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Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 10:33 pm
by IanO
Hi
Firstly, may I add to the welter of praise for this website - it is awesome - a real credit to its author.
I have some rounded top edge pavings (from Wickes).
How should I cut the mitres for corners?
I chopped the rounded bit off but cannot successfully split a mitre on the rounded part with my splitter - would it be usual to use a diamond angle grinder on this? I have read your pages on mitres, but see no reference to this type of block.
The edging block is 200mm in length x 100mm square with a half-round cap.
Thank you.
Ian Oldfield
Epsom Downs.
Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 11:00 am
by 84-1093879891
You'll have to use a power saw or a nangle-grinder with a decent blade. Any paving unit with a non-square face can only really be cut with any degree of accuracy using a blade, rather than a splitter.
Funnily enough, I had to trim a handful of clay pavers for a mate yesterday, and rather than nip across town to borrow a cut-off saw from a contractor pal, I had a go using my little 4½" nangle-grinder fitted with a diamond blade acquired from B&Q at the unearthly price of 5 quid for two blades.
I was really surprised how well the blades cut through the clays - as any contractor will tell you, sawing clay pavers can be a real nightmare, as they vary in hardness, not just between individual bricks, but within a single brick you can hit patches of incredibly hard material and the blade starts to melt rather than cut. However, these cheap blades sliced through the bricks with only one or two awkward spots, which were 'nicked' sufficiently to break along the intended line, so no harm done.
Obviously, being a 110mm blade means there isn't sufficient depth to slice all the way through a paver, but I've never been all that keen on that method anyway - I always reckon that if you cut through to around one-third depth, any decent paver, whether it's a CBP, a clay or a flag, should split along the cut line with a bit of persuasion from a lump hammer. This not only saves on blade wear, but it produces a lot less dust, and given that most contractors only wear a dust mask when the Elfin Safety bods are on the prowl, this can only be a good thing! 
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:41 pm
by IanO
Tony
Many thanks for the advice.
I do have a 230mm diamond blade on my angle grinder, and a stand that makes it a chop saw, so that should work. I figure the best way to do it will be to use a block splitter to chop the block just below the radius, use the grinder to cut the mitre, then cement the whole lot back together in situ?
Also, I took your advice (from the web pages) to use a splitter for the blocks. It is a Birchwood, which I got for £234 delivered - seems a good price for a new machine?
I looked on Ebay but figured by the time I had paid postage and probably would need a new set of blades, this was a reasonable deal. If others are interested I got it from tool-net.co.uk
Busy weekend ahead! Thanks again - your pages are excellent and the forum adds icing to the cake.
Ian O
Epsom Downs
Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:56 am
by 84-1093879891
I can't figure out how you can use a splitter to chop part of the edging, and then the saw to finish it - wouldn't it be easier just to use the saw for the lot?
Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:33 am
by IanO
I figured it would be easier and result in a more accurate result if I cut the top third off the block using my splitter. (ie. the half-round + say 20mm). Then cut the half round mitre with an angle grinder (I have a 'chop-saw' device fitted to the grinder).
The two halves can then be easily joined back together, and being a corner, there is little force on the jointed block.
Cutting a mitre the full 200mm length of the block sounds very difficult, or have I misunderstood your point? Or perhaps you over-estimate my ability!
Thank you as always, for your advice.
Ian Oldfield
Epsom Downs
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 5:56 am
by 84-1093879891
A 200mm long cut using a saw with a decent diamond blade is a lot quicker than messing about doing some of it with the splitter and then switching over to the saw. Every contractor on this site slices through 200mm blocks every working day, and they take no more than 20-30 seconds, even quicker with a really good blade!