Soff-Cut® Saw Setup and Maintenance
Published on
February 15, 2024 at 12:38:31 PM PST February 15, 2024 at 12:38:31 PM PSTth, February 15, 2024 at 12:38:31 PM PST
Soff-Cut® Saws are a great tool to eliminate the chance of cracking in green concrete. These early entry saws need to be set up and maintained properly to maximize your efficiency. Jack Tuckner, one of Esch's Soff-Cut® experts, explains what you should do before running your Soff-Cut® saws
Soff-Cut® Saw Setup & Maintenance Process
1. Make sure the blade block pistons are moving freely.
Clean the blade block after each day after use to remove concrete buildup. The pistons, shield, and Lexan plate should freely move up and down when you press up on them. If it's jammed, there might be bits of concrete stuck inside the blade block. Use a margin trowel or heavy-duty hand-held brush to clean the area. If the blade block pistons are still jammed, use a graphite-based lubricant (do not use WD40)
2. Align the Soff-Cut® Blade with the Skid Plate
The skid plate is designed to keep the Soff-Cut® blade stable when cutting a joint. If the skid plate is bent, the Soff-Cut® blade will wobble when it's cutting, causing ravelled Soff-Cut® joints. Replace your skid plate if it is bent or damaged.
3. Add a Vacuum
To get the most productivity from your Soff-Cut Saw cut dust-free Esch Vac 552 or Husqvarna DE120 Dust Extractor
4. Make sure you are in the Green Zone
The Green Zone is the window of opportunity to cut the concrete before it has a chance to crack. Test the concrete by touching, stepping, and rolling the Soff-Cut® Saw onto the concrete. If there are no impressions on the concrete, you are ready to begin laying out your cuts.
5: Break in your Soff-Cut® Blade
Every time you use a new Soff-Cut blade, you should break it in. To break in your Soff-Cut blade, set your saw to 50% rpm, and run your saw & blade for 30ft. After 30ft your Soff-Cut® blade should be properly broken in. The diamonds in the segment are more exposed to the concrete which allows for faster, smoother cutting. Check out our blog on Breaking in Your Soff-Cut® Blades.
READ MORE ABOUT SOFF-CUT® EARLY-ENTRY
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