I have a water cooled electric tile cutter. Used it to do my
kitchen/bathroom tiling.

Fantastic.

The main advantages over a manual tile cutter are :-

1 .You don't break lots of tiles that a hamfisted clod like myself does with
a manual one.
2. Cut corners and semi complex shapes again without breaking tiles.
3. If can take 2mm off one edge of tile to get it to fit. Try doing that
with a manual tile cutter.
4. Big tiles ... no problem.

Best 40 Quid I spent. I would have probably broken a lot more than 40 Quids
worth of tiles using a maunual tile cutter.

"Jon Weaver" wrote in message
om...
I am about to lay some floor tiles. When I was initially contemplating
this project, I was planning to use the opportunity to buy an 'Water
Cooled Electric Tile Cutter' considering they are only 30-40 quid.

However, the tiler who lives opposite me has said that electric
cutters are only used for 'complex' cuts.. Most tilers will still use
a standard 'hand operated' cutter for "straight cuts".

So, I was tempted to buy a standard diamond cutter for around £15
inside, and borrow an electric cutter for the complex cuts.

After reading about cutting tiles on this forum, I am thinking that my
original plan (i.e using an electric cutter for ALL cuts) is the best
way forwards.

Considering that 90% of my cuts will be straight across the tile,
would I be better of using an electric cutter or hand operated?

With a hand cutter, I am limited to cuts of around 400mm, so my plan
of laying them 'diagonally' is out of the window. If I go down the
electric route, I am guessing that I will be able to go back to my
original (diagonal) plan as the cutting width is going to be big
enough to cope with a diagonal cut.

Does anyone have any advice about electric cutters. I was going to go
for a cheap 'generic' version (i.e Blackspur), but I have also seen
the Plasplugd model which is roughly the same price.

ANY advice on this would be apprecaited

Jon

Serial Bodger wrote:
I have a water cooled electric tile cutter. Used it to do my
kitchen/bathroom tiling.

Fantastic.

The main advantages over a manual tile cutter are :-

1 .You don't break lots of tiles that a hamfisted clod like myself
does with a manual one.
2. Cut corners and semi complex shapes again without breaking tiles.
3. If can take 2mm off one edge of tile to get it to fit. Try doing
that with a manual tile cutter.
4. Big tiles ... no problem.

Best 40 Quid I spent. I would have probably broken a lot more than 40
Quids worth of tiles using a maunual tile cutter.

I'd second all of that. I find also that there is much less wastage at the
end because you can cut down the larger offcutts to fit the smaller places.
I used a PlasPlugs one to cut floor tiles diagonally as the OP wishes to do.
Would have been nigh on impossible for me to do it the manual way.

On Thu, 14 Aug 2003 18:01:34 +0100, Serial Bodger wrote:

Best 40 Quid I spent. I would have probably broken a lot more than 40 Quids
worth of tiles using a maunual tile cutter.

Agreed !!

I bought the Plasplugs cutter to cut floor tiles, on the advice given in
this group some time back - wonderful :-) Couldn't have done the job any
other way. Perhaps professional tilers can - but me ..... never:-)
--
Regards,

Troy the Black Lab.

Remove spam to email me

(Jon Weaver) wrote:

Hello Jon

JW| I am about to lay some floor tiles. When I was initially
JW| contemplating this project, I was planning to use the
JW| opportunity to buy an 'Water Cooled Electric Tile Cutter'
JW| considering they are only 30-40 quid.
JW| However, the tiler who lives opposite me has said that
JW| electric cutters are only used for 'complex' cuts.. Most
JW| tilers will still use a standard 'hand operated' cutter for
JW| "straight cuts".

Yep. Cheaper (for a good quality one), faster (in experienced hands),
just as accurate, not as noisy (drowns out radio 1) and far cleaner.

JW| So, I was tempted to buy a standard diamond cutter for
JW| around £15 inside, and borrow an electric cutter for the
JW| complex cuts.

Some of the cheapie ones are just crap. Especially those all-plastic
ones that flex when you apply pressure.

JW| After reading about cutting tiles on this forum, I am
JW| thinking that my original plan (i.e using an electric cutter
JW| for ALL cuts) is the best way forwards.
JW| Considering that 90% of my cuts will be straight across the
JW| tile, would I be better of using an electric cutter or hand
JW| operated?

Maybe. Personal taste, really. I like a good quality metal hand
cutter, but it's a problem using one for edge cuts and twiddly bits.
Preferred would be both, but you can do everything with an electric
cutter (albiet slower, messier and noisier), so that may be your best
path.

JW| With a hand cutter, I am limited to cuts of around 400mm, so

No. With *some* hand cutters.

JW| my plan of laying them 'diagonally' is out of the window. If
JW| I go down the electric route, I am guessing that I will be
JW| able to go back to my original (diagonal) plan as the
JW| cutting width is going to be big enough to cope with a
JW| diagonal cut.

Probably.

JW| Does anyone have any advice about electric cutters. I was
JW| going to go for a cheap 'generic' version (i.e Blackspur),
JW| but I have also seen the Plasplugd model which is roughly
JW| the same price.

I know the plasplugs is blessed by one or two users in here, but I
don't personally have any experience of them.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

Jon Weaver wrote in message
. ..
I am about to lay some floor tiles. When I was initially contemplating
this project, I was planning to use the opportunity to buy an 'Water
Cooled Electric Tile Cutter' considering they are only 30-40 quid.

However, the tiler who lives opposite me has said that electric
cutters are only used for 'complex' cuts.. Most tilers will still use
a standard 'hand operated' cutter for "straight cuts".
He's quite right. It's just so much faster, but don't use the type where you
have to move the tile to the jaws to snap it. The ones where you use the
scribing handle to snap the tile are really easy to use, and I'm no pro with
tiling.

