wrote in message
...
Hello,

Can anyone tell me if they use an electric tile cutter?

I would think that for cutting tiles in a straight cut all across that
a "score and snap" manual cutter would be quicker and cleaner.

However for cutting L-shaped pieces from tiles to fit around electric
sockets, I think a saw could be useful.

I know they use a circular diamond blade. Is this different to a 4
inch angle grinder blade? Is it thinner perhaps? I'm just wondering
what the advantage of a tile cutter over an angle grinder is, other
than the cutter has a platform to mount the tile on.

I find if I cut tiles with my angle grinder that using a diamond blade
gives a rougher cut, with some fine chips along the edge. These are ok
if they will be hidden under a light switch. I find if I use a stone
cutting disc, the cut is cleaner and the tile does not chip and the
cut can be left on display. Are the cuts with a tile cutter clean?

I bought a fiarly good one for about £70 (ISTR). I use it for cutting
stright lines, because I never got the hang of score and snap. For doing L
shaped tiles it is the only sensible way forward, and I have evan has a lot
of success cutting arbitrary shapes by using it essentially as a bench
grinder for tiles.

I bought it because i know I have a lot of tiing to do (Bathroom, En Suite,
Cloak, Kitchen, utility) and it just makes life so much easier.

As someone said the water cooling does make it messy. I bolt mine to a work
mate, which I stand on my mixing spot, and that seems to take care of most
of the mess. You might also want to put some PVC sheeting on the walls in
front and behind it. I use mine in the garage or inthe garden so it doesnt
matter too much, but of you were using it inside, it' recommend that.

Cheers
Chris

On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 23:59:38 -0000, "Mr Spoons"
wrote:


wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

Can anyone tell me if they use an electric tile cutter?

I would think that for cutting tiles in a straight cut all across that
a "score and snap" manual cutter would be quicker and cleaner.

However for cutting L-shaped pieces from tiles to fit around electric
sockets, I think a saw could be useful.

I know they use a circular diamond blade. Is this different to a 4
inch angle grinder blade? Is it thinner perhaps? I'm just wondering
what the advantage of a tile cutter over an angle grinder is, other
than the cutter has a platform to mount the tile on.

I find if I cut tiles with my angle grinder that using a diamond blade
gives a rougher cut, with some fine chips along the edge. These are ok
if they will be hidden under a light switch. I find if I use a stone
cutting disc, the cut is cleaner and the tile does not chip and the
cut can be left on display. Are the cuts with a tile cutter clean?

I bought a fiarly good one for about £70 (ISTR). I use it for cutting
stright lines, because I never got the hang of score and snap. For doing L
shaped tiles it is the only sensible way forward, and I have evan has a lot
of success cutting arbitrary shapes by using it essentially as a bench
grinder for tiles.

I bought it because i know I have a lot of tiing to do (Bathroom, En Suite,
Cloak, Kitchen, utility) and it just makes life so much easier.

As someone said the water cooling does make it messy. I bolt mine to a work
mate, which I stand on my mixing spot, and that seems to take care of most
of the mess. You might also want to put some PVC sheeting on the walls in
front and behind it. I use mine in the garage or inthe garden so it doesnt
matter too much, but of you were using it inside, it' recommend that.

Cheers
Chris

I can recommend getting a cat litter tray big enough to sit the tile
cutter in and that takes care of any water that would end up on the
floor ,bench etc .
Stuart

In article ,
Mr Spoons wrote:
As someone said the water cooling does make it messy. I bolt mine to a
work mate, which I stand on my mixing spot, and that seems to take care
of most of the mess. You might also want to put some PVC sheeting on
the walls in front and behind it. I use mine in the garage or inthe
garden so it doesnt matter too much, but of you were using it inside,
it' recommend that.

My Plasplugs tradesman or whatever has a drain channel running round the
bed which returns water to the tank and with the blade guard set with
minimal clearance to the work really doesn't make much mess at all.
You'll get some water on your front, but not much.

So saying I like to use it outside - as you say clamped to a Workmate. For
some reason daylight makes seeing the cutting line so much easier.

--
*We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart?

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

..

As someone said the water cooling does make it messy. I bolt mine to a
work mate, which I stand on my mixing spot, and that seems to take care of
most of the mess. You might also want to put some PVC sheeting on the
walls in front and behind it. I use mine in the garage or inthe garden so
it doesnt matter too much, but of you were using it inside, it' recommend
that.

Cheers
Chris


I bought a Screwfix one - Didn't get on with the score and snap and needed
some narrow strops and L shapes.

Question - what is the ideal medium for marking tiles before cutting - not
having much success up to now and need to do a few tricky ones. Water washes
off the marks.

