How to organize slate cutting
How to cut a slate angle grinder. which disc is cut
How to cut slate from power tools
Mechanical tools
Cutting flat slate at home
Flat and wavy slate sheets are widely used as roofing. During their installation, there is a need for cutting, which is a rather specific operation.
How to organize slate cutting
The slate is characterized by sufficient fragility, which is why during the breaking or sawing of sheets, the formation of very small asbestos fibers and particles. Asbestos is known to be a harmful substance that provokes the occurrence of cancer. So that the cutting of the material is not accompanied by its destruction, with the appearance of asbestos dust, you need to know what the slate is cut with and use protective equipment.
Requirement for cutting slate sheets:
- Mandatory use of personal protective equipment. For respiratory organs it is a respirator, for the eyes. special glasses, for the skin. gloves and dense clothes. In addition, a lot of noise is generated during the operation of a detachable electric tool: anti-noise headphones will help from it.
- In order to reduce the amount of dust generated by an order of magnitude and make the slate less fragile, the cut area is wetted with water before cutting. To do this, you can use wet rags or direct watering of the cutting line during operation.
- When working on the street, it is important to find a place so that the resulting asbestos dust is carried away by the wind away from the operator.
- If the procedure is performed indoors, there should not be anyone else except the workers. All doors must be tightly closed, taking measures for their additional sealing.
How to cut a slate angle grinder. which disc is cut
This procedure can be performed using two types of disks along a slate:
Stone disc.
In this case, no significant effort is required. It is important to organize a constant flow of water with a thin stream to the place of contact of the angle grinder and slate. In this way, cooling of the disc and prevention of dust are achieved. The easiest way to do this is to place an assistant next to you with a garden hose or a cut plastic bottle. When working alone, the hose with water is fixed in a convenient position for watering. Using an angle grinder and a stone disc, it is better to cut along the slate wave. For convenience, before starting work, the sheet is marked and laid on a flat surface. If the cut is carried out near the edge of the sheet, a wide board is placed under it.
If necessary, the cut in the direction transverse to the waves is divided into two stages. First, an incision is made of convex ridges. Then, turning the slate over, the procedure is repeated: it turns out that those ridges that were below are on top. If everything is done correctly, the sheet neatly splits into two parts. At the end of work, the tool should be thoroughly wiped from dust, especially its working part. The fact is that if asbestos-cement layers become petrified, removing them from the surface of the disk for an angle grinder along a slate will be very difficult. Use a soft, dry cloth for cleaning.
Diamond wheel. Using an angle grinder with a diamond wheel, you can cut the slate in any direction. For greater efficiency, it is pre-wetted, increasing the elasticity and suppleness of the material. In addition, this will significantly reduce the amount of dust that appears. If the cutting is carried out in the winter, then the slate sheets can simply be laid on top of the snow: in this case, most of the asbestos dust is simply absorbed into the snow cover.
In addition to cutting in any direction, an angle grinder with a diamond wheel can grind the edges of the slate sheet. Due to this, an improvement in the resistance of the material to climatic influences is achieved. It is also convenient to cut the corners of sheets with a diamond wheel if they do not move halfway during laying.
How to cut slate from power tools
In addition to an angle grinder, a cutting machine equipped with a stone cutting disc can also be used to cut slate. The preparatory procedure here is the same as in the case of the angle grinder: the sheet is first marked out and then moistened. When working with a cutting machine, it is important not to allow any shifts, holding the disc exactly along the marking. For one approach, it is usually not possible to cut the slate, therefore, after wetting the incision with water, the procedure is repeated again, due to which the incision deepens. As a rule, to comfortably break the slate, 3-4 such approaches are required.
For sawing wet slate, you can use a conventional jigsaw, equipping it with canvases with a small tooth. The spindle is set in a low gear mode. When using this tool, it is important to observe increased accuracy, avoiding any pressure on the slate, otherwise it will crumble. The use of a jigsaw is justified only in the case of small amounts of such work.
Mechanical tools
If cutting slate is carried out indoors, or a suitable power tool is not available, classic tricks come to the rescue than cutting slate.
In this case, the soaked sheet can be cut in the following ways:
- Hacksaw. To do this, a tool with interchangeable blades and small teeth is suitable. It is necessary to stock up on several such canvases in advance, since during the course of work they become dull rather quickly and become clogged with asbestos dust. During cutting it is recommended to avoid pressure, otherwise brittle material may break.
- Hand cutter. In this case, it will be necessary to deepen the incision several times according to the applied marking. Between approaches it is necessary to wet the notch line. When the cutter goes deeper by 2/3 of the sheet thickness, it can be broken. To do this, a wooden plank is placed under the slate, just along the notch line: after clicking on the edges of the sheet, it can easily split into two parts.
- Hammer and Roofing Nail. For this, the marking line in many places is carefully punched with a nail. It is advisable to make as many of these holes as possible. this will only contribute to the quality of the fracture. When applying holes in the direction longitudinal to the wave, the slate is turned so that this wave passes below. After applying a series of holes, a wooden block or rail is placed under them: by clicking on the edges of the sheet, they break it. To facilitate this procedure, it is allowed to tap the fault line with a hammer.
To implement this method, special slate nails will be required.
DIY slate cutting
They are distinguished from ordinary ones by the presence of a special shape of the rod and a soft head, which avoids splitting of sheets during clogging. To speed up the process of equipping the slate with a series of holes, roofing nails are stuffed into the block. This kind of comb is usually used for continuous work with slate sheets.
Cutting flat slate at home
To separate flat slate sheets, any method of cutting a wavy slate can be taken into service. However, it is most convenient to cut an even slate with an angle grinder with a disc over the stone. For the procedure, a flat surface is selected on which the material is laid. it can be a simple wooden flooring, or a dense dirt platform. The main thing is that the bottom base is not expensive, since during cutting it will be damaged. When cutting near the edge of the slate, it is advisable to place a wooden rail of the desired length under it. Before cutting flat slate at home, you need to organize the water supply to the place of work, to reduce the amount of asbestos dust
Regardless of which disk the slate is cut into, it is important to avoid rushing and to exercise maximum accuracy. Any careless movement can cause sheets to crack, which, as you know, cannot be glued together. If such work is carried out for the first time, you should definitely familiarize yourself with the recommendations on how to saw off the slate. If possible, it is best to first practice on an unnecessary old piece of material.
Video: Than To Cut Slate Wave Which Disk
How to cut slate: useful tips about methods and tools
Despite the presence on the market of a huge number of new roofing materials, many Russians continue to give preference to the classic asbestos-cement slate. The demand for such coverage from year to year remains stable. and this is not surprising, because it has quite a few advantages that outweigh the disadvantages to a large extent. The latter, by the way, should include its excessive hardness and fragility.
See also: What is the service life of the slate on the roof and in accordance with GOST
What is the best way to cut a wave slate at home? This question is often asked by people who independently change the roofing. We will try to answer it in this article.
Suitable tools
As practice shows, during the installation of slate in most cases it is impossible to do without cutting.
Most often, an angle grinder is used for this. this machine can split a sheet into two parts in a few minutes. This option is the least labor-intensive, but, unfortunately, not all have the aforementioned tool on the farm.
Without an angle grinder you can still use:
- electric jigsaw;
- hacksaw;
- a drill.
Angle Grinder
As previously noted, the use of this tool greatly simplifies the work. The procedure in this case is as follows:
- the slate is laid evenly, necessarily on two longitudinal supports;
- mark with a pencil a fishing line;
- water the surface with water (this will avoid dust);
- the machine is installed at low speeds (the circle is used on stone or diamond);
- start to cut from any convenient end.
The main requirement is not to put too much pressure on the slate and constantly moisten it with water.
See also: How can I block the roof with corrugated board after slate do-it-yourself and video
Cutting with a jigsaw
This tool can also be cut slate both sideways and across, but it will take a lot more power than in the first case. The problem is that, as a rule, jigsaws have a fairly small power, and in addition, even an expensive saw very quickly fails. In this case, you need a blade with victorious teeth, made of high carbon steel.
First of all, you need to install the slate on a reliable support. The gap under it should allow the file to move unhindered. Do not lay the sheet on a too high base. it may fall and break.
The cut line is drawn with a pencil and watered with water. Additionally put still wet rags on the sides. The jigsaw is moved parallel to the bends of the slate with minimal effort. It’s easier to cut along the waves. In the same way, you can cut the sheet with a circular or a chainsaw. But here you will need some experience.
Drill application
This method is rather slow and does not guarantee an absolute result. The procedure is as follows:
- slate is installed on a support;
- draw a fishing line;
- frequent drill holes make a medium diameter drill;
- then break off the excess by putting the sheet on the corner of the table.
The edge will be uneven, but if the slate is used, for example, as a border for beds, then this will work. In extreme cases, it can be sanded with emery.
In the absence of a drill, it is worth using a nail. In particular, they scratch a deep fishing line on both sides of the slate, and then break the latter, pressing simultaneously from the four edges. By the way, it is better to additionally make shallow cuts on them.
Hacksaw
The hand saw is quite successfully coping with the task. True, you will have to make every effort and spend a lot of time, but the cut will be neat and smooth.
The slate sheet is installed obliquely against the wall, on two parallel boards. They should be taken about half a meter longer than the material being cut in order to have enough space for the tool to move.
The saw is held almost parallel to the slate. thanks to this approach, it will never get stuck, and the fishing line will be even smoother. Then, wetting the sheet with water, they begin to work. One cut along the entire length will take about 25-30 minutes.
Cutter
This tool resembles a boot knife. it has a short triangular, fairly thick blade. A wooden block or a metal strip is placed near the line drawn with a pencil. it acts as a guide.
Further, applying maximum effort, it is necessary to cut the surface of the slate. For fidelity, this is done several times. Then it remains only to break off an unnecessary piece, pressing the sheet to the corner of the table. In the absence of this tool, a regular wallpaper sectional knife will do.
Pliers
This method is advisable to use if you need to get rid of a small piece of slate. The whole process takes a lot of time, but if there is no choice, then such a method will work.
Its meaning is as follows. with small pliers, little pieces of slate are broken off to a drawn line. It is possible to pinch a maximum of 5 millimeters at a time.
