Tile Saws

[Rob Z]

My tile saw collection:

An 11 year old Target Tilematic, a beast of a saw, won't quit, cuts anything. Just replaced the axle and bearings that turn the blade. The switch gave out a while ago, so my electrician friend installed a slap switch on top of the motor for on/off, with the old switch wired to run the pump. Schweett! When making multiple cuts, i can leave the motor running but turn the pump off. Saves filling up the bucket of clean water so often.


An MK 770 with a shield that can set on a vanity inside the bathroom. No stairs to run up and down to make cuts. Limitations: louder than a 747 at full throttle, won't cut really big tile with the shield on. Advantage: tilting motor action to cross cut 45's. Light and easy to load in the van.


An Imer 250: extra sweet. Cuts really big tile and diagonals. Ultra precise. Looks cool. Tilting motor.Problems: Weighs a ton and is awkward. Any sales brochure that says it's quiet and easy to move is lying. Motor is underpowered. If I could send it back to Italy and pay to have a bigger HP motor put in, I'd be thrilled.

What's everyone else using?

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[Bud Cline]

EDCO

[kalford]

MK 370.....loud as hell but easy to move around.I've got my eye on a MK-101 Pro 24" and the MK - ATS Stand(dolly)
A little pricey at $1149.00 for the saw and $239.99 for the dolly.

[JC]

Felker, had it sitting in a warehouse, since I do differant types of floors and often have to shuffle things around.
Anyway A giant roll of carpet(bout 3ft diameter) fell on it and broke all kinds of stuff.
Still runs just fine but I had to rig the switches and other parts that were beat up.
I think my next one is going to be an overhead.

Anyone ever use one of those bandsaw like tile saws..whats the run down on those?

[John Bridge]

Never had a bandsaw/wet saw. They look cheap, and knowing about wood-cutting bandsaws, cheap ones don't work. Never known anyone else who used one, either.

I have this huge Felker I'd like to get rid of. Paid three grand, used it on one stone job. It's taking up space, but not enough space that I would want to give it away. $1,500 cash on the barrel head. It weighs nearly 400 pounds, and will cut 38 in. in one pass. 120/240 switch. Plug it into 240 and it flies through anything.

[JC]

Wow, thats big. Actually I need to get a really small saw for little jobs.
Anyone have any recomendations? I know some of them are not very good.

[Bud Cline]

Stay away with the ones that use the same motor and frame that you find on the 4" right angle grinders.

[JC]

awl-ight, Anything brands I should look for?

[kalford]

JC,
I was wondering 'bout them scroll saws too.Seen them in a magazine that Derek had but can't find them at any reputable tile-tool stores.

I like the little MK saws.They don't weigh much or take up much space.Pain in the butt to get the table square with the blade but once it's set it stays.

[Ron]

Hi,
I'm looking at getting a Montolit bridge saw.I have a 25" Montolit cutter from Italy,I'd say best cutter out there.Since tiles are getting bigger and bigger,I need one of these overhead "bridge saws".How else could I efficiently install a 20" porcelain tile on a 45?Rubi has nice bridge saws too but I like the Montolit tools.I also have a MK-770,it's versatile and light but man is it loud.And the rpm is too high.The gears inside the angle head broke while under warranty,so since I've had them replaced I've been spraying a cushion lubricant in there for last 3 years,seems to help.

[John Bridge]

Ron,

My big Felker easily cuts 24x24 tiles on the diagonal. That's why I bought it. Bridge saws are better for cutting slabs, though.

[chip]

You have a Super tile master? It is a huge saw, but boy can it work.

The small screamers some of you have mentioned, are fine for small jobs or a few cuts at a time. Most guys want them to work like John and Rob's, but those have 1 1/2 H.P. motors compared to 1/2 H.P. and smaller.

Why not the big score and break machines? If you haven't looked into them lately, you really should.

Just another good reason to go to the show in May!!

Art

[John Bridge]

Yeah, Super Tile Master. Running on 240 it'll cut anything. Great for small slabs, too. (Well, what the hell are 24X24 pieces of marble, 3/4 in. thick?)

[Craig Meston]

hello friends, never saw this mud box one before - something you havent been telling me? My tile saw of choice is a Rubinet (Rubi) (eSpanola) DW200. 7" blade, 3/4 HP motor which isnt big enough but damn it is is precise. I have a turbo blade and a continuous rim blade as well, but they both get expensive to replace, up to $330.00!! Yikes. I just finished putting 400m2 of 20mm sandstone and 100 m2 of slate through the saw on my last big job and it chomped it all. (needs a damn good service though!!) cuts all sorts of stuff, its a bridge type saw and will cut a 24" x 24" tile diagonally, so its beaut and long. drop down depth adjustment too, with a self contained pump (recirculating) so you dont have to keep filling up your little bucket! have a look at them if you are looking for that type of saw, ive been pretty impressed, mines only an entry level saw (A$1500.00) but its paid for itself 10 times already. I also have a Sigma 72, a Sigma 35 and a TS40 Rubi which I just love. I use a 4" grinder with continuous rim blade for about 90% of my cutting, and then the wetsaw for tricky stuff, but it stays at home most of the time.(the wetsaw) anyway, there you go, tools of the trade, john your felker sounds like a kick butt saw, send me a photo and ill buy it off you. craig meston.