Whose got a hack for making tiling easier...

[Tool Guy - Kg]

On/off pedal switch for the tilesaw.

Back when I made this, all the commercially available pedal switches were too light duty for my 20 amp wetsaw. So I made this with a heavy duty switch from Granger, a 12 gauge cord, and a water resistant box.

Super useful gizmo when you are making intricate and delicate cuts and you want to stop the saw so that you can pull your "masterpiece" away from a still blade. I think we've all busted our fair share of tiles as we were pulling the tile away from the spinning blade and it grabs and breaks your tile.



Anyone else?

[muskymike]

You didn't have that when I did that job for you!

[Shady at Best]

I salvage old tape measures and make lightweight, flexible, yard sticks out of them. I cut the tape at the 30ish inch mark and keep one at the saw and one with me on the floor/ wall. Use it to measure and don't need to worry about water rusting a $20 tape or thinset clogging one up.

I have old fatmax tapes where the spring gave out. But i did try it with a harbor freight tape that i got for free for spending a buck. One could, if they were shady at best, take said tape. Cut it at the 30 inch mark, keep the cut off part and exchange the housing for a new tape and repeat the cycle. But the hf tape quality isn't worth the effort.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[DownEastGC]

You know... I was in the middle of tiling a shower the other day and was thinking about making a thread like this! :-D

Originally Posted by Shady At Best

"...shady at best"

I like the tape idea. I'm always so careful with my tapes when tiling so I don't get mud on/in them. It's annoying.

Ice Bucket for Epoxy Grout
I read that tip on here somewhere and it's amazing. I put the Laticrete Spectralock bucket inside another bucket of icewater. Definitely extends the working time of the grout.

This is a simple one but makes my life way eaiser. I take a small scrap piece of 3/4" plywood and use it as a "table" in the tub. Good for my laser. I put my mud buckets on so I'm not bending over 1000x. It's a more stable surface to stand on than trying to balance on the lip of the tub. Makes a nice seat. Easy to move (vs a step stool).

[smifwal]

I use folding rules like my grandfather did. This one is a metric inside read. Imperial on the outside.

[Simplyjames]

Microfibers for grouting. Yes.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Simplyjames]

On a related note;
How does a guy avoid an electrified arm in this situation??
Add a ground to the tool somehow? This is starting to burn a bit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[smifwal]

James
Something like this maybe?

https://www.amazon.com/26020008-6-Sh...52272940&psc=1

[smifwal]

I don't know if this is a hack bit I use these to clean buckets save on sponges. I cut them in half

[Simplyjames]

Originally Posted by smifwal

James
Something like this maybe?

https://www.amazon.com/26020008-6-Sh...52272940&psc=1

Cool, I’m shopping this week.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Using a grinder that's meant to be dry in a wet situation like you're doing with the garden hose is prone to getting you shocked. If you add a GFCI, it'll keep you from getting shocked for more than a fraction of a second. But it'll shut your tool off in a fraction of a second.

Originally Posted by smifwal

... I use these to clean buckets save on sponges. I cut them in half

Yeah, those work good. Anybody use the drill attachment that sorta looks like a mixing paddle, but it has a drum instead with plastic-fingers to scrape/clean the inside of a bucket?

[smifwal]

I got one of them too. They can be messy, pretty sure that is why they are demonstrated in the middle of the yard. Not saying you can't use them in the house but it can get away from you. they work really well for that bucket you set aside and kind of forgot about. I don't use it much. I like to clean my buckets before each batch of mortar to get the pot life so the buckets don't get gnarly but the last bucket of the day. That thing makes short work of it with little effort. If you get one make sure you clean the inside of the "well" real good. It will fill up with thinset

[Just In Tile LLC]

I've always used a gong brush for bucket cleaning.

[K_Tile]

James
Hold a wet sponge against the grinder blade while cutting.

[Kman]

I know a guy that use to set tile that never even bought a saw. He did the grinder/sponge thing, even on large jobs.