On the look out for a manual and electric tile cutters for a full bathroom
and kitchen renovation job.

Has anyone any experience with any of the Screwfix
(http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...01289&ts=76959 and
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...00893&ts=80107) and/or
Toolstation (http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=22049 and
http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=57413 and
http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=43023) ones?

Also noticed a £30 one at B&Q (-15% until the end of the week).

I already have a very small manual one, but I struggled with it with
anything more substantial than 4" thin ones. The manual one is meant to be
used for all standard cuts, and the electric one for everything else, i.e.
sockets, etc.

Any tips as to what to look for would be much appreciated. Also, how often
do the blades need replacing? Should I order additional ones?

Cheers.

P.S: Looking to spend in the region of £20 for the manual and £40 for the
electric one.

"JoeJoe" wrote in message
...
On the look out for a manual and electric tile cutters for a full bathroom
and kitchen renovation job.

Has anyone any experience with any of the Screwfix
(http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...01289&ts=76959 and
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...00893&ts=80107) and/or
Toolstation (http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=22049 and
http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=57413 and
http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=43023) ones?

Also noticed a £30 one at B&Q (-15% until the end of the week).

I already have a very small manual one, but I struggled with it with
anything more substantial than 4" thin ones. The manual one is meant to be
used for all standard cuts, and the electric one for everything else, i.e.
sockets, etc.

Any tips as to what to look for would be much appreciated. Also, how
often do the blades need replacing? Should I order additional ones?

Cheers.

Have the Screwfix 83636 and it has done a conservatory floor and a
bathroom with no problems and no broken tiles. At this price it has
already paid its way. Still on original blade. The only downside is the
way the water holder is retained. It is a bit hit and miss but not too
much trouble.

JoeJoe wrote:
On the look out for a manual and electric tile cutters for a full bathroom
and kitchen renovation job.

Has anyone any experience with any of the Screwfix
(http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...01289&ts=76959 and
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...00893&ts=80107) and/or
Toolstation (http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=22049 and
http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=57413 and
http://www.toolstation.com/index.html?code=43023) ones?

Also noticed a £30 one at B&Q (-15% until the end of the week).

I already have a very small manual one, but I struggled with it with
anything more substantial than 4" thin ones. The manual one is meant to be
used for all standard cuts, and the electric one for everything else, i.e.
sockets, etc.

Any tips as to what to look for would be much appreciated. Also, how often
do the blades need replacing? Should I order additional ones?

Cheers.



This type of cutter will do probably 95% of your tiles at several times
the speed of a tile saw, with no mess, and you have it right next to
you. You'll find it easier to use than the cheap plastic types.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001GRVVY/203-8088662-4671113

I use an angle grinder and tile cutting disc for the odd rectangular
cut-out, but a saw is easier and more accurate.

In article ,
JoeJoe wrote:
I already have a very small manual one, but I struggled with it with
anything more substantial than 4" thin ones. The manual one is meant to
be used for all standard cuts, and the electric one for everything
else, i.e. sockets, etc.

You'll find the electric one also very useful for removing that sliver or
indeed to make slivers - with care you can get down to about 1/8th of an
inch.

Any tips as to what to look for would be much appreciated. Also, how
often do the blades need replacing? Should I order additional ones?

Mine has had a deal of use but is still on the original blade. It's a top
of the range Plasplugs. Think it's about 50 quid these days. But I had the
base model for ages and that was ok. The more expensive one is just better
for large floor tiles, etc.

I'd be wary of a steel bed one - unless the plate was stainless.

--
*Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
Stuart Noble writes:

This type of cutter will do probably 95% of your tiles at several times
the speed of a tile saw, with no mess, and you have it right next to
you. You'll find it easier to use than the cheap plastic types.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001GRVVY/203-8088662-4671113

I used _exactly_ that cutter for kitchen and bathroom
ceramic floor, and bathroom wall tiles, and it worked
fine. It only cost me £10, but I can't recall from
where -- possibly Tops Tiles.

I use an angle grinder and tile cutting disc for the odd rectangular

Same here, but with grit cutting disks which I already
had.

cut-out, but a saw is easier and more accurate.

The real bugger was the circular hole in the ceramic floor
tiles for the soil pipe. I used about 4 jigsaw tile blades
(which were intended for wall tiles, not ceramic floor
tiles), with the jigsaw mounted upside down in the Workmate,
and it was very slow going.

