills more than research and development.

The field is diverse and so are the requirements of researchers.

Research applications involve numerous fields such as advanced materials, material science, geology, optics, metallography, and technical/advanced ceramics.

Also, breakthroughs and new fields such as Nano, Biotechnology, and MEMS use such drilling equipment for various applications.

Typical application scenarios include

  • Commercial Laboratories
  • Large organization R&D
  • Government Laboratories
  • Military Research
  • Universities
  • Science & Space

As the core drilling requirements increase, diamond bits and drills are available at increasing levels of quality, ensuring the best results for various projects.

MegasawCore Drilling

Core Drilling Guide Part 1: Introduction to Core Drilling

Are you ready to obtain the best drilling results for your project? If so, you need to determine what kinds of diamond bits or drills are perfect for the job. This is important since knowing the right tools to use will save you both time and money.

To which category do you belong? Are you a novice, an experienced engineer, hobby enthusiast, researcher, or a contractor? Knowing this will help narrow down your choice to the types of diamond bits that are most appropriate for completing your project.

To ensure that everything goes smoothly, take heed of these three prerequisites to core drilling success:

  • Proper detailing
  • Suitable preparation
  • Following basic techniques

Type of Material

What kind of material are you working with in your core-drilling project? What are its features or characteristics? This will help in determining the tools and techniques you’ll need to obtain the desired outcome.

The kind of material you are planning to drill is an important consideration in your choice of drills:

a) Hardness of Material

For ultra-hard Alumina, Sapphire, natural/precious stones, materials with high metal content and advanced ceramic; metal bonded sintered diamond drills are the best.

For less expensive or softer materials such as tile, soft stones, glass, and composites, nickel bonded electroplated diamond drills work the best.

The basic rule for core drilling is that you will require soft bonds for hard materials, for free and fast drilling. Similarly, abrasive or softer materials require hard bonds for long-lasting performance.

b) Cost of Material

What kind of material are you going to drill? Determine how expensive it is. For expensive or precious material, the cost of the bit or drill matters little.

The use of a diamond thin wall core drill will help minimize deformation and loss of material. Having an estimate related to per-hole quality and target cost surely helps.

c) Density & Geometry of Material

Each type of material has a specific composition, density, and hardness. A method or technique that works for one, may not work for the other.

If you are looking for optimal, consider custom diamond drills that suit perfectly the type of material you’re planning to drill.

Material properties such as brittleness, size, shape, hardness, and diameter, will help in your choice of bits, clamping methods, feeds, speeds, and drilling equipment.

d) Thickness of Material

The thickness of the material you’re drilling determines how much pressure and coolant to use.

Multiple direction coolant works the best with through the drill, coolant submerged drill, and from the sides. This ensures enough lubrication and coolant will reach the drilling zone.

Running the coolant at high pressure through the diamond bit/drill centre using a swivel water adapter is ideal for drilling a material thicker than 1 inch or 25.4 mm. With, long-depth drilling you will require a stepwise mechanism using multiple bits or drills.

MegasawConcrete Removal

Important Things to Consider When Executing Demolition Projects

However competent the service provider may be, one thing is certain, demolition projects are potentially hazardous. Inhabitants have no other option but to bear the unrelenting noise, obtrusive smells, chaotic equipment fields, damaged materials, and harsh vibrations till the end of the project.

As you can see, contractors have to walk on a tightrope, maintaining the timeframe, while causing minimal discomfort and disruptions. The strategy is to develop a proper construction plan that considers the well-being of others as well.

Below are the factors to consider for ensuring optimum demolition project output while keeping hazards and noise minimal.

Find a Competent Contractor

It is the charisma and the competency of the contractor that determines how smoothly the work will go. Demolition solutions are of different types, and therefore, find a company that offers an expansive range, large material, and equipment inventory. With precision demolition methods patchwork efforts, build back, and repairs become less time-consuming, and effortless.

Proper Emergency Planning

Are you in need of a demolition service or emergency construction? It is important to find a competent and reliable contractor to ensure optimal results. These professionals have a strong team and reliable equipment for achieving immediate mobilization, meeting your project requirements well within time and budget.

Schedule it Around Downtime

Downtime scheduling will allow the work to proceed during the lull phase so that there is minimal disruption of work and business. Additionally, downtime also signifies minimal traffic on the roads and the slowing down of activities.

When looking for a contractor, make sure that they are ready to offer a flexible schedule, adapting to your specific time frames. Ideal firms keep a force and essential equipment ready for meeting emergency demands.

Control Debris & Dust

Demolition projects signify high volumes of debris and dust that require immediate attention and continuous removal throughout the duration of the project.

Cleanliness at the work site is a paramount consideration for reputable contractors. This is especially true for manufacturing units, hospitals, and commercial businesses who are careful about their professional image.

Airborne dust produced by conventional demolition work may disrupt activities and cause health issues. Therefore, complete elimination of airborne particles is important during the execution of demolition projects.

Control the Vibration & Noise

Another aspect to consider is vibration and noise that can be heard in residential areas. Thus, it is extremely important to bring unwanted noise and vibration under control. The project work can then move forward without interruptions. Some traditional demolition methods that cause a jarring noise include,

  • Jackhammers
  • Implosion/Explosion
  • Wrecking Balls
  • Excavators
  • Hoe Rams

So, good contractors opt for methods that cause minimal work disruption, such as, breaking, crunching, and concrete cutting. Use of controlled techniques result in virtually no noise, and significantly less vibration.

Reputable contractors will also use machinery, power sources, and remotely operated equipment, which they can position away from the work area, minimizing the overall impact of noise and vibration.

Get Rid of Worksite Obstructions

Obstructions at a demolition site can be a real cause for concern. Inflexible and large, heavy equipment pieces will restrict the movement of the worker, leading to clutter in the worksite.

This in turn poses difficulties and danger to occupants and workers alike. It is possible to minimize site disruption and construction traffic with the help of cutting control techniques.

Applying these methods allows the project to be broken up into small and manageable sections, making methodical and timely removal possible.

Competent and experienced contractors dealing with such demolition projects will maintain optimal work site housekeeping, leaving behind negligible operational footprint.

Safe guard the air quality

Preserving the air quality related to the project site and the overall environment in residential areas is extremely important.

Experienced contractors understand this need very well and take precautions to ensure this.
Traditional processes coupled with heavy machinery use lead to the generation of unpleasant odours and dangerous gases. It is up to the demolition firm to take care of this issue using the right methods and equipment to keep air pollution levels to a minimum. This includes the use of,

  • Electric equipment instead of diesel/gas powered varieties
  • Filters & exhaust scrubbers
  • Comprehensive tenting & ventilation
  • Techniques for moving air

By following the right methods, contractors can help safeguard air quality on-site and throughout the surrounding areas.

Use these parameters to find a seasoned, quality and reliable contract or that not only gets the job done, but does it in a safe, quiet and efficient manner.

MegasawConcrete Cutting, Concrete Drilling

Most Common Concrete Cutting and Drilling Hazards and Their Solutions

The highly crucial projects involving concrete cutting and drilling come with different risks and hazards. Experienced people dealing with such projects understand those risks very well and are able to resolve them successfully.

Outlined below are some of the most common concrete cutting and drilling hazards along with their solutions:

a) Kick Back

This signifies violent or sudden movement of saws away from cutting surfaces, posing extreme risks for both bystanders and the operators. Different types of injuries may occur, including, bruises, fractures, cuts, and strains. Any contact with blade signifies lethal lacerations. There can be numerous causes for kickback, including the presence of unstable surfaces, embedded objects as pipes or wires, and cutting above the shoulder level.

