Large Stone Cutting Saws: Different Types to Consider

So, you have what looks like a huge piece of stone that needs to be cut, and you don’t know which type of saw will get the job done. There are a couple different types of large stone cutting saws to consider, and it mostly depends on what “large” means for your specific material. For example, some people may need to cut through a very long slab of granite for countertops, while others may be facing a small but very thick stone block. There is also a chance that what appears to be a huge piece of stone is just a normal day on the job for a regular masonry stone cutting saw.

Large stone cutting saws: bridge saws

For cutting the largest slabs of stone, granite, marble, etc., a bridge saw may be in order. Bridge saws are a type of large stone cutting saw in which the cutting head slides from one end to the other by means of an overhead bridge. This bridge support gives these machines the possibility of a longer maximum cutting length than other types of saws. In some cases, bridge saws are so large that the operator would have to walk the cutting head from the start of the cut to the finish if it weren’t for automated controls. SIMA’s bench saws are somewhat less large stone cutting saws with a built-in table, with maximum cutting lengths of 1.25 to 2.00 meters.

Large stone cutting saws: block saws

Perhaps the stone you need to cut isn’t particularly long, but is quite thick. A standard masonry or tile saw might have a maximum cutting depth of up to 4 or 5 inches, which in many cases is enough to get the job done in a couple of passes through the same cut. But if you need something more heavy duty, a block saw could be the large stone cutting saw that you are looking for. These machines are designed for stone blocks that are more modest in size (but by no means small—a normal maximum cutting length for these saws is still a respectable 0.5 to 0.9 meters) but thicker than an average brick or slab. Depending on the model, SIMA’s range of block saws range in maximum cutting depth from 8 inches to an impressive 18 inches.

Large stone cutting saws: masonry saws

Someone who is not used to cutting stone might perceive a piece of stone as being unusually large, when in fact it is very typical and something that professionals work with on a regular basis. A specialty large stone cutting saw may not even be necessary, because a standard masonry saw can actually accommodate surprisingly large pieces of material, despite its relatively compact size. Just as an example, the SIMA DAKAR 400 masonry saw has a maximum cutting length of 0.64 meters and can make a 5-inch deep cut in a single pass. By making a second cut inside this first pass, you can obtain a depth that is sufficient for many of the stone materials you would normally encounter in a DIY construction project.