Machinery Check/Maintenance: Review engine maintenance procedures, condition of the guards and water tubes, Determine whether V-belts and bearings need to be replaced. Check the condition of the blade shaft. The condition of your equipment is a major factor in the overall performance and life of both the saw and diamond blade. Proper maintenance will ensure years of useful service.

Proper Power for the Cutting Application: The more horsepower (torque, not pressure on the blade), the more efficient the cut. Low horsepower saws may require a softer bond to compensate for the lower torque.

Proper Speed For The Blade Diameter Used: Recommended operating speeds for most diamond blades is between 9,500-11,500 surface feet per minute. Lower speeds are used in harder more dense materials; higher speeds are used in softer more abrasive materials. When changing blade diameter size, check with the manufacturer or distributor, as to the proper operating speed for the size of blade you are using.

The Right Specification: Make sure that the blade that you are using is intended for the application/material you are cutting.

Blade Mounting: When the blade is snugged up evenly against the blade core the blade will run true and improve the maximum cutting efficiency. A bad seat could possibly produce lopsided wear or an egg shaped or burnt arbor.

Blade Tension: Each blade is pretensioned to run true at the prescribed speed as set by the manufacturer. Blades that loose tension are prone to waffling or flutter, creating excessive side wear and eventually cracking of blade's blank (core). If the problem exists, return the blade to the manufacturer to be retensioned.

Water Placement: Ensure that adequate water flow is properly distributed on each side of the blade during cutting.

Water Volume: Water volume should be roughly 4.5-6 gallons per minute and not a high pressure flow to the blade. The proper water volume will depend on the flushing action required of the cut.

Keep the Blade out of the Base: When cutting through asphalt or a concrete slab and into the sub-base, water loss will result. The abrasive nature of the sand in the base will cause premature wear on both the steel blank (core) and the diamond segments.

Let the Blade do the Cutting: Excessive pressure on the blade while in the cut may cause the blade to glaze over the diamond crystals, creating stress cracks in the blank (core) causing the blade to become out of round. On lower horsepower saws, too much pressure may cause the blade to ride up out of the cut and cause the engine to stall. Listening to the engine is a key to smooth cutting.