When industry professionals have something very large to cut, like a huge slab of granite or marble, they often rely on a bridge saw to cut it into more manageable, workable pieces. Bridge saws for stone cutting come in a wide variety of sizes depending on each person or company’s needs. In many cases, they are many feet across in order to accommodate big pieces of stone and similar materials. In this article, we will talk about the basic function and setup of a bridge saw, as well as information on how to operate a bridge saw for cutting stone.
What is a bridge saw?
Bridge saws are used in industrial masonry and stone cutting, and they get their name from their shape. If you stand back and look at this type of machine, you will see that it does, in fact, resemble a bridge, with two posts or supports on either side, connected by a sort of bridge that spans several feet. This connecting bridge is the track along which the saw’s cutting head moves. What this means is that the size of the stone slab that can be cut is limited only by the width of this bridge.
Like all masonry saws and stone cutting saws, bridge saws are fitted with a diamond blade to grind through the material, while a water pumping system runs water over the blade and stone during cutting in order to keep the blade cool and minimize dust.
When operating a bridge saw for stone cutting, the cutting head and diamond blade will travel across the “bridge”, moving through the granite, marble or other material as it does.
How to operate a bridge saw?
The first step to operating a bridge saw for stone cutting is proper setup and safety check of the machine. This includes making sure the diamond blade installed on the saw is appropriate for whatever type of stone you will be cutting, that it is the correct size for the bridge saw, and also that it is properly installed. You should also check the water pump, as well as any power cords, cables or belts, and if applicable, the oil and petrol levels for the motor.
It is also the bridge saw operator’s responsibility to wear the right personal protective equipment and to make sure that other people nearby are protected.
When it is time to cut, the stone should be placed on the table underneath the bridge of the bridge saw. The blade should be aligned with the mark along which the stone is to be cut. First, power on the water pump and double check that water is flowing freely over the blade. Then, you can turn on the blade.
At this point, each manufacturer and model of bridge saw will have slightly different operating procedures, and you should consult the user manual. But in general, these machines run on a semi-automatic program. The operator will use the saw’s control panel to tell the cutting head to move down into the stone and across the bridge, grinding through until it reaches the other side. In some cases, you may be able to set the height that the cutting head should be at during cutting to control the depth of the cut.
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