How to cut stones and bricks?

kitfriendesq

Would love some advice on the most economic approach to enable me to cut:

- bricks (usually just neatly in halves) 

- stones - the kids have been thunderegg fossicking on holiday 

not huge volumes.

I’ve got a Makita LS0815FL mitre saw as one option but my googling suggests not great mix with the dust/slurry. 

Also could use my Ryobi grinder with the right wheel…

Any tips? 

JacobZ

Hi @kitfriendesq,

Thank you for your question about cutting stone and bricks.

There are quite a few methods that you can employ to cut stones and bricks.

The tried-and-true method practiced by masons for millennia is to use a Trojan 115m Brick Bolster with a hammer to score lines around the stone or brick. Once scored around the full diameter of the stone, hit the stone harder to break it along your score line. This method of scoring and then breaking will give a natural edge to the brick or stone that follows the weaknesses present within. If you plan to use this method, please wear gloves, a mask and eye protection as it is possible that stone chips can become airborne.

You could also use your angle grinder with a diamond blade to cut the stones and masonry. This will give you a much straighter cut, but it will not look as natural as the above method. As this is an abrasive method of cutting, it will create a lot of airborne silica dust, which is not advisable. Please ensure that anyone around the working area is using a dust mask, or even better a respirator.

You can use a DTA 125mm Dust Extractor Shroud in conjunction with a vacuum to vastly reduce the amount of airborne silica dust. This shroud is compatible with most angle grinders, but it is worth confirming compatibility before purchasing.

Using water in conjunction with the diamond blade will turn the dust to slurry, but you should be very careful using water around a power tool.

The final method I can suggest is a Demolition Saw which has a port to connect directly to a garden hose. This will massively reduce the amount of airborne silica dust, but a mask should still be used and all necessary precautions taken. As this is a tool for hire in conjunction with Coates Hire, I'd suggest calling your local Bunnings to confirm availability before heading in store.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob