Soff-Cut From Husqvarna
1. Timing of the Cut
If you are cutting concrete the same day as you poured the concrete, make sure you are cutting in the Green Zone™. The Green Zone™ is the window of opportunity for Soff-Cut to be used to make relief cuts in the concrete to prevent random cracking. You are considered "in the Green Zone" about 1 to 2 hours after the concrete is poured and just before the final set. The concrete is still hydrating in this window of time, so to prevent underlying cracks in the concrete, control joints are made to relieve the stress. Make sure to test the concrete before trying to cut. If you press down on the concrete with your hand, foot, or the Soff-Cut saw and if it makes a mark, the concrete is not ready to be cut.
2. Dress your Soff-Cut Blade
3. Blade Block & Skid Plate
The blade block and the anti-ravel skid plate are the reason Husqvarna's Soff-Cut system is unique. Skid plates attach to the two spring-loaded pistons at the bottom of the blade block. The blade block pistons keep a constant proper pressure on the concrete to make for a clean cut. Make sure your blade is aligned in the skid slot properly and not cutting into the skid plate causing damage. Inspect or change your skid plate after every new blade. This will help prevent chipping and spalling in your cut. Make sure there is no damage on the skid plate before cutting with a new diamond blade.
4. Soff-Cut Operation
Unlike other concrete cutting techniques, Soff-Cut is designed to cut the same day as the placing and finishing of the concrete. Once the finishing touches are made on the slab, you should begin to watch for the Green Zone™. Once you are in the Green Zone™ you should start to map out chalk lines 3.6m apart for control joints. Before making any cuts, check the life of the Soff-Cut blade and the skid plate. Also, check the engine and engine components to ensure you get the best performance from your Soff-Cut saw. Check out our best practices checklist to make sure your Soff-Cut saw is ready to cut. Once the Soff-Cut saw has been through a maintenance check and you are in the Green Zone™ you can begin making your cuts. Find your optimum forward travel speed, if the saw is pulling to the left, you are moving too slow and if the saw is pulling to the right, you are moving too fast. Inspect your Soff-Cut blade before and while you cut for any signs of overheating or glazing over. An overheated blade or glazed over segments show signs of an inadequate amount of coolant or sawing too quickly.
5. Protect Your Control Joints
Control joints are made to give relief to the concrete to help prevent random cracking. While in the Green Zone™ the concrete is still very fragile and putting pressure on the concrete may cause the sides to collapse. Do not step or roll the Soff-Cut saw over the control joints. While sweeping up debris from the cuts, it's important to sweep in the same line as the cut NOT ACROSS THE CUT.
When creating the center-line cut use joint protectors at the intersection with a control joint, and at the point where the Soff-Cut saw's wheel will drive over the joint. Joint protectors help maintain the concrete and keep the intersection intact. Once the intersection cut is made and the concrete has completed its final set, joint protectors can be removed.
6. Clean up and Transportation
When finished cutting, make sure you clean your blade block so it is ready for the next day. Remove any debris to keep the piston working properly. Take the Soff-Cut blade, the blade block, and the skid plate off the machine when transporting the saw. Smaller Soff-Cut saws, like the Soff-Cut 150, are easily compacted and folded to fit inside the back of a truck.
More Soff-Cut Info |
Check out more information on Soff-Cut equipment from Esch.
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