On Oct 12, 10:53*am, Heathcliff
wrote:
I'm installing 12X12 ceramic tile in the basement. *I've been doing
the whole tiles first, but to finish the job I will need about 100 cut
pieces for around the edges, doorways, floor drains, etc. *I tried the
scribe and snap method but that does not work well for me on these
tiles. *So I think I need a saw. *I am leaning toward buying rather
than renting since I don't think I can (or want to) do them all in one
session.

I have checked around at a couple big box stores and at Harbor
Freight, which has a store in my area. *There seem to be two main
kinds: the kind that's like a small table saw, where the blade is
fixed and you move the tile; and the kind where the blade moves back
and forth along rails above the work. *The latter are more expensive -
are they worth it? *-- H

Thanks to all for the responses. I'll probably get a 7" rail saw at a
big box for around $200, and maybe sell it afterward. Actually first
I'll monitor Craigslist for a little while to see if there's a deal on
a used one. The discussion of curved cuts was a bonus. A related
item: I have been obsessing a little about how to handle the 2 floor
drains, which each sit in a slight depression in the floor. I was
thinking of tiling around them (necessitating curved cuts) but in 15
years I have never used them for drainage - in fact one has a rubber
plug in it, and the other I only discovered after taking up the
carpeting. So I am thinking of this: tiling right over them, but make
the tile right over the drain removable by just sticking it down with
double sided tape or caulk or plumbers putty or something. So if I
*really* had to, I could still access the drain, but meanwhile
wouldn't have to look at it or trip over it or make fancy tile cuts
around it. -- H

Heathcliff wrote:
On Oct 12, 10:53 am, Heathcliff
wrote:
I'm installing 12X12 ceramic tile in the basement. I've been doing
the whole tiles first, but to finish the job I will need about 100
cut pieces for around the edges, doorways, floor drains, etc. I
tried the scribe and snap method but that does not work well for me
on these tiles. So I think I need a saw. I am leaning toward buying
rather than renting since I don't think I can (or want to) do them
all in one session.

I have checked around at a couple big box stores and at Harbor
Freight, which has a store in my area. There seem to be two main
kinds: the kind that's like a small table saw, where the blade is
fixed and you move the tile; and the kind where the blade moves back
and forth along rails above the work. The latter are more expensive -
are they worth it? -- H

Thanks to all for the responses. I'll probably get a 7" rail saw at a
big box for around $200, and maybe sell it afterward. Actually first
I'll monitor Craigslist for a little while to see if there's a deal on
a used one. The discussion of curved cuts was a bonus. A related
item: I have been obsessing a little about how to handle the 2 floor
drains, which each sit in a slight depression in the floor. I was
thinking of tiling around them (necessitating curved cuts) but in 15
years I have never used them for drainage - in fact one has a rubber
plug in it, and the other I only discovered after taking up the
carpeting. So I am thinking of this: tiling right over them, but make
the tile right over the drain removable by just sticking it down with
double sided tape or caulk or plumbers putty or something. So if I
*really* had to, I could still access the drain, but meanwhile
wouldn't have to look at it or trip over it or make fancy tile cuts
around it. -- H

i see tile saws on craigslist all the time. also home depot sells their
rental machines occasionally.

a tile that is not fastened to the floor and has a gap under it chances
cracking if you step on it or roll something heavy over it. it will also
sound hollow when you step on it during dancing class.