Some of the precautions to minimise the chances of kickback include appropriate equipment selection and use of scaffold for projects over shoulder height. Careful consultation with the builders plan helps in avoiding embedded objects. Also, keep bystanders at a safe distance, away from an ongoing project and never circumvent or remove guards.

b) Inverted Cutting

It is important to take certain precautions related to inverted cutting to ensure smooth operations and keep hazards at bay. It involves cutting slab undersides, overhang, or floor. One should never undertake to do this using a hand-held saw since this affords little control on cutting machines present over shoulder height. Only, appropriately trained operators should undertake such projects that too using wall track-mounted saws. Never use water-cooled saws for such projects because water will flood inside the motor and create yet another hazard.

c) Noise Generation

Excessive generation of noise at the cutting site is another possible hazard. It may lead to damage of hearing because of extremely loud noise in short periods. Lower noise levels for lengthened periods may also create problems. It is important to implement control measures to keep the chances of damage to the hearing to a minimal.

For minimising or eliminating noise risks use saw noise-reduced blades, quietest blades and equipment, and gain information regarding equipment noise levels prior to purchase. Those who are not related directly to concrete drilling and cutting project should stay at least 7 m away from the job site. Use of hearing protectors is another precaution that can minimise the risks related to generated noise.

d) Gases & Dust

In order to deal effectively with gases and dust generation related to concrete cutting it is important to take the right precautions. While use of equipment for dust extraction and water suppression is ideal, it is not possible to apply them in all scenarios. If possible, use slower masonry and concrete drilling or cutting equipment, which generate minimal dust, if any. It is important to use respiratory guards at such project sites to keep health hazards at bay. Filter particulate respirators are a good choice since it gives protection against,

  • Dust
  • Fibres
  • Lead Fumes
  • Asbestos
  • Silica

Silica dust is a major cause behind silicosis, chronic problem that leads to scarring and stiffening of the lungs. While symptoms are quite slow to appear it ultimately leads to health degeneration of the patient. Carbon monoxide gas emanating from concrete cutting sides is extremely hazardous. This odourless and colourless chemical asphyxiates, causes unconsciousness, rapid coordination loss, and even death. Respirators covered by OSH regulations are ideal for use in such environments.

e) Manual Tasks

Manual tasks related to concrete cutting projects bring with them a variety of hazards such as static or awkward working positions maintained/repeated for long periods of time. Trip and slip hazards or violent reactions of a different equipment are other problems that may crop up anytime. Use of proper support frames can minimise repetitions and holding of static positions. Whenever possible, try using lighter equipment, reduction in movement range, proper safety training for operators, and pre-check blades and different components.

f) Electricity

One cannot emphasise enough the hazards posed by electricity during concrete cutting. Pooled water always increases the chances of electrocution; therefore, its removal with dry or wet vacuum cleaner is necessary. In order to go for wet cutting always use petrol engine, hydraulic, pneumatic powered equipment and try avoid using those powered by electricity. Any electrical portable equipment in use should have protection against Earth leakage. Regular inspection and tagging of equipment with trained technicians is crucial too.

g) Vacuum Pressure Loss

Those who use vacuum assembly for anchoring stands of core drills are open to injuries if slurry, fills in the vacuum pump, leading to vacuum loss so that drill stand breaks free. In order to avoid this the operator should utilise bolt stands at least whenever possible. Use of sound surfaces for use of vacuum attachment is necessary, and so is monitoring of equipment on a regular basis to ensure vacuum pressure maintenance.

MegasawUncategorized

A Brief Introduction to Concrete Sawing

Are you interested in learning about successful concrete sawing techniques? Let’s start by looking at the two basic saw types ideal for concrete sawing:

  • Handheld saws
  • Walk behind saws

Difference between Handheld and Walk Behind Saws

Handheld saws as the name implies are handheld tools, which are relatively easy to use. A good handheld saw should be lightweight, portable and flexible.

You can use them for cutting wall openings or for small surface jobs, such as, access to holes, or curbing. Proper access to holes allows you to place posts in existing slabs.

Walk behind saws, on the other hand, are much larger than handheld saws. To use them, you have to walk with them. With this kind of saw, you have to remain standing throughout the sawing process.

Walk behind saws also pack more horsepower. Their cutting rate is also considerably faster than the handheld varieties.

