When talking to customers, we are often told that the rocksaw we are recommending does not have enough torque.

This is a result of the idea that a lot of torque will provide a faster cut, which is not always true. So should you go for speed or torque when selecting your rocksaw?

The answer here is simple - it depends on the type of rocksaw.

For cutting with a diamond rocksaw you need speed, ideally about 40-50 m/s at the tip. If you must compromise, for given power go for higher speed at the cost of torque.

Lower the requirements on torque by not cutting at full depth, but in incremental cuts, or by installing one of our computerised drivers.

For rock cutting with a carbide rock saw, you need much slower speeds - go for higher torque, typically between 2-5 m/s. No need to go faster, gain as much torque as you can get. Excessive speed can actually be detrimental to carbide pick cutting as the high speed does not allow the carbide pick to gain purchase on the matrix that holds the grains together.