tool question

   / tool question #1  

forgeblast

Elite Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2005
Messages
4,141
Location
nicholson, pa
Tractor
John Deer 318
Hi all im getting ready this summer to put fieldstone on my house. I have a 4'' angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut the flat pieces, i have a wet tile saw(small one), and i also have a diamond blade on an old circular saw. I am worried about corners (outside corners) where i will need to v notch a piece of stone to make it fit around the corner. Would a chop saw work? its sandstone that i will be cutting (bluestone, and fieldstone pieces), or do you think using the angle grinder will be enough. Renting a large stone saw is out of the budget right now. but i am thinking a harbor freight sale could help me get a cheap cut off.
 
   / tool question #2  
i can't picture what you mean by v notch, but last year i did a short retaining wall with those standard 12" long, 4" high blocks. i had to cut a few of them, and i also had to miter cut about 20 of the 2" thick cap stones around sweeping corners.

i used a diamond blade on a circular saw and it worked great. freehanded all the straightline cuts for the miters. i just drew a pencil line where i wanted & cut it as if it was a 2x4. i didn't want to spend $50-$100 for a 12" diamond blade, until i tried cutting them with a cheaper blade on the circular saw (think it was $17) . after i tried, i found that the circular saw worked fine. i can't say for your stone type, but i would pick up a sample of the stone & try cutting it with a circular saw to see whether you think you need a chop saw blade.
 
   / tool question #3  
I'd be more inclined to use a circular saw with a diamond blade than an angle grinder.
 
   / tool question
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Thanks all. I will try the blades i have first.
with the v notch i mean to cover an outside corner i need to cut field stone with a v shape to fit around the 90 degree angle of the corner. that way i dont have exposed joints of the stone showing. I just want a safe way to do it.
 
 
Top