The size, weight and power of walk behind saws combine to allow greater force during the cutting process.

However, due to their size, walk behind saws require more room for maneuvering. For cutting of short runs however, handheld saws are a better option. The single side blade mounting in walk behind saws allows close wall cuts.

Gasoline powered concrete saws emit harmful fumes, making them unsuitable for confined spaces such as basements. In cases where high windows are present in the project space, even the presence of a fan will not be of any help.

However, in garage areas, and factories with ventilation at floor level, the use of fans seems a practical choice for controlling exhaust fumes.

With electric hand held saws, however, the need for proper exhaust isn’t so critical because no fumes are emitted.

Due to being electric powered, these saws only lend themselves to dry cutting. This, however, poses hazards related to dust that emanate from the cutting process. You will not be able to use it in the basement.

The best saw for enclosed spaces is however, the pneumatic saw. These utilize compressed air for operation and can be of walk behind or handheld varieties.

In addition, these also offer flexibility of use for dry or wet cutting, leading to better dust control. Rental costs of pneumatic saws are high because of the need for a large portable air compressor.

The unit itself sits outdoors with a big hose reaching the places you require for proper cutting. Chain saws are your best choice when you want to make a small cut into a wall.

Pneumatic powered chain saws, equipped with diamond chain for concrete cutting are also available. These are so powerful they’re able to cut through a 15-inch wall effortlessly in one pass.

Saw Blades

Concrete cutting involves grinding using blades designed for the purpose. Eventually, the blade will wear out during the grinding process.

One of the most cost efficient options for such projects is of course the aggressive blades and these are ideal for short jobs. One can use it until it completely wears down.

Diamond blades have the ability to resist wear and tear, making them a popular choice for cutting and grinding jobs. These remain laser welded to segments with steel hub.

As they wear with use, they will drop off within the cut, allowing a new row to emerge to take its place.

Compared to the abrasive variety of blades the diamond ones are quite expensive and for good reasons too. They signify enhanced durability, resistibility, and faster cutting besides a host of other benefits, which makes the extra expenses easier to bear.

The narrow swath related to these blades signifies a narrower cut with less dust emanating from the process.

Hints for Optimizing Cutting Results

When cutting concrete, how deep you want to go is an extremely important consideration. In most cases, these cuts are mostly 2 to 4 inches deep.

As a result, the cement considerably weakens; leaving the smooth joints on surface visible. After this, you can break off the concrete pieces easily using an air hammer or an electrical breaker.

Asphalt Cutting

It is important to remember that asphalt saws are different from those intended for cutting concrete. Asphalt saw blades are usually more aggressive yet softer than concrete blades and yield to both dry and wet cutting methods.

Aggressive blades are the best for short jobs. General blades work well with asphalt over concrete, but you require extra care when cutting asphalt over gravel.

safety tool in concrete cutting
MegasawConcrete Cutting

How to Control Noise and Dust When Cutting Concrete

Anyone who’s ever tried cutting concrete will tell you that dust and noise are two of the biggest deterrents to the job.

Concrete dust containing silica and a variety of other hazardous materials can lead to severe breathing issues, and the high noise levels can damage hearing.

Fortunately, there are effective ways to control noise and dust associated with concrete cutting.

So what methods work best for controlling noise and dust? Dry cutting as everyone knows gives rise to large amounts of dust laden with silica, which is the single most health-damaging component of concrete dust. These abrasive tiny particles,

  • Damage the lungs of a person
  • Reduce the capacity to breath
  • Leads to chronic breathing trouble

Continuous exposure to silica may lead to lung cancer, tuberculosis, and COPD.

Dust and noise associated with concrete cutting at construction sites are a serious health hazard leading to respiratory illness and hearing loss to the workers.

One of the crucial engineering controls for minimizing the damage and developing a healthy environment for workers is the application of the wet method of cutting concrete. Studies indicate that the use of water in relation to concrete cutting can reduce the concentration of hazardous dust to a staggering 85%.

“The wetter the better” seems to be the motto when it comes to concrete cutting. This is an evidence-based finding, so it is completely dependable.

