Toe-to-toe, dry cutting diamond blades go up against their rivals. That dry cutter utilizes an air cooling design, which is different from a wet blade’s water-cooled build. If a careless or uninformed tool operator were to mix them up, suddenly a wet blade would be working dry. It wouldn’t function like that for long. Scratch off one expensive blade, right? Clearly, we need to know what makes them different.
Dry VS. Wet Diamond Blade Differences
If that cutting disk is classed as a wet tool piece, then it gets used with water. And, should a dry blade be pulled out of its resting place, then it’s used when there’s a generous airflow present. Furthermore, air-cooled blade architectures use wider cutting segments, which encourage a drafting effect. If that ventilation is to be maintained, then shallow cuts and “free-spin” usage patterns are the order-of-the-day. Wet blades are continually soaked in water, so they stay cool and cut deeper.
The Machine Differences
Heavier and mounted on special equipment cradles, wet cutting diamond blades are not handheld tools. If a handheld model is pulled from the back of a workman’s truck, it’s a dry cutter. It’s still a diamond cutting blade, but its design suggests dry usage applications. Also, for the wet blade, that heavy gear is waterproof; no way can water impact the sealed electrics. For the dry cutting model, such considerations are secondary. There’s minor weatherproofing on the equipment so that it can be used outdoors, but there’s no need for any heavy waterproofing. By the way, going back to the blade designs, there are differences between their metal-bonded forms.
The Diamond Bonded Differences
On the rim of a dry disk, the wider segments use laser-welded mineral particles and a softer bonding agent. The idea here is to ensure the abrasive layers erode before the steel matrix overheats. Laser welding tech gives the diamonds a high-temperature anchor, which is then broken down by the softer bonding material so that the dry cutting blade does not overheat. Importantly, this blade type will not endure long if it’s placed under stress. A light and easy approach is essential. Elsewhere, looking close at a wet cutting diamond blade, its brazed gems and harder bonds facilitate heavy-duty abrasive operations.
Keeping those deeper cuts going, a stream of water coats a wet blade. Cooled as it penetrates deep through reinforced concrete or steel, the flow also clears out abraded detritus. As for the dry cutting diamond blade, it’s a superior detailing tool, but it’s used intermittently and won’t cut as deep. As a final by-the-way, wet cutting reduces particle emissions, so the respiratory hazards here are reduced. Dry cutting will release dangerous clouds of floating dust. Wear respiratory gear when dry cutting.
