Diamond Blade Troubleshooting

Blade Worn Out of Round
Cause Shaft bearings are worn (masonry and concrete).
Remedy Install new blade shaft bearings or blade shaft, as required.
Cause Engine is not properly tuned on concrete saws, causing surges in blade rotation.
Remedy Tune engine according to manufacturers' manual.
Cause Blade arbor hole is damaged from previous mismounting.
Remedy Replace worn shaft or mounting arbor bushing. Bond is too hard for material, causing a “rounding” and wearing one half of the blade more than the other. Make certain that drive pin is functioning. Use proper blade specification


Blade Will Not Cut
Cause Blade is too hard for material being cut.
Remedy Use a softer bonded blade. Select proper blade specification for material being cut.
Cause Blade has become dull as a result of being used on too hard a material
Remedy Improper blade specification; blade is too hard for the material being cut. Use a softer bonded blade to reduce operating stresses.
Cause "Dull" Blade
Remedy "Open" blade by dressing segment on abrasive block.


Uneven Segment Wear
Drawing of Uneven Segment Wear
Cause Insufficient water (usually on one side of blade).
Remedy Flush out water system and check flow and distribution to both sides of blade.
Cause Equipment defects cause the segments to wear unevenly.
Remedy Replace bad bearings, worn arbor shaft or misalignment to spindle. Concrete saws, engine must run smoothly to prevent harmonic vibration.
Cause Saw is misaligned.
Remedy Check saw head alignment for squareness both vertically and horizontally


Arbor Hole Out-of-Round
Cause Blade collar is not properly tightened, permitting blade rotation or vibration on the shaft.
Remedy Tighten the shaft nut with a wrench to make certain that the blade is adequately secured.
Cause Blade collars are worn or dirty, not allowing proper blade clamping.
Remedy Clean blade collars, making sure they are not worn.
Cause Blade is not properly mounted.
Remedy Make certain the blade is mounted on the proper shaft diameter before tightening shaft nut. Ensure the pin hole slides over drive pin. Make sure that drive pin is in pin hole.
Cause Loose Belt on saw.
Remedy Tighten belts. Check to see if arbor on saw is running true.


Undercutting the Steel Center
Drawing of Undercutting the Steel Center
Cause Abrasion of steel center due to highly abrasive fines generated during cutting.
Remedy Use as much water as possible to flush out fines generated during cutting, or use wear-retardant cores.
Cause Cutting through material into sub-base.
Remedy Wear-retardant cores are not always the ultimate solution to eliminating undercutting. Your best defense is to always provide an adequate water flow to the steel center area immediately adjacent to the segment. This is especially important when making deep cuts.


Segment Cracks
Drawing of Segment Cracks in Blade
Cause Blade is too hard for material being cut.
Remedy Use a blade with a softer bond.
Cause Blade being "forced" through the cut causing chattering
Remedy Run Saw at normal speed. "Open" blade by resharpening in abrasive material.


Blade Wobbles
Drawing of Blade Wobbles
Cause Blade runs at improper speed.
Remedy Check for bad bearings, bent shaft, or worn mounting arbor. Speed of the saw is either too fast or too slow for the size of the blade: RPM of the saw should be verified to the specific speeds established by the NASI Standards for minimum and Maximum blade speeds; make certain that blade shaft is running at recommended RPM to match tensioned speed of blade. Should the blade continue to wobble after verification of the saw RPM, then the blade should be returned to the manufacturer to be retensioned and flattened.
Cause Blade collar diameters are not identical.
Remedy Check blade collar discs to make sure they are clean, flat and of correct diameter
Cause Blade is bent as a result of dropping or being twisted in the cut during operation.
Remedy Blade should be returned to the manufacturer to be retensioned and flattened.
Cause Loss of blade tension.
Remedy (see loss of tension)


Segment Loss
Drawing of Segment Loss on Blade
Cause Overheating due to lack of water.
Remedy Check water feed lines and make sure flow is adequate on both sides of blade.
Cause Steel center is worn from undercutting.
Remedy Use sufficient water to flush out the cut.
Cause Defective blade collars are causing blade misalignment.
Remedy Clean blade collars or replace if collars are under recommended diameter.
Cause Blade is too hard for material being cut.
Remedy Use proper blade specification for material being cut.
Cause Blade is cutting out of round, causing a pounding motion.
Remedy Replace worn bearings; realign blade shaft or replace worn blade mounting arbor.
Cause Improper blade tension.
Remedy Ensure blade is running at correct RPM. Blade is tensioned for correct RPM. Tune engine according to manufacturers' manual.


Cracks in Steel Center
Drawing of Cracks in Steel Center
Cause Blade flutters in cut as a result of blade losing tension.
Remedy Tighten the blade shaft nut. Make sure blade is running at proper tensioned speed and that drive pin is functioning properly.
Cause Blade specification is too hard for the material being cut.
Remedy Use a softer blade bond to eliminate stresses that create cracks.
Cause Bad blade shaft bearing.
Remedy Replace blade shaft bearing.
Cause Overheating due to lack of water.
Remedy Check water feed lines and make sure flow is adequate on both sides of blade.


Loss of Tension
Drawing of Loss of Tension in Blade Core
Cause Steel center has been overheating as a result of blade spinning on arbor.
Remedy Check water flow, distribution and lines. Tighten the blade shaft nut. Make certain the drive pin is functioning (on concrete saws).
Cause Steel center has been overheating from rubbing the side of material being cut.
Remedy Make certain blade RPM is correct so the blade operates at its tensioned speed. Tune engine according to manufacturers' manual.
Cause Unequal pressure at blade clamping collars.
Remedy Blade clamping collars must be identical in diameter and the recommended size.


Short Blade Life
Cause Blade bond or matrix too soft.
Remedy Use a harder matrix blade.
Cause Overheating due to lack of water.
Remedy Check water feed lines and make sure flow is adequate on both sides of blade.