According to a recent research, respirable geometric mean concentration of dust through dry cutting is approximately 14.396 mg/cubic meter, which is 10 times more than wet cutting projects.
The use of water hose during concrete cutting reduces the amount of silica dust to just under 1.1 mg/cubic meter. Spray control on the other hand, allows only 1.2 mg/cubic meter of silica dust to escape to air.

Studies undertaken in relation to various tools for concrete cutting have thrown up startling results, but all seem to indicate towards one thing.

Based on OSHA regulations, one should never use concrete gas powered saws for dry cutting.
The only exception can be made in cases where the construction firm is ready to take the onus for a sampling to ensure that dust exposure never increases above the allowed limits.

However, by knowing the exposure levels related to various concrete cutting projects as well as in relation to two different types of equipment used, it is possible to take the necessary precautions.
Through the use of the right respirators, it is possible to keep dust and noise exposure levels to a minimum. Regularly using water controls with concrete gas powered saws is an effective and proven way to reduce respirable dust levels significantly.

Aside from ensuring the safety of the workers, firms also need to ensure the well-being of the onlookers and other people present on-site.

In addition to using the right methods for concrete cutting, preferably the wet one, it is important to use the right precautions to ensure complete protection from dust and high decibels.

Here are some protective measures approved by OSHA for ensuring the best results related to concrete cutting projects without compromising the workers health:

A. Use of respirators: Respirators offer the best protection against dust laden with hazardous silica. Proper training related to this protective equipment is necessary to ensure optimal benefits. It is the job of the project manager to ensure effective training.

B. Use of safety glasses: Use of proper safety glasses is extremely necessary to keep the eyes protected throughout the cutting process.

C. Good quality headgear: When you are protecting all the parts of your body during concrete cutting, it is important to consider a good quality headgear too. A hard hat forms a barrier against falling objects, so its importance should never be underestimated.

D. Proper hearing protection: Proper hearing protection, such as earmuffs and earplugs are another must have when it comes to concrete cutting sites. However, it is important to replace them on a regular basis to avoid chances of getting ear infection. Also, proper training in this regard is necessary.

E. Use of proper foot protection: The wearing of proper footgear is extremely necessary for protection against twisted ankles or abrasions of any kind. Over-the-ankle leather solid boots are a good choice.

Studies indicate that the use of wet cutting methods for concrete is the best way to keep workers safe from the hazardous dust.

However, for ensuring better control of noise, it is important to use high-quality equipment and maintain them in good order. This, along with the use of the right protection is a surefire way to maintain optimal construction place conditions.

MegasawCore Drilling

Core Drilling for Reinforced and Non-Reinforced Concrete Surfaces – An Overview

Reinforced and non-reinforced – both types of concrete surface are often encountered in highway drilling and construction applications. Both require unique drilling methods and also differ in drilling results.

For instance, drilling through steel bar produces a different sort of pressure and therefore, has a different wear on the cutting surface. Thus, it is important to determine the type of concrete surface first and then choose the right drilling equipment that will perform the job efficiently.

What is Core Drilling?

Core drilling is one of the most effective, non-vibratory ways of drilling through reinforced and non-reinforced concrete surface. It creates holes without causing aggressive demolition or too much strain.

The core drill is a highly efficient and powerful tool for boring holes through reinforced concrete, block, brick, masonry, and stone.

The typical core bits are made of hollow steel cylinders that are fitted with segmented diamond teeth. The teeth grind away the concrete surface for creating a hole of any desired size.

Usually, core bits vary in size from 3/8” to 14” in diameter. Most core bits are capable of drilling through 12” and even more. However, longer extensions, threaded barrels and bits are also available.

Diamond drilling is essentially preferred.This is how to get neat and clean holes through all types of reinforced and non-reinforced concrete, block work and bricks. The core drilling procedure is most effective in getting precise and accurate circular cuts through varied concrete surfaces.