In article ,
John wrote:
Question - what is the ideal medium for marking tiles before cutting -
not having much success up to now and need to do a few tricky ones.
Water washes off the marks.

Chinagraph pencil. You'll get them at a decent stationers or office
supplier in various colours including black and white. But ordinary soft
pencil - BB etc - should work ok on many - a carpenter's type is pretty
good.

--
*All those who believe in psychokinesis, raise my hand *

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

Stuart B wrote:
On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 23:59:38 -0000, "Mr Spoons"
wrote:

wrote in message
...
Hello,

Can anyone tell me if they use an electric tile cutter?

I would think that for cutting tiles in a straight cut all across that
a "score and snap" manual cutter would be quicker and cleaner.

However for cutting L-shaped pieces from tiles to fit around electric
sockets, I think a saw could be useful.

I know they use a circular diamond blade. Is this different to a 4
inch angle grinder blade? Is it thinner perhaps? I'm just wondering
what the advantage of a tile cutter over an angle grinder is, other
than the cutter has a platform to mount the tile on.

I find if I cut tiles with my angle grinder that using a diamond blade
gives a rougher cut, with some fine chips along the edge. These are ok
if they will be hidden under a light switch. I find if I use a stone
cutting disc, the cut is cleaner and the tile does not chip and the
cut can be left on display. Are the cuts with a tile cutter clean?
I bought a fiarly good one for about £70 (ISTR). I use it for cutting
stright lines, because I never got the hang of score and snap. For doing L
shaped tiles it is the only sensible way forward, and I have evan has a lot
of success cutting arbitrary shapes by using it essentially as a bench
grinder for tiles.

I bought it because i know I have a lot of tiing to do (Bathroom, En Suite,
Cloak, Kitchen, utility) and it just makes life so much easier.

As someone said the water cooling does make it messy. I bolt mine to a work
mate, which I stand on my mixing spot, and that seems to take care of most
of the mess. You might also want to put some PVC sheeting on the walls in
front and behind it. I use mine in the garage or inthe garden so it doesnt
matter too much, but of you were using it inside, it' recommend that.

Cheers
Chris

I can recommend getting a cat litter tray big enough to sit the tile
cutter in and that takes care of any water that would end up on the
floor ,bench etc .
Stuart

Not on mine it doesn't. It ends up all down my T-shirt, every time..well
I do tend to run without the useless guard.. ;-)

John wrote:


I bought a Screwfix one - Didn't get on with the score and snap and needed
some narrow strops and L shapes.

Question - what is the ideal medium for marking tiles before cutting - not
having much success up to now and need to do a few tricky ones. Water washes
off the marks.


Felt tip. Or pencil. It does wash off, but not as fast as the tile cuts.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:
In article ,
Mr Spoons wrote:
As someone said the water cooling does make it messy. I bolt mine to a
work mate, which I stand on my mixing spot, and that seems to take care
of most of the mess. You might also want to put some PVC sheeting on
the walls in front and behind it. I use mine in the garage or inthe
garden so it doesnt matter too much, but of you were using it inside,
it' recommend that.

My Plasplugs tradesman or whatever has a drain channel running round the
bed which returns water to the tank and with the blade guard set with
minimal clearance to the work really doesn't make much mess at all.
You'll get some water on your front, but not much.

So saying I like to use it outside - as you say clamped to a Workmate. For
some reason daylight makes seeing the cutting line so much easier.

I think it's more bright light, than daylight.
I was astonished how much straighter a cut I was able to manage with my
jigsaw after adding a 1W LED behind the shield.

In article ,
wrote:
On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 01:14:38 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

My Plasplugs tradesman or whatever has a drain channel running round the
bed which returns water to the tank and with the blade guard set with
minimal clearance to the work really doesn't make much mess at all.
You'll get some water on your front, but not much.


I've read a few of the older posts in this newsgroup and they all
recommend the plasplugs models because of this. I was looking at a
Screwfix Titan model for economy but it seems that the Plasplugs is a
similar price and being plastic will not rust unlike the Titan. Is the
Plasplugs the only one to recycle its water; do all the others just
spray everywhere?

I've no experience of others; my first one was a small Plasplugs when they
were rare DIY machines replaced by the current bigger model when the first
was lent out and kept by a pal (who gave me the new cost for it) Both were
satisfactory and value for money - the larger one just better especially
for big tiles.

Also, what jigsaw do you use for tile cutting? I tried to jigsaw a
floor tile with a grit blade and it didn't want to know. It is a Bosch
model I have, do I need a more powerful model?

I bought a tile cutting blade for mine and yes it was a waste of time. A
hand saw was better - but never used one since getting the cutter.

Thanks.

--
*Xerox and Wurlitzer will merge to market reproductive organs.

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