Top Tips For Cutting Ultra-Compact & Sintered Porcelain Materials

1. TERMINATOR D I A M O N D P R O D U C T S R TOP TIPS FOR CUTTING ULTRA-COMPACT & SINTERED PORCELAIN MATERIALS © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM 1

2. This seems to be a question we get almost daily here at Terminator®. And while many of our customers have been fabricating for years, these new age materials can pose a challenge for even the most seasoned of sawyers. After spending well over one year testing, re-testing, and communicating regularly with fabricators in the field, here are our 7 most important tips as you begin cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials. “ I’m lost when cutting ultra-compact materials, what can I do? CONTENTS TIP 1: Table Level Is your table level? Let’s find out. TIP 2: Proper Blade Does your blade “make the cut”? Read more on the importance of choosing the proper Terminator® blade. TIP 3: Feed Rates & RPMs Follow our helpful guides to get the recommended feed rate & RPM. TIP 4: Remove Tension Strips Reduce the risk of cracking or breaking your slab by following this simple step. Tip 5: Water Distribution Find out more about water capacity and hose position. Tip 6: Avoid Plunging What tends to be a minor concern for most materials, poses big problems with these materials. Here’s our solution. Tip 7: Cutting Sinks Sink projects can be an obstacle. Prepare a sink cut-out the proper way, here’s how. PHOTO PROVIDED BY: NEOLITH © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM TM TM 3 2

3. Tip 1 One of the most overlooked aspects in successful cutting. The degree that your table is not level in the horizontal plane, vibrations will occur. This unevenness can result in chipping and likely breaking the edge of your slab. Table Level SOLUTION If your saw table is already level, you need not worry here. However, if it is not, head to your local large box hardware store and pick up a 1” to 1-1/2” thick, 4’ x 8’ long rigid installation sheet foam board. SLAB FOAM Place this board in between your saw table and slab to even the surface and absorb any unnecessary vibrations. (See Fig. 1) Fig. 1 Click here to see the type of rigid sheet foam board we recommend! © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM TM 5 4

4. Tip 2 NANOCUT.DK BRIDGE SAW BLADE Available in 12” to 20” diameters and 11mm segment height Proper Blade As cliche as it may sound, choosing the right blade for the material you are processing is critical. After getting numerous phone calls from people having difficulty cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials, we can assure you that most people are simply not choosing the correct blade for this unique application. NANOCUT.DK TILE SAW BLADE Available in 7” and 10” diameters, and 11mm segment height SOLUTION New age materials will often necessitate using a dedicated blade for successful cutting of ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials (i.e. one blade for granite, and one for ultra-compact/sintered porcelain). At Terminator®, we suggest our NANOCUT.DK Bridge Saw Blade for your main cutting needs. NANOCUT.DK FINE TURBO CUT BLADE Available in 4.5” and 5” diameters © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM 7 6

5. Tip 3 Using the same feed rate and RPMs you may be accustomed to when cutting other materials can be a recipe for trouble for these particularly unique materials. Unlike fabricating more common stones such as marble and granite, we’ve seen the most success cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials when being guided by this systemized approach shown in the following charts. When using the Terminator nanocut.dk Blade, READ BELOW FOr our recommended feed rates and RPMs for both straight and miter cuts Feed Rate & RPMs BRIDGE SAW BLADES- STRAIGHT CUT* Thickness Feed Rate Saw Blade Diameter 12 in - 300 mm 14 in - 350 mm 16 in - 400 mm 18 in - 450 mm Spindle Revs RPM 2400 2200 1950 1750 BRIDGE SAW BLADES- INCLINED/MITER CUT* 1/2 in 70 - 75 in/min Thickness Feed Rate Saw Blade Diameter 12 in - 300 mm 14 in - 350 mm 16 in - 400 mm 18 in - 450 mm Spindle Revs RPM 2400 2200 1950 1750 12 in - 300 mm 14 in - 350 mm 16 in - 400 mm 18 in - 450 mm 2400 2200 1950 1750 1/2 in 35 in/min 3/4 in 40 - 45 in/min 12 in - 300 mm 14 in - 350 mm 16 in - 400 mm 18 in - 450 mm 2400 2200 1950 1750 12 in - 300 mm 14 in - 350 mm 16 in - 400 mm 18 in - 450 mm 2400 2200 1950 1750 3/4 in 19 in/min 1 - 1/4 in 27 - 29 in/min 12 in - 300 mm 14 in - 350 mm 16 in - 400 mm 18 in - 450 mm 2400 2200 1950 1750 *Parameters above are dependant upon a fabrication process that adheres to all 7 tips in this resource. 1 - 1/4 in 12 in/min *Parameters above are dependant upon a fabrication process that adheres to all 7 tips in this resource. On a 3/4” thick material straight cut: • Entrance: Reduce feed rate to 20”/min • Mid Cut: Ramp up feed rate to 40”/min • Exit: Reduce feed rate to 20”/min Here are some additional tips for ramping up and slowing down your feed rates throughout the cutting process! NOTE:If you have a fixed RPM saw, our best suggestion is to choose a diameter blade that is closest to what your saw operates at. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM 9 8

6. Tip 4 Tip 5 It may seem too simple or too intuitive to matter, but less than adequate water AND hoses positioned incorrectly are the most common errors causing headaches when cutting these materials. Water Distribution Remove Tension Strips While each manufacturer of ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials may or may not have tension strips built into the perimeters of each slab, if they are not removed prior to cutting, the slab is at higher risk of cracking or breaking. SOLUTION SOLUTION First, ensure that you have plenty of water running through your saw-system. Next, the graphic to the left indicates where EXACTLY you’ll want to position your water hoses in order to cool the blade and aid the cut in the proper area. To be safe, we suggest cutting 1” inward around the entire slab. This will ensure any tension strips (located at each border) have been removed, thus avoiding the risk of snapping your slab. 1” (See Fig. 2) (See Fig. 3) Fig. 3 Fig. 2 © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM 11 10

7. Tip 6 Avoid Plunging While plunge cutting tends to be of little concern for most sawyers, when cutting ultra-compact and sintered porcelain materials, it can pose big problems resulting in cracking or breaking your slab. SOLUTION Avoid plunge cutting. Always start from the outside of the slab using the recommended feed rate tips (on page 8) and cut accordingly. Your boss will thank you. (See Fig. 4) Fig. 4 © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM 13 12

8. Tip 7 Cutting Sinks Projects requiring a sink cut-out can be an obstacle many fabricators dread. Since we already know plunging is not the ideal way to go about this, what are your options? SOLUTION When preparing a sink cut-out, it is advised to drill each of the four corners with a 1/2” core bit prior to initiating cutting. 1/2” HOLE (See Fig. 5) Fig. 5 PHOTO PROVIDED BY: NEOLITH Common Ultra-Compact and Sintered Porcelain Products: • Dekton by Cosentino • Neolith by The Size • Lapitec by Breton © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2016 TERMINATOR® DIAMOND PRODUCTS INC. | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TM TM 15 14