Basic concrete block laying questions.

Ive never layed block before. Im doing a project and it requires me to meet an angle of about 120 degrees on one of the corners.

Pic: http://i.imgur.com/1IfF7II.jpg

First off i dont have any halves. I tried scoring one full block all the way around with an angle grinder. I tapped it with a mallet until it gave out. Unfortunately it resulted in me having only one useable half as the other cracked unevenly. Is this going to continue to happen?

http://i.imgur.com/cegghCb.jpg

Onto the angles. How do i cut them? I was going to cut each angle so the cuts are staggered for each row of blocks. I tried using the same method and the block was starting to chip away up front but then just gave and split in the back rendering it useless. These are splitface blocks and i ordered a few extra but i cant keep having them break.

http://i.imgur.com/ee69Tpf.jpg

 

I would use a masonry blade on a circular saw.

 

I've sawn some blocks at odd angles over the years. I've found the best method for the few dozen times I did it was to buy a decent masonry blade for my old, beater 14" chop saw, and then make as close to full-depth cuts in each face while tightly pressing the block against a rigid stop. Small steel angle works well for the stops, clamped to the bed of the saw in the desired position. I learned early on to always cut the blocks in the position they are laid in, starting with top cuts, then reversing each block before making the bottom cuts. Doing it the other way around is likely to fracture the block where you don't want it to break, as the wider (top) faces are always stronger than the bottom faces. Make sure to always cut with flat faces bearing against the bed of the saw--instead trying to cut against odd angles through the sides of the blocks.

 

I think I would also start at the corner with the layout and go out from there, rather than working from one end toward the corner. Because otherwise, who knows what size piece that would leave you with... making it hard on yourself. Also you want to alternate the overlaping row blocks at that corner so that they tie together, having rebar come up through a common core, if possible so that it can be slugged solid. And use the corner of one block as the outside corner on one row, then the corner of the other block as the outside corner on the next row, alternating as you go up. Alternating rows would then need an L shaped notch to fit around the other.

 

A circular saw with a diamond blade will be far faster and last a 100 times longer then a masonry blade.

 

mms3160 -

Where you located and who are trying to buy from?

It could be that you are just trying to go through a dealer that has limited inventory of sizes and shapes.

I have been in most plants in the state and have seen the units you are trying to create in most plants.

Apparently, you have job where you do not want the stacked bond appearance and what the running bond appearance.

Most block producers in the civilized world that make split face also make the corner units (split face and end) and half long split face units and that is all you should need. If you need to have a bond beam you can use the 8x8x16 units you show in the photos , cut down into the cross webs where they meet the face shell about 2" deep and knock out the upper 2" of the web with a hammer. When knocking it out, hit it lightly at first then a little harder until the 2" piece falls out.

Dick