Wel-Co Technical Information
How Diamond Tools Work
Diamond saw blades come in a variety of bonds, designs and applications.
Diamond blades work by cutting with diamond crystals held together in a metal bond or matrix. As the blade cuts, the diamond crystals on the exposed edge will slowly fracture and wear down. At the same time the abrasive action of the material being cut erodes the bond exposing new diamonds.
Each diamond blade is designed for use on a specific range of materials. If the material being cut is soft or abrasive the bond is hard so the bond does not prematurely release the diamonds. If the material being cut is hard or less abrasive the bond is softer so the diamonds release before they become too worn to cut.
Diamond blades are designed to be used for either wet or dry cutting. Wet cutting blades use water to cool the blade and flush away the cuttings. Dry cutting blades rely on airflow to cool the blade and remove the cuttings. Dry cutting blades can be used with water to control dust, but wet cutting blades cannot be used dry.
Diamond Blade Speed (RPM) and Depth of Cut |
||||
|
Blade
Diameter |
Depth
of Cut |
Recommended
Operating Range |
Maximum Safe
Operating Speed |
High Speed
Dry Cutting Range |
|
4”
|
1”
|
9000 to 1100 RPM
|
15000 RPM
|
8000 to 9000 RPM
|
|
4.5”
|
1.25”
|
8500 to 1000 RPM
|
13300 RPM
|
8000 to 9000 RPM
|
|
5”
|
1.5”
|
7500 to 9000 RPM
|
12000 RPM
|
7000 to 8000 RPM
|
|
6”
|
2”
|
6500 to 7500 RPM
|
10000 RPM
|
5000 to 7000 RPM
|
|
7”
|
2.5”
|
5500 to 6500 RPM
|
8500 RPM
|
5000 to 7000 RPM
|
|
8”
|
3”
|
4800 to 6000 RPM
|
7500 RPM
|
4500 to 6500 RPM
|
|
9”
|
3.25”
|
4300 to 5400 RPM
|
7000 RPM
|
3000 to 4000 RPM
|
|
10”
|
3.5”
|
3800 to 4600 RPM
|
6000 RPM
|
3000 to 4000 RPM
|
|
12” Hi Speed
|
4”
|
4500 to 5400 RPM
|
6300 RPM
|
4500 to 5400 RPM
|
|
12”
|
3.5”
|
3200 to 3800 RPM
|
5000 RPM
|
|
|
14” Hi Speed
|
5”
|
4000 to 5000 RPM
|
5400 RPM
|
4000 to 5000 RPM
|
|
14”
|
4.5”
|
2800 to 3200 RPM
|
4400 RPM
|
|
|
16” Hi Speed
|
6”
|
3000 to 4000 RPM
|
4500 RPM
|
3000 to 4000 RPM
|
|
16”
|
5.5”
|
2500 to 3000 RPM
|
3800 RPM
|
|
|
18”
|
6.5”
|
2200 to 2600 RPM
|
3300 RPM
|
|
|
20”
|
7.5”
|
1900 to 2300 RPM
|
3000 RPM
|
|
|
22”
|
8.5”
|
1800 to 2200 RPM
|
2700 RPM
|
|
|
24”
|
9.5”
|
1600 to 2200 RPM
|
2500 RPM
|
|
|
26”
|
10.5”
|
1500 to 1900 RPM
|
2300 RPM
|
|
|
28”
|
11.5”
|
1400 to 1700 RPM
|
2100 RPM
|
|
|
30”
|
12”
|
1300 to 1600 RPM
|
2000 RPM
|
|
|
32”
|
13”
|
1200 to 1500 RPM
|
1900 RPM
|
|
|
36”
|
14”
|
1100 to 1300 RPM
|
1700 RPM
|
|
|
42”
|
17”
|
900 to 1100 RPM
|
1400 RPM
|
|
|
48”
|
19”
|
800 to 1000 RPM
|
1200 RPM
|
|