Reciprocating saw on paving slabs?

[RobinBHM]

This☝
If you go this route, kickback on a 9" grinder can be a surprise, and not pleasant one.

Yeah, I had a nasty kickback cutting a concrete post.

The Makita grinder swung round and clouted my ankle.....luckily only the guard not the diamond disc....but it flipping hurt.

 

[Jake]

Definitely a tool to respect. My neighbour's landlord is a property developer, he has some guys who work for him. I got to know them a bit when they did some work on a party garden wall. The younger one had an accident with a 9" grinder on another job. He was wearing a hoody. The grinder climbed a drawstring into his face. He survived but it sounded pretty horrible.

I've used one of those concrete chainsaws on hire to make some cuts that a disk couldn't make - pretty impressive tools but overkill for a straight cut on a slab.

 

[Fergie 307]

very generous offer, thankyou. to be honest I've not got any immediate need, my original post was more of a hyperthetical, thought a masonary blade might be a useful addition to my reciprocating saw that I could see me using for a few cuts a year. seems like the general consensus is that it is a non starter, I've got a small grinder and a suitable disc which will see me through most jobs I'm likely to want to tackle.

Best thing really is a petrol disc cutter, you can then keep the dust down with a hose without electrocuting yourself. If you only have to do a few, and don't need to cut inside corners then you can use a 125mm disc cutter and diamond disc. Just cut through as far as you can then snap them. You can tidy up rough edges with the same disc, but will still have a nice sharp cut where it will show. Good tip is to lay them flat on the lawn to cut them.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Good tip is to lay them flat on the lawn to cut them.

Yes, support is everything when cutting anything fragile. I keep on meaning to get a 8x4 sheet of insulation to use as a base for cutting with the circular saw, essentially being the same principal as cutting on the lawn

 

[Fergie 307]

Best thing really is a petrol disc cutter, you can then keep the dust down with a hose without electrocuting yourself. If you only have to do a few, and don't need to cut inside corners then you can use a 125mm disc cutter and diamond disc. Just cut through as far as you can then snap them. You can tidy up rough edges with the same disc, but will still have a nice sharp cut where it will show. Good tip is to lay them flat on the lawn to cut them.

just to add in view of people's comments about kick back and accidents. The other advantage of the petrol cutters is they are designed for this, they have a pivot bar underneath that rolls the disc into the cut, and a big front handle to control it. They also usually have built in pipes for wetting the cut, so you just connect up to a hose and off you go. Have used mine hundreds of times without any problems. I imagine you could hire one quite cheaply.

 

[ossieosborne]

I agree with the 9" disc cutter as being the best tool for the job, however I have one of these little makita dustless dry stone cutters and they aren't bad at all - I bought it a while ago to cut 30mm granite worktop with and it easily does that and if you hook it up to a vacuum the dust is negligible - used it recently for chasing a wall indoors and had hardly any dust off it , far far less than an angle grinder which covers everything! lol

I fancy one of these machines but i can't find a stockist for the replacement discs.

 

[monster]

Ossie - I'm still on the original which seems a very good blade - regarding replacements, the odd size is the bore which is 20mm rather than the more widely available 22.5mm - I guess any 125mm dia blade with a 20mm bore will work, but you are right, i haven't been able to easily find an exact makita replacement and ive just had a little google around!

 

[rafezetter]

Unicorn I've sent you a PM I'm also in Bristol and have various grinders and stone dressing paraphenalia I can bring over to do it, but would rather do the cutting myself, I've got more experience at it.

edit NVM - just read your reply to beanwood.