Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Hard Floor Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Kev Martin on July 18, 2012, 10:10:30 am
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I often get asked about diamonds regarding the quality and price differential.
Essentially diamonds for floor grinding and honing are produced like many others in two different categories:
Metal Bond:
These can be just a plain strip of metal bonded to a pad right through to sintered metal bodied diamonds or vacuum brazed moulded onto a specific template designed for a certain machine.
Resin Diamonds
Again anything from a resin pad pressed to a fully moulded 20mm thick resin diamond that can even be sharpened.
Ultimately with Diamonds be they metal or resin bond you get what you pay for, not only is there a difference in quality but there is also a difference in the type of materiel and the way the diamonds are set into the materiel.
In simple terms you need a diamond resin pad to hone some marble. You find a set that offer you a variety of grits and ultimately those of you without knowledge simply purchase them and attach them to your machine and off you go!
My point is how many of you consider that those diamonds may not be suitable for that particular marble or stone???
Diamonds are not only produced in different sizes and grits they are also produced in materiel that has different degrees of hardness measured on the Mohs scale. Before you try and correct me I know that Diamonds are classed as 10-11 on the scale so naturally you all think well they are the same reading, this however is not true. The hardness is altered in the sintering process to suit the materiel that the diamond is being produced to cut. Therefore, diamonds to cut granite are inserted into materiel a lot softer than those intended to cut marble or limestone.
So when considering entering into Diamond Grinding or honing restoration make sure you ask the relevant questions before purchasing the diamonds! Especially important because purchasing a set of diamonds each for Granite, Marble, Limestone / Concrete will probably outweigh the cost of the actual Grinding Machine!!
I hope you find this information useful.
Kev Martin
Marblelife Ltd
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I was asked today about concrete grinding! Essentially following on from the above post concrete diamonds are set into different hardnesses of materiel as well. Just because 95% of concrete is flat this does not mean all concrete substrate is the same. e.g. Concrete with large aggregate is totally different to one with no aggregate. It will grind and polish totally differently.
Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd
Marblelife Ltd
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kevin
how do diamond supplier/manufactures deal with stone such as a serpentine, where some parts of the stone registers at a 3 or 4 on the MOHs scale and other sections are as hard as granite.
I am aware of different techniques for the polish stage, but interested on your view to approaching these materials.
Martin
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kevin
how do diamond supplier/manufactures deal with stone such as a serpentine, where some parts of the stone registers at a 3 or 4 on the MOHs scale and other sections are as hard as granite.
I am aware of different techniques for the polish stage, but interested on your view to approaching these materials.
Martin
Martin
I think you and many others agree I already give a lot of free advice and information away on this and other forums. I have to draw a line at advanced restoration technique on an open forum. What I will do is give you something to ponder!
It is not so much the approach of diamond manufacturers it is more down to the restoration specialist and how they approach it. Think about it!!!
How would you currently approach a chequerboard Marble floor laid with Nero Maquina / Carrara Marble? One is a full blown marble and the other a limestone in transition stage to marble both very different on the mohs scale and by definition both grind, hone and polish at different speeds? Think about it!!!
Kev Martin
Tiling Logistics Ltd
Marblelife Ltd