Do you know what your diamond blades are
really costing you?
Smart tips when buying Diamond Blades
Buying the lowest price blade does not
necessarily mean you are getting a fair value or the best quality blade for
your money.
The only thing that cuts in a diamond blade
are the diamonds. Generally speaking, the more diamonds (referred to as
diamond concentration) the faster the blade cuts and the longer it lasts.
That means you save in both labor costs as well as diamond blade costs.
However, this general statement has limitations and there are other factors
which impact diamond blade performance. The quality of the diamond is very
important and this greatly affects the price of the blade. Beyond a certain
actual quantity of diamonds or diamond concentration, the actual blade
performance could become worse depending on the type of material and/or
aggregate being cut. Therefore the highest price blade oddly enough may not
be the best for your application. The matrix or metal binder holding the
diamond in the segment is also a major factor in determining diamond blade
performance. A reputable blade manufacturer can guide you regarding the best
bond to use for your application.
A bigger segment is not necessarily more economical
nor longer lasting. The segment may have been manufactured with the same
quantity of diamonds as a segment of lesser size or a diamond height and the
same quantity of diamonds is simply spread out over a larger volume of metal
matrix. Also remember there are great variations in diamond qualities such
as diamond brittleness, heat resistance, sharpness and most importantly,
toughness.
Mass marketers and aggressive telemarketing
concerns utilize all kinds of tactics to steer you into buying certain
diamond blades which may be lower quality blades they bought from any
manufacturer anywhere in the world. Perhaps the blade they recommend happens to
be the specification on which they make the most amount of profit. The blade
may have cost them less or may wear out faster or BOTH! Another tactic is to
inflate the list price and offer big discounts.
A blade that cuts effectively and produces a
fine cut with sharp edges is desirable. But if it wears out more rapidly
compared to a better quality blade you're wasting your money. Free saws and
other giveaways only camouflage your real costs. COMPARE costs for your
cutting in inch feet of production. (1 inch foot is a cut 1 inch deep by
1 foot long.) COMPARE costs between different makes of blades. Don't just buy a
diamond blade without taking into consideration your unit cost of
production. It's easy to make a blade that cuts any given material, the
difficult thing is to make a blade that cuts effectively at a low unit cost.
Buy a blade that produces the best profit for YOU!