Benefits of Core Drilling

The significance of core drilling is unparalleled. Unlike traditional drilling procedures, diamond drilling is more comprehensive in nature and environmentally sound. Discussed here are some of the key benefits of core drilling:

  • Core diamond drilling is most efficient where precise circular cut and neat holes are required
  • The drilling method can be equally used for reinforced as well as non-reinforced concrete surfaces
  • Drill holes of virtually any diameter to make openings for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC installation
  • Core drilling can also be used for studying and analyzing rock, structures, and strata
  • It produces less vibration and strain as compared to conventional methods, thus, causing minimal structural damage
  • Use core drilling procedure for increased accuracy and minimal labor cost

Drilling Reinforced Concrete Surface

Drilling through reinforced concrete surfaces can be difficult and takes longer than other concrete and allied material.

For this, the core drilling procedure is adopted.This is where the steel bar of reinforced concrete is drilled through by fine diamond crystals in a machining mode. However, it puts a high strain on the diamond core bit as steel is a relatively ductile and very tough material.

When the core bit rotates against the same section of drilling surface, it encounters concrete that’s more brittle than before. This facilitates loading and unloading of diamond crystals and bond materials.

Drilling Non-reinforced Concrete Surface

Drilling through plain concrete is relatively different from that of reinforced concrete. However, the core drilling method can also be used in cutting holes of any diameter through non-reinforced concrete surfaces.

Here, the concrete material is removed or drilled through the process of crack propagation. Diamond in the core bit generates stress on brittle non-reinforced concrete that creates a crack on the surface.

The cracks are caused when the concrete is broken away from base material, allowing the core bit to drill through the material efficiently.

Tips for Core Drilling

Core drilling can be used for both reinforced and non-reinforced concrete surfaces, delivering increased accuracy, precision, and efficiency. Here are some valuable tips for core drilling that will help you save time and money, and improve the drilling results.

1. Water – If you are using a wet diamond core bit, it is preferable that you use little water. This enables the diamond to grind away the concrete surface efficiently. Excessive water pressure can wash away concrete grit, preventing the diamonds from becoming exposed. To get effective results, apply little water only till the slurry resembles that of creamed coffee. Appropriate slurry helps in the grinding process and also keeps the core bit cool. The diamonds remain exposed all through and stay in contact with the slurry particles.

2. Vacuum Base – Base vacuum can be used while drilling through concrete surface that is smooth. However, make sure that the gasket is in good working condition. Also, do not use a vacuum base while drilling through ceiling or walls.That can be dangerous. Ensure that the vacuum filter bottle has no debris or water inside as it can harm the vacuum. Also make sure that the vacuum pressure is just adequate for the drilling purpose.

3. Diamond – To get best results and also save time and money, it is important to choose a diamond type that matches the application. For this, it is imperative to consider the material to be drilled and particular diamond bond specifications of the core bit. Too soft a bond may wear away the diamond prematurely; too hard a bond may increase drilling time. For reinforced concrete, choose a soft diamond matrix; for softer materials, choose a hard diamond matrix for effective results.

4. Pressure – For efficient drilling through reinforced and non-reinforced concrete surface, maintaining steady and even pressure is most important. The right amount of pressure ensures maximum life of the core bit. Too little pressure than required for the application can cause the diamond to glaze over, while inconsistent pressure can cause the drill to glaze over. On the other hand, too much pressure can overload the drill, causing significant damage to the drill motor and core bit.

5. Speed – To grind through surfaces efficiently and prevent glazing diamond segments, it is important to set the motor at the right Revolutions per Minute (RPM). It is only at ideal surface speed, which is dependent on core bit diameter that you can cut through efficiently. For instance, smaller diameter core bits require higher RPMs.

6. Power – To achieve the right drilling speed, it is imperative to have adequate power. If the drill is underpowered, it can cause overheating during drilling, thus, damaging the equipment. When the equipment receives too much power, it can also cause increased abrasion and glazing of diamond segments.