In article ,
Simon Avery wrote:
Most
JW| tilers will still use a standard 'hand operated' cutter for
JW| "straight cuts".

Yep. Cheaper (for a good quality one), faster (in experienced hands),
just as accurate, not as noisy (drowns out radio 1) and far cleaner.

But it doesn't give a near perfect machined edge as a wet diamond saw
does. This may not matter, but sometimes it does.

--
*Why is it that rain drops but snow falls?

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

Dave Plowman wrote:

Hello Dave

Yep. Cheaper (for a good quality one), faster (in
experienced hands), just as accurate, not as noisy (drowns
out radio 1) and far cleaner.
DP| But it doesn't give a near perfect machined edge as a wet
DP| diamond saw does. This may not matter, but sometimes it
DP| does.

Not machined, no - but the cut edge is clean and straight. Can't
really see any major difference once they're laid.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

Pro quality hand cutter any time. I bought one several years ago from
the tile merchant. Spanish. Cost about 80 pounds. Was warned 'not to
lend it to anyone'. If it wasn't buried beyond finding right now I'd dig
it out and tell you the name. Cuts cleanly and quickly and never in
the wrong place. It has an attachment (extra money) for cutting holes.
I used it on quarries and I don't think you can get tougher than that.

__________________________________________________ ______________

Peter Scott
__________________________________________________ ______________


"Jon Weaver" wrote in message
om...
I am about to lay some floor tiles. When I was initially contemplating
this project, I was planning to use the opportunity to buy an 'Water
Cooled Electric Tile Cutter' considering they are only 30-40 quid.

However, the tiler who lives opposite me has said that electric
cutters are only used for 'complex' cuts.. Most tilers will still use
a standard 'hand operated' cutter for "straight cuts".

So, I was tempted to buy a standard diamond cutter for around £15
inside, and borrow an electric cutter for the complex cuts.

After reading about cutting tiles on this forum, I am thinking that my
original plan (i.e using an electric cutter for ALL cuts) is the best
way forwards.

Considering that 90% of my cuts will be straight across the tile,
would I be better of using an electric cutter or hand operated?

With a hand cutter, I am limited to cuts of around 400mm, so my plan
of laying them 'diagonally' is out of the window. If I go down the
electric route, I am guessing that I will be able to go back to my
original (diagonal) plan as the cutting width is going to be big
enough to cope with a diagonal cut.

Does anyone have any advice about electric cutters. I was going to go
for a cheap 'generic' version (i.e Blackspur), but I have also seen
the Plasplugd model which is roughly the same price.

ANY advice on this would be apprecaited

Jon

On 14 Aug 2003 09:33:49 -0700, Jon Weaver wrote:

I am about to lay some floor tiles.

snip

After reading about cutting tiles on this forum, I am thinking that my
original plan (i.e using an electric cutter for ALL cuts) is the best
way forwards.

Yup, go for an electric tile cutter. Floor tile are bloody hard, and
despite what the pro tiler told you, they don't cut that easily!

Dave Plowman wrote:

Hello Dave

Not machined, no - but the cut edge is clean and straight.
Can't really see any major difference once they're laid.

DP| Perhaps where the edge is exposed - you'll need to grind it
DP| smooth to avoid possible finger damage when cleaning etc.
DP| You don't have to bother if it's machine cut.

Ah. Yes, it would be better there. TBH I tend to buy tiles that have
the odd end-finished one included, and use them. Even a neat finish
looks grubby if the glaze is a different colour. (Although I have been
known to paint with enamel when I did run out of end-coloured ones
once... )

DP| Could be I'm not as skilled as a pro with a hand cutter -
DP| but then I'd guess this applies to many here. And given that
DP| an electric cutter is no more expensive than a good hand
DP| one, to me there's no contest for DIY.

You may just have persuaded me. I've had to give back the lovely
aluminium cutter I was using, and when I redo my bathroom this winter
I'll prolly buy one of yon little whizzy things, rather than buy a
cheapie hand cutter.

--
Simon Avery, Dartmoor, UK
uk.d-i-y FAQ: http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/

Peter Scott wrote in message ...
Pro quality hand cutter any time. I bought one several years ago from
the tile merchant. Spanish. Cost about 80 pounds. Was warned 'not to
lend it to anyone'. If it wasn't buried beyond finding right now I'd dig
it out and tell you the name.
Probably a Rubi. The Spanish should know a bit about tiling!

Wanderer wrote in message ...
Yup, go for an electric tile cutter. Floor tile are bloody hard, and
despite what the pro tiler told you, they don't cut that easily!
All tiles are hard but I assure you the type of hand cutter being discussed
snaps them perfectly every time. You could literally do it with your eyes
closed, having never tiled before. Score, snap. There, I've done one
already:-)
The only time I use a saw is if the offcut is less than half an inch or if
you're cutting a rectangle out round a socket (and then only for the shorter
of the two cuts). If I were a good tiler I wouldn't even use it for that.
Let's not forget that the saw was originally developed for marble. You don't
cut tiles with a saw for the same reason you don't cut glass with a saw.

In article ,
stuart noble wrote:
You don't cut tiles with a saw for the same reason you don't cut glass
with a saw.

Err, you *do* cut glass with a saw - or something like it (ground) if you
need a clean edge. But glass which is scored and snapped usually has the
edge protected by putty.

You might as well say use a brace and bit for drilling wood rather than a
power drill - diamond cutting wheeled saws weren't a DIY possibility a few
years ago.

--
*Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn