Cutting in block paving - Cutting blocks

[digerjones]

paving a drive at mo and wondered what peoples thoughts on useing a table top cutter for the cuts. i normaly use my styl saw and hire a splitter. i thought it might be easyer on my back, cleaner and neater. i have been quoted £80 plus vat for a week witch i didnt think was to bad a price, thoughts please.
cheers diggerjones

[Dave_L]

Stihl Saw with a water attachment and a block splitter.

[digerjones]

cheers dave, are you saying stihl saw and block splitter is a better idea than a table saw.
cheers

[lutonlagerlout]

we did a 1200 M drive in 93 and i hired a bench saw for that
the amount of cutting and also it was 80 mm blocks
you need a wet suit though as it will get you soaked to the skin
but far far quicker once you get a template set up for cutting halfs etc
LLL

[DNgroundworks]

tbh ive had a few different models of block spitters and i find em all crap, the cut is just not clean enough, i personally use a stihl saw but being tall and suffering from a prolapsed disk and siatic nerve problems, its agony, so next on "my to buy list" is a table top saw

[msh paving]

Probst al33 snapper the best every time, quick no mess,MSH

[digerjones]

thanks for the input men, are we saying that its a good idea for £80 a week. plus they do a electric version so not so much noise and no money spent on pertol. on another point the drive i am doing is on quite a steep slope with other contours going off in different directions. i was just wondering how paving contractors deal with this. obviously i normaly put screed bars down and screed off these and the edge coarse. because the screed bars are straight, how can i screed so the paving flows. hope this makes sense.
thanks

[mickg]

free hand screeding is the only way blending the areas together as smooth as possible so the block paving flows from one area to the next

I use a 1.8m long level for larger areas what need to be screeded free hand, its nice and straight and you can see the sand has got fall by checking the bubble

for a small area its a piece of 3 x 2 timber cut to the length you require

[digerjones]

cheers mick thats just the answer i was after. have you any thoughts on my other query regarding the table saw.
cheers

[lutonlagerlout]

IMO table saws are great if you have the room to use them,lot safer and ergonomic,I'm sure like most lads here cutting a normal drive in for me is a days work tops ,so it doesnt make sense for us.
but if you are doing a lot of curves etc it will save your back

DNgroundworks at your age a prolapsed disc is bad news for life on the buildings,
can it be properly fixed?
LLL

[mickg]

I have used most methods available for cutting block paving and for speed and a very neat cut the only way is a Stihl Saw

I used to own a clipper table saw and they are very good for cutting halves if the laying pattern is square or for cutting the same angle cut for a long run but you need to wear an all in one duck suit and a pair of wellies as your wet through from the chest downwards at the end of the day

I bought a dogs bollocks probst block splitter 15 years ago and its still in tip top condition as I don't use it due the the fact the cut is not good enough for the finish I leave a domestic driveway, if I was working on a car park for Asda then it would be OK

the only item I have not tried is the smaller clipper saw, I think they call it the Norton, with the dust extraction instead of water suppression, but at the end of the day its personal choice and what you feel comfortable in using

on a different note but still on the same theme as this thread, I have stopped buying the cheap general purpose diamond blades which would maybe last 1 - 2 driveways and started to purchase the more expensive diamond blades, I am at the end of a blade today what i bought just before Christmas, it been well worth the money

[rab1]

as i`ve said many times before i`m not a pro but felt a 9" angle grinder was the easiest tool to use for cutting, but have to say watched my bro with a partner 1250 cut neater lines than me. just what your used too, i suppose ???

[DNgroundworks]

LLL apparentley not, me Dad his Dad etc etc has the same problem could be fine for years then you bend over to pick up a pencil and ......oh dear its gone again, apparentley partly due to weak stomach muscles.

The sciatic nerve problem is a daily grind for me usualy disappears by about dinner time, but some days my ass, lower back, thigh and calve mucles on my right leg hurt like hell, so out comes the codeine...

[ilovesettsonmondays]

do you have your wallet in your right trouser pocket dn

[DNgroundworks]

how strange setts i actually do!!! and if i take it out when im driving its a huge releif, i actually somtimes think that maybe thats partly responsible for it but i dunno, more full of moths and useless credit cards than ewt else im afraid!!