Whose got a hack for making tiling easier...

[K_Tile]

Snap cutters and grinders. I would rather carry 4 grinders than a wetsaw.

[Just In Tile LLC]

I've seen one guy who works a lot of commercial jobs do that. Only pulls out the wet saw for stone. Pretty efficient, and his cuts look great. Has a couple cordless grinders that have full time diamond pads on them to buff the cuts if needed.

[Simplyjames]

Originally Posted by 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.


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?

Designed to be wet??
So that’s the reason I never had a problem with the old Jepson or MK tile saws?
I should ditch the Grinder?
And these are my only options as I’m allergic to the hassle of a wet saw.


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[Just In Tile LLC]

If you still backboard your floors, an old grout float is good for bedding the seam tape. I like to use a belt sander and crisp my floats from time to time.

[Davy]

If you want to make tiling easier, get a helper.
These days, if my helper needs a day off, I'm off too.

And stop working weekends, stay home and go grocery shopping with your wife. It'll make next week easier for you.

[smifwal]

Because you might have all the goodies you wanted that your wife wouldn't buy for you if you weren't there... right Davy?

JAMES, you can keep using the grinder you just have to limit the volume of water so it is not hitting your gridnders inner workings. Homer has a small ryobi pump for their wet saws I think it is like $20.00 stick it in a bucket next to you run a hose cap the end and poke a small hole in it. This way you still have a wet cut and not a shocking hazard. The gfi is to prevent you from going in to cardiac arrest. I have a couple of tools that were not meant for wet cutting and the gfi is a safety measure. With out it it is a long way to the breaker from the tool. I make most of my cuts with a snapper but I still set up the wets saw. But i have a big ass trailer so plenty of room for it. And the saw is on wheel. So it is not that much fuss to get it out

[smifwal]

I use a a can of Copenhagen as a lippage checker sliding it between the 2 tiles and if it clicks well then she ain't plane

[Davy]

Yep, you're right. I have to go to make sure I get everything I need. It's usually an extra hundred bucks if I go. Then on our way to the truck I tell my wife, "you said you were only getting a few things".

[Simplyjames]

Originally Posted by smifwal

Because you might have all the goodies you wanted that your wife wouldn't buy for you if you weren't there... right Davy?



JAMES, you can keep using the grinder you just have to limit the volume of water so it is not hitting your gridnders inner workings. Homer has a small ryobi pump for their wet saws I think it is like $20.00 stick it in a bucket next to you run a hose cap the end and poke a small hole in it. This way you still have a wet cut and not a shocking hazard. The gfi is to prevent you from going in to cardiac arrest. I have a couple of tools that were not meant for wet cutting and the gfi is a safety measure. With out it it is a long way to the breaker from the tool. I make most of my cuts with a snapper but I still set up the wets saw. But i have a big ass trailer so plenty of room for it. And the saw is on wheel. So it is not that much fuss to get it out

Cool idea too. Big ass trailer is a different game all together. I’m working out of an Audi TT so I’m all about traveling light


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[smifwal]

James I cut dry most times and have never had a problem with quality edeges.. Do you use a snapper or just the grinders?. I wont be back on my job site until Monday I will post a pic of the grinder blades I use. As I said I set the wet saw up on most jobs but if I'd far away from the work areas I will use the snapper, nippers or the grinder right there in the room. I know many guys that don't like lugging around the saws

[Simplyjames]

All snap cutter too. Actually, a cheap Lowe’s cutter. I don’t have my Raimoundi or Tomacanic anymore which is fine because that was 900 pounds.
I use those amazing red blades with the weave design on the edge that want to blow up and shatter into your face whenever they can but I still want water. I’m sort of terrified of Silica and probably take too many safeguards.

[Simplyjames]

I’ll toss in a few Orange related ones too.

Place drywall shims beneath the perimeter of the Kerdi tray to add bit more pitch for those pebbles I’m tired of seeing. Use cabinet screws and a nice grabby mortar to keep center from lifting if necessary.

Keep membrane over drain hole and carve out after flood test instead of using the spin lock drain plug that I usually forget to bring.

Create a rim around penetrations using a thick bead of Kerdi Fix onto clean Kerdi as a substitute for those Kerdi Seal Gaskets which for some reason only are available in circles. I’d think with thirteen gazillion SKUs in that Schluter book they’d have more options.
What does everyone do for valves that aren’t Moen? Any better solution?

In situations where drain in inaccessible from below, use a strip of membrane to keep tension on pvc while cementing flange so to not disrupt drain pitch. Wait five minutes, pack in a bed of mortar, then slip it out.

When kneeling and reaching, put your weight on a closed fist or spare float or trowel handle. Also try to set tiles using fingertips instead of palms. With anything bigger than a 16”, I usually stand up and use my foot to slide and collapse ridges. (Floors only).
Gotta keep those wrists injury free.






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[Davy]

Yeah, but don't put too much weight on trowel handles. I watched my dad break a handle and turn two fingernails black and blue at the same time. I believe he spoke a few words of French after that.

[DownEastGC]

Originally Posted by Davy

Yeah, but don't put too much weight on trowel handles. I watched my dad break a handle and turn two fingernails black and blue at the same time. I believe he spoke a few words of French after that.

DUDE OW
this is the most cringeworthy post I've read in awhile. Yikes.

Originally Posted by SimplyJames

What does everyone do for valves that aren’t Moen? Any better solution?

For shower arm & tub stubouts I use hydroban & mesh tape or some sort of kerdi seal type solution.
I'm a Kohler guy for plumbing. I almost always use it, unless the customer has a big opposition for some reason (price or otherwise).
In any case... my typical approach to valves is to keep the backer board nice and tight as possible to the valve opening without obstructing the valve repair-ability.
Then I leave a slight backer-board reveal with my tile.
I silicone the bajeezus out of the tile to the backerboard, essentially creating a waterproof perimeter around the valve opening. In case any water vapor does get behind the tile and runs down behind to the valve opening. This should keep water from getting into the valve opening. That's my logic, anyways.
Then I Latasil or Silicone the escutcheon to the face of the tile.
I realize that some water vapor may still get by this setup, but ....*shrug*
I don't think it's enough to be concerned in general.

As a side note... I've never done a steam shower.

[Kman]

My own shower (Kerdi and sheetrock) has nothing more than the trim plate. Not even the rubber valve piece that schluter includes with the drains now.

I checked it not too long ago when replacing the valve cartridge and the sheetrock was dry as a bone.