I’m going to undertake a tiling project that will encompass about 1000 sq. ft. I’ll be laying 16X16″ slate. Not being a professional tile setter and having to conform to the time constraints of my full time job, renting a tile saw will cost a significant amount of money.
That being the case, I’m considering buying a wet saw for this job. I may sell it off afterward or keep it depending on what kind of resale value it would have and what future projects I foresee.
It will need to have the capacity to make a 24″ cut and enough power to handle cutting granite (another project I have planned).
Are there any preferences for the rail-style saws that operate like a radial arm saw vs. a more traditional sliding-table tub saw? What are the pros and cons of each?
Thanks in advance for any comments!
-Kurt
Replies
http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/index.php
harbor frieght has a 10" for 200. works great free shipping also. larry
hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
I have always used one of those $900 MK machines, and they are sweet.
But I did two kitchens recently, where we used one of those $99 saws from Menard. And while they are a bit slower, I was surprised how well it worked.
However, I used it only for straight cuts; if your job requires more complicated cuts (like diagonals), then I think you would be better advised to invest in one of the higher end machines that has the capacity you need. I doubt if you would have any trouble selling it once your job is finished.
"I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
-- Bertrand Russell
Kurt,
That HF 10" tile saw @ $200.00 is hard to beat for the money. Lot's of threads over the past few years here on that one. Use advanced search to find them.
WSJ
Think.. FelkerBuck Construction View Image
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
how many inside/outside corner cuts U looking at?
how many straight?
and how many "finish" ... ie .. cuts that'll show .. and not be covered by shoe mould?
U might be able to get by with a decent grinder and a diamond blade.
I do about 80% of my tile jobs with my snap/scorer and my grinder.
I also handle about another 15% with my tiny little wet saw .. MK ... 370?
almost never need the big one. Plan ahead ... U might get down to just a day or so rental on a big one.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Jeff, I don't have too many inside or outside corners to cut, but I will have a fair number of cuts that will be visible when the jop is done. I have one room where I plan to make a decorative border by cutting and piecing small triangles.
I've had more than one person say that they make most of their cuts with a small blade on an angle grinder. I'm just afraid that I won't be able to keep them straight for the decorative cuts.
I haven't checked the Harbor Freight website. Do they carry a saw with 24" capacity. That seems to be one spec that I'm having a little trouble filling.
I did see that DeWalt has a saw with that capacity. Don't know the model off the top of my head. Anybody seen or used it? I think it's new.
Thanks again
-Kurt
Have used the MK 101 10" sliding table saw a few times - very nice machine for cutting both tile and marble but, it only has a 16" cutting capacity. Also have had very good luck dry cutting with a DeWalt Turbo dry cut diamond blade on 4-1/2" grinder, very dusty and noisy, eye, ear and nose protection required.
The 24" cut capacity and ability to cut granite is the ringer on your question, 'fraid I can't help you there.
Slate cuts like butter. We just completed a similar sized project, several rooms, 12x12 and 6x6 slate with slate as baseboard. Since you can't score and snap slate you will do a lot of cutting, keep your water clean or feed it from a bucket and drain the pan as needed.
The saws that use hand grinder type motors are much louder than the larger MK100 type saws. I saw the new DeWalt saw at a show and it looked pretty nice. IMHO, you'll do better resale wise with a larger saw.
Whatever saw you choose get a good pair of ear muffs, plugs just don't cut it.
Jim
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
- Fyodor Dostoyevski
Pearl abrasive makes a nice saw.
http://www.constructioncomplete.com/TileSawsAllSizes/PearlAbrasiveVX102XL.html
Cut quality was not a problem with the cheap saw I used. I assume you know about the hand stones you can buy to smooth over any chips on edges that will be exposed. But the jig for cutting diagonals on the cheap saw I used was pretty much worthless. There is a tile shop in my area that has a big, heavy duty MK saw they will let customers use (at the store). Maybe you can check to see if that is available where you will buy your tile. Otherwise, I would suggest you consider buying a cheap saw for the straight cuts, and renting a big saw to cut all the diagonals in one session."I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
-- Bertrand Russell
Many of the tilers at John Bridge recommend Felker. I have the MK 101 which cuts upto 17" standard. However an accessory is available to rip upto 24". Worth considering.
Be sure to spray the travel rail with dry-lube, made by Liquid Wrench/ Gunk and available at the big boxes. It sprays on and dries as a powder which is resistant to washoff.
F
Kurt,
Get a DW24000 10" wet tile saw. I just bought one and it is THE BEST TILE SAW I'VE ever used. It can cut a 24" on the diagonal, catches water better than any other saw comparably priced ($899). At $50/daytile saw rental, two weeks would pay for it; you could resell it later, just keep it clean, make sure to run the water pump through water to keep the tile dust from messing with the pump. Besides that, it's a fantastically smooth saw. Not too heavy or too loud.
Thanks for your vote of confidence on the 24000. It is what I'm about to buy. Have you seen it with free shipping? Is the stand worth $100?
Kurt
I've owned the TARGET wet saw for over a decade....thing rocks so to speak.
I have an angle do-dad to make edge miters....a straight stop for it to do exact repeat cuts.
I paid about $1200 about ten years ago for the whole deal.
Well worth it....trust me....rentals add up and you end up with nuttin' but trips back and forth and you end up needing it longer than you think.
I have two snap cutters which I try and use most cause its less time consuming but on certain tile like the tumbled marble I've been doing....due to the irregularities a lot cracks but you need to weigh it all out $$$$ wise...time and material and convenience.
Go for a good saw....spend the money cause you usually get what you pay for and saves you money in the end.
Be well
a...
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