Our new favorite tool is the cutting edge of technology – seriously! We recently upgraded our paver and stone cutting capabilities by adding this Dustless Masonry Saw by IQ Power Tools to our team and we’re pretty excited, to say the least.
What Is a Dustless Masonry Saw?
We use stone and paver saws all the time in our line of work. It’s how we achieve those curved edges and other tricky maneuvers you might notice in our stonework. In the past, we’ve used a hand-operated stone cutter. Portable, but not particularly efficient, or safe, for that matter.
How It Works
This new saw isn’t just a saw; it’s also a super powerful vacuum. The vacuum is right beneath the cutting surface and the saw blade. As the blade moves through the paver, the vacuum sucks 99.5% of the dust into a filter chamber. The dust is then deposited into an easy-to-clean tray that we empty once a day. The result? A clean cut and no cloud of dangerous dust.
Why It’s Better
The dust produced when cutting pavers poses a serious health hazard for construction teams. It contains “respirable silica”, or silica you can easily breathe in. Breathing it can lead to longterm and irreversible health issues with your lungs. We care too much about the wellbeing of our team to expose them to that kind of hazard, which is why we’ve always been strict about proper safety gear when cutting pavers: face mask and protective goggles.
But even those measures can be too little. Back in 2016, OSHA recognized the ongoing hazard and stepped up the standards for safety. This new saw meets those standards by removing the dust from the equation. Our team can work safely without having to worry about the long-term effects of the air quality on site.
Sure, this saw is also super portable, a breeze to set up and easy to clean. And naturally, it makes one clean, fast cut. But the most important thing for us is eliminating that breathing hazard. Our team isn’t just our most valuable asset; they’re part of the Masseo Landscape family, and this saw helps us keep them safer and healthier.
See it In Action
Check out Ryan and Mark on the job, using the new saw for some fancy cuts on this pool coping.