How to cut flat and wave slate. methods and tools
The disadvantage of this option is that excess material goes to the trash. In addition, the fishing line is extremely uneven and rough.
Precautionary measures
In the process of sawing slate, you must remember that it contains a very dangerous material. asbestos. His dust in particular considered a powerful carcinogen. In addition, it can also irritate the respiratory and visual organs. This poses a great danger to people with chronic diseases of the lungs and eyes.
In reality, protecting yourself from the negative effects of asbestos is easy. It is only necessary to follow the recommendations below:
- slate cutting should be carried out only on the street;
- be sure to wear a respirator or a bandage made of wet cloth;
- use safety glasses;
- work on the leeward side.
When using power tools, you should also wear protective gloves and use noise-attenuating headphones.
Surely, the most common and popular roofing material in the territory of the former USSR is slate. He found application everywhere. roofs, fences, garages. However, not everyone knows how to work with this material, as well as the main thing than cutting slate. We will try to give the most detailed answer about the nuances of working with this material.
Asbestos, Portland cement and water are used to produce slate.
How to cut slate
However, foreign manufacturers, keeping up with the times, are trying to eliminate the use of asbestos, as a component harmful to the human body.
Modern slate coatings are enhanced with deep penetration primers and water-repellent paint (polymer) materials. Thus, the problem with asbestos fiber dust has been successfully resolved.
Material benefits
The main advantage of using slate is its resistance to extremes of both high and low temperatures in various climatic zones, as well as its resistance to water resistance and resistance to aggressive ultraviolet radiation. In addition, its predominant property is excellent insulation of roofing and attic structures.
Most often, slate coating is made in the form of rectangular sheets with a wavy surface to simplify drainage from the roofing surface. But today, for the construction and improvement of land, flat slate sheets are also being produced. It is used:
- for installation of walls of utility rooms;
- device fences and fences;
- in construction. when pouring foundations. as a fixed formwork, which serves as a waterproofing barrier, protecting the product from groundwater and product jams.
How to work with slate?
learning to work with slate
Slate is a rather fragile and unsafe material when improperly organized work with it. Therefore, every builder must know how to cut slate, so that the cut of the sheet is even, so that the material does not crumble, and also that your work does not harm your health.
As you know, slate consists of asbestos, which belongs to the class of silicates and is not safe for the human body when inhaled.
To protect yourself and others as much as possible when working with slate sheets, strictly observe the basic rules:
- when working, be sure to use personal protective equipment, such as a respirator, gloves and safety glasses;
- wet the material to reduce dusting;
- Settle down on the street so that when cutting slate, the dust will be blown away by you.
Slate cutting methods
use a circular saw to cut slate
They use several methods, depending on what we cut the slate with:
- angle grinder with stone disc,
- angle grinder with diamond wheel,
- cutting machine
- jigsaw
- hacksaw, cutter, slate nail.
- Consider each of the methods of cutting the sheet in more detail.
First you need to make the slate sheet more flexible and supple, which will help us avoid brittleness and protect our health from asbestos dust.
For this we use plain water.
We wet the rags with water, lay them on the intended line, on which the slate will be cut, and leave for a couple of hours. The material has become softer, but still pressing it should be careful to avoid cracking. For cutting wet slate use an angle grinder, jigsaw or a conventional hacksaw.
How to cut wave slate?
If your farm has an angle grinder equipped with a diamond wheel, then the question “how to cut slate” has already been resolved. Using diamond blades, we make cuts of different directions on the angle grinder and grind the edges. If we use this method in the winter, we carry out the cutting in the snow, bringing the angle grinder on top of the sheet, as a result of which the dust is not sprayed.
Another way of cutting slate is when using a cutting machine on which a stone disc is attached. The method is as follows: we moisten the line of the sheet cut, lightly draw with the disc, moisten again, hold the disc a little deeper and repeat several times until the cut line is deepened. After that, the slate can be easily broken and avoid unnecessary marriage.
Flat sheet cutting
cutting flat sheets
If you intend to use flat slate in construction, then there are several methods that will help you decide how to cut flat slate.
Basically you can use an angle grinder with a stone disc. But for this you need an assistant. The scheme of work is as follows. you cut the sheet, and the assistant pours a thin stream of water into the place of the cut. This method will help you reduce the dustiness of the environment and the tool. Since asbestos dust accumulates, dries and as a result becomes difficult to remove, all contaminants must be washed off after work.
The cutter will also help with cutting a flat slate sheet. On the sheet we mark the line of the cut, after laying the slate on a flat, flat surface. We draw a cutter along this line several times, deepening the cut, and carefully break the sheet along the incised line.
But the easiest way is to use such an improvised tool as a slate nail and a hammer. Only with the construction of a slate nail will the sheet be cut without damage and chips. To do this, along the marked cut line with a slate nail and a hammer, punch holes, put a block under the cut line and break the slate sheet. It should be remembered that the more holes, the smoother the cut.
Choosing a convenient and effective method of cutting slate, we can once again emphasize the practicality and ease of use of this roofing material in the modern construction of cozy houses and summer cottages.