--
Andrew Gabriel

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 19:40:59 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Mine has had a deal of use but is still on the original blade. It's a top
of the range Plasplugs. Think it's about 50 quid these days. But I had the
base model for ages and that was ok. The more expensive one is just better
for large floor tiles, etc.

I used the Plasplugs base model for my bathroom tiling a couple of years
ago. Brilliant !! Perfect cutting of the tiles and *so* easy to use - says
a lot because I'm not the world's best DIY person :-)
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

In article ,
(Andrew Gabriel) writes:
I used _exactly_ that cutter for kitchen and bathroom
ceramic floor, and bathroom wall tiles, and it worked
fine. It only cost me £10, but I can't recall from
where -- possibly Tops Tiles.

Ah, one thing worth mentioning, the ceramic floor tiles
were too strong to be snapped by this cutter. After scoring,
I clamped them in the Workmate jaws, and snapped them with
a thump from palm of hand.

--
Andrew Gabriel

I bought a Plasplugs one from B&Q............ looked great on the box as it
had a trough round the edge to recycle the water. Unfortunately, it was
absolute rubbish and ended up in the Wheelie bin! If you're doing larger
tiles, they overhang the "trough" and all the water runs on the floor! The
water reservoir would only hold a very small quantity of water or it went
everywhere. The guide clamp kept falling apart when you clamped it down.
I then bought a Wickes one for about £35 which was great.
"Hugh Jampton" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 19:40:59 +0000 (GMT), Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Mine has had a deal of use but is still on the original blade. It's a
top
of the range Plasplugs. Think it's about 50 quid these days. But I had
the
base model for ages and that was ok. The more expensive one is just
better
for large floor tiles, etc.

I used the Plasplugs base model for my bathroom tiling a couple of years
ago. Brilliant !! Perfect cutting of the tiles and *so* easy to use - says
a lot because I'm not the world's best DIY person :-)
--
Regards,

Hugh Jampton

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

The real bugger was the circular hole in the ceramic floor
tiles for the soil pipe. I used about 4 jigsaw tile blades
(which were intended for wall tiles, not ceramic floor
tiles), with the jigsaw mounted upside down in the Workmate,
and it was very slow going.

I found marking the circle and then cutting straight cuts upto the line
on a flatbed electric cutter works well. Once you have the section to be
removed looking like the prongs of a fork you can snap off each narrow
bit, and leave a quite close approximation to the cutout you wanted.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Hugh Jampton wrote:

I used the Plasplugs base model for my bathroom tiling a couple of years
ago. Brilliant !! Perfect cutting of the tiles and *so* easy to use - says
a lot because I'm not the world's best DIY person :-)

I have also used one of the low end plasplugs ones (about 32 quid from
machinemart) on 10x6" wall tiles. Seemed to work very well - nice smooth
cut edges and it kept better control of the water than some.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
(Andrew Gabriel) writes:

I used _exactly_ that cutter for kitchen and bathroom
ceramic floor, and bathroom wall tiles, and it worked
fine. It only cost me £10, but I can't recall from
where -- possibly Tops Tiles.


Ah, one thing worth mentioning, the ceramic floor tiles
were too strong to be snapped by this cutter. After scoring,
I clamped them in the Workmate jaws, and snapped them with
a thump from palm of hand.


Surprising. I have a similar type (Rubi) and the long handle exerts a
lot of pressure. I've snapped half inch off many a floor tile. Cost a
bit more than a tenner though.

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 19:33:08 GMT Stuart Noble wrote :
I use an angle grinder and tile cutting disc for the odd rectangular
cut-out, but a saw is easier and more accurate.

I bought a cheap diamond disk for my angle grinder and it does a great
job trimming tiles, though for really accurate work (mine was mainly
L-shaped cutting of tiles going under sockets) I'd rather use a bench
cutter.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm
[Latest version QSEDBUK 1.12 released 8 Dec 2005]

Tony Bryer wrote:
On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 19:33:08 GMT Stuart Noble wrote :

I use an angle grinder and tile cutting disc for the odd rectangular
cut-out, but a saw is easier and more accurate.


I bought a cheap diamond disk for my angle grinder and it does a great
job trimming tiles, though for really accurate work (mine was mainly
L-shaped cutting of tiles going under sockets) I'd rather use a bench
cutter.


I think the saw is better for floor tiles where the L-shapes show (round
doors etc). For walls the grinder is fine, except holding a tile in one
hand and grinder in the other isn't ideal. I usually do the shorter of
the 2 cuts with the disk and the longer one with the snapper