# How To Cut Bluestone Treads/Caps



## AGWhitehouse (Jul 1, 2011)

My father cut 2" bluestone for his sidewalk and front stoop with his craftsman skill saw and a masonry blade. placed the garden hose next to the cut and had it on low. Just enough water to cool the cut but not douse the saw and really risk electrical shock. He even noted as he did it and I'm stressing now that, if you go this route, be sure that you are on a ground fault protected circuit.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

You can do it with a circular saw, but you'll need to make successively deeper cuts. I would not make a single pass.
Clamp a straight edge to the stone so the repeated cuts are in the same kerf.


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## stadry (Jun 20, 2009)

since you probably don't have a diamond blade, buy a dri-diamond & cut away w/your circle saw as ron posts,,,we often cut w/4" grinders


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Ron6519 said:


> You can do it with a circular saw, but you'll need to make successively deeper cuts. I would not make a single pass.
> Clamp a straight edge to the stone so the repeated cuts are in the same kerf.


That's good info regardless of what you're sawing with. The same thing goes for the larger diameter & more powerful gas saws. Step cutting undoubtedly lowers friction, and thus heat, which is what slowly destroys the bonds between the diamonds & the blade.

And yes, I have no doubt that a circle saw will work just fine, especially if fitted with a diamond blade. A grinder with a diamond will work as well, and may be cheaper if you already own the tool.


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## 99altrade (Nov 18, 2010)

I have a diamond blade on my wet tile saw I can use (I believe it's 7" like the circular, in which case I can pop it onto the circular or need a diamond blade specifically designed for dry cutting - like the dry blade you mention?).

Continuous or segmented blade?

Thanks.


itsreallyconc said:


> since you probably don't have a diamond blade, buy a dri-diamond & cut away w/your circle saw as ron posts,,,we often cut w/4" grinders


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## 99altrade (Nov 18, 2010)

I have a 7" circular and a 3.5" rotozip (I have a diamond blade for this). I don't think the roto will get all the way through the stone without cutting some, turning over and doing so on bottom as well. Either preferred for a good clean cut or it's purely preference/convenience between these tools?

Thanks.



jomama45 said:


> And yes, I have no doubt that a circle saw will work just fine, especially if fitted with a diamond blade. A grinder with a diamond will work as well, and may be cheaper if you already own the tool.


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## AGWhitehouse (Jul 1, 2011)

99altrade said:


> need a diamond blade specifically designed for dry cutting.


Would highly recommend a big fan if you choose this route otherwise you'll be in dust so thick you'll be stopping ever 20 seconds to escape for breath. The overwhelming dust from dry cutting with a circular saw that mandates, by design, you being close to the cutting is the reason we used the hose I described in my above posting.


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## 99altrade (Nov 18, 2010)

Very good, will do . Thanks for the advice.



AGWhitehouse said:


> Would highly recommend a big fan if you choose this route otherwise you'll be in dust so thick you'll be stopping ever 20 seconds to escape for breath. The overwhelming dust from dry cutting with a circular saw that mandates, by design, you being close to the cutting is the reason we used the hose I described in my above posting.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Segmented diamonds generally cut much faster, but you could try the tile blade if you're willing to risk burning it up. You will need to make sure the arbor (mounting hole in the blade) is the right size for the circular saw as well. 

IMO, bluestone coping is too valuable to be dinking around trying to cut it with a dremel tool.


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