MegasawConcrete Removal

Concrete Recycling: Mega Saw’s Contribution for a Greener Environment

MegaSaw has been offering concrete drilling and cutting solutions for 40+ years now. They use cost effective and safe methods for masonry products and concrete related services. Aside from this, the company also contributes towards a greener environment through successful recycling of concrete, ensuring complete peace of mind for their clients.

With MegaSaw coming to the aid and ensuring proper disposal of on-site debris, making significant savings is not difficult.

Cost savings with MegaSaw concrete recycling:

  • Savings on transport to landfills, at the rate of $.25/ton per mile
  • Savings on disposal costs at $100/ton

As time passes, the costs of using landfills already overburdened with debris are becoming quite expensive. In such situations, the construction industry has no other option but to look for alternatives to deal with concrete debris successfully, so that they do not become an unnecessary burden.

Today, landfills remain heavily regulated, so naturally, the debris related to land clearing, construction and demolition has become a big headache for everybody related to the real estate industry.

MegaSaw understands the situation very well. They are always looking for ways to minimize the hassles for their clients.

The good news is they have developed a viable method of dealing with this problem, while doing something for the environment at the same time.

Recycling of concrete waste is how they managed the problem. This solution produced the best results for their customers.

Concrete Recycling Process

Do you think that recycling concrete is a complex and expensive process? With MegaSaw at the helm, everything becomes smooth, quick, and highly affordable. Their use of the latest technologies signifies fast solutions in keeping with specific project needs.

Over the years, the company has made a conscious effort toward incorporating state-of-the-art equipment and methodologies, with focus on environmental issues.

Naturally, they emphasized the use of a simple concrete recycling process, which is both time and budget friendly.

For example, when it comes to recycling pavement concrete debris, the process involves breaking the pavement, removal, and crushing of the concrete slabs.

The crushing process turns big slabs into materials of specific quality and size for ease of recycling. Now it becomes possible to reuse the crushed concrete as aggregate in concrete or other structural layers.

In general, people tend to use it in combination with virgin aggregate for new concrete use scenarios. However, it is important to remember that the maximal use of recycled concrete is in the form of sub-base layer aggregate. MegaSaw uses both formats based upon specific situations and client requirements.

Developments in modern technology have led to advancements in the recycling process. MegaSaw is quick to jump on the chance to use them as quickly as possible.

After all, it signifies an economical way to deal with various concrete pavement types. Some of the technology inputs available from the company include the following:

  • Concrete pavement breaking for continuously reinforced, mesh-and-dowel, or plain
  • Mechanized steel removal for minimizing hand labor
  • Crushing equipment application & use for accommodating steel reinforcement

Recycling of Concrete Pavement

Recycling of concrete pavement is MegaSaw’s forte. They offer the best solutions for all types of pavement recycling. This includes use of latest recycling technology for

  •   Plain Jointed Pavement
  • Continuously Reinforced Type
  • Reinforced Jointed Pavement
  • Airport Pavement

Use of high quality equipment ensures that the company is able to recycle concrete pavements of high thickness, including those that are 17 inches or more. Recycling involves transportation of concrete debris to a recycling plant. But many times, they also use portable machinery for on-site green disposal of concrete.

The MegaSaw Benefits

Do you know why concrete waste poses such a big threat to the environment? The simple reason for this is that concrete debris is never biodegradable, not in any shape, form, or way!

So, while over the years, it may gradually crumble pitiably, it still sits as it is in place or at landfills for times to come. Can you allow this to happen to your environment? What about the substantial costs involved in transportation to the landfills in the first place?

MegaSaw takes its concrete disposal responsibility seriously. They will never allow Mother Earth to clutter up unnecessarily.

Consequently, when you are dealing with this company, you will be able to reap all the benefits related to concrete recycling the successful way.

Concrete recycling is the energy saving endeavor when compared to various mining processes or transportation related to new aggregates. Use of recycled material in new constructions is another cost-saving proposition that the company wants their clients to benefit from thoroughly.

Remember, the responsibility of MegaSaw doesn’t end with construction project completions. It already contemplates the next step – that of recycling concrete successfully. Naturally, one cannot deny the company’s contributions towards a greener environment!

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