Skil Tile Saws

Skil tools are a company that’s been around since 1924 and have a reputation for high quality power tools. They provide tools for both DIY enthusiasts as well as professionals so you’ll be able to find a wet tile saw that suit your needs.

Northern Industrial Tile Saws

Northern Industrial are another common brand known for creating tile wet saws although they haven’t been around for as long as Skil. However, they provide a number of different tile saws ranging from basic models that only cost around $60 right up to professional saws that cost anywhere up to $700. Make sure you understand exactly what you need from a wet saw before you choose one in order to avoid overspending or choosing a tool that doesn’t live up to your expectations.

MK Diamond Tile Saws

If you’ve spent any time looking for power tools then you’ve probably already heard of MK Diamond because they are one of the most established brands around. Established in 1868, MK Diamond has a lot of experience creating power tools for both the commercial and personal markets. Again, you need to be aware of exactly what you need from a tile saw before you choose one because they provide a number of different options.

Other ceramic tile saw brands worth mentioning are QEP, DeWalt, Northern Industrial, Ridgid, and Felker.

When you’re choosing a wet saw make sure you take into account your budget, how much you’re going to use the tile cutter and which type of jobs you’re going to be using it on before you buy. While it can be tempting to get a professional model in reality most DIY fans will be happy to use one of the more basic models. Setting a budget is a good way to cut down on the number of brands of tile wet saws that are available and help you to avoid spending a lot of money on a tile saw you don’t really need.

http://www.tilesawpro.com

I bought the Husky Tile Saw from Home Depot. It was quite inexpensive; almost a throw away compared to the cost of other tile saws. This 7 inch tile wet saw has paid for itself at least a couple of times over. It has been excellent for my occasional, but significant, tile projects. In fact, I lent it to a friend who was putting tile in his new house. He used it to cut stone to apply on shower walls and terrazzo tile everywhere else (shower floor, step into shower and bathroom floor). The saw worked great for him also; not one problem.

My tile project involved laying 3/8” thick, 18” wide high gloss ceramic tile from Spain. I installed floor tile in my living room, down the hallway, into the office and down three steps onto a landing. The saw worked flawlessly. The water reservoir is large enough to make numerous cuts before a refill. The saw has never been clogged and I have never had to clean any water paths. Other than spraying the tile particles out of the reservoir with a water hose and replacing the blade this saw has required no maintenance. Or, at least I can say it has never required any maintenance.

The only negative thing I can say about this saw pertains to the laser guide. It is worthless and unnecessary. After just a few cuts the laser light stopped working due to water in the circuitry. I spent a few minutes trying to repair it but then gave up. The laser had caught my attention while comparing saws. I thought it was a cool feature. But in actual use its useless in all but approximate cuts. The laser guide is a marketing gimmick that is not nearly precise enough. I wanted my cuts to be on the money and couldn’t rely on a semi-fat red laser line. One exception, as evening approached I occasionally used the laser light to help me see where I wanted to start cutting. Otherwise, I had to pull out lights and extension cords. This saw comes with a good adjustable guide to slide your tile against. The guide holds tight and is very parallel to the blade when clamped.

With the Husky Tile Saw you push or slide the tile into the 7 inch blade. The Husky Saw has more than ample horsepower to do home improvement tile jobs. In my case, the wet tile saw cut through tile like a dream. I didn’t push the tile to the blade I merely guided the tile into the blade. When cutting became a chore for the saw I replace the blade and the dream cuts resumed.

I pat myself on the back for buying this saw instead of renting one. Sure, a rental saw might have come with nicer features like a radial arm and integrated saw stand. But having my own full time saw allowed me to take my time and get familiar with my saw. Another thing I liked about this saw was its size. Its large enough to cut 18 inch tiles but small enough to store in just about any garage nook. This is a valuable point for anyone with limited storage space.

In summary, the Husky 7 inch wet tile saw is inexpensive and capable. I would not consider this saw professional grade but it does provide professional looking straight clean cuts. This saw performed very well for me and is worth more than what I paid for it. I used the heck out of this saw and it produced professional cuts each and every time without breaking the bank. The saw is currently in may garage waiting for my next tile project.

Okay, you have decided to replace your carpet with ceramic tile. Or, perhaps you are feeling even more adventurous and plan to tile your entire bathroom. You can see it now; the floor in mosaic, walls in marble and shower floor in glass. This article focuses on tile tools so I’ll omit any discussion about tile selection, preparation and application. Will you need a tile saw? Should you rent one for the weekend? Should you just measure the pieces to be cut and take them to a tile shop to be cut? What about using a manual score and break cutter?

ceramic tile on sale

Over the years I have done a few tile jobs and think I can help you decide. My approach to any job is to do it right. I want a perfect job and I’m willing to put in the effort to do it right. I don’t want to spend a lot of money but if I need to buy something to get the job done I’ll do it. The answer is simple. So simple, you will spend the next few hours questioning the logic. Ready, here it is. You need a wet saw, manual tile cutter and tile nippers. And, depending on how many intricate rounded or 90 degree cuts the project dictates you will also want to buy few ceramic tile blades for your jig saw.

About now you are probably wondering why anyone simply doing one small bathroom or floor would want to invest in this equipment. Here’s why; these tools will simplify your life and provide a more finished looking product. Renting is an option if you know what you are doing. Otherwise, you will be in such a rush to finish and return the saw project quality will suffer. Instead, use some of the labor dollars you are saving by tackling this project and purchase yourself some low to medium level equipment. The cost of buying versus renting will be fairly close. Buying the best isn’t necessary for a couple of small do it yourself tile jobs. The low to mid range equipment provides clean straight cuts at a fraction of the price. This range of tool may not be quite as efficient or lasting but it will without a doubt outlast your needs. And more importantly you can take your time and do the job right. Some times you may find yourself making several cuts to get that perfect fit.

cut tile

Saw blades; a new saw, of any level, cuts tile like a dream. Its time to replace the blade when you need to push instead of just guide the tile. Tile saws, also called wet saws use water to cool the blade as it cuts the tile. A reservoir holds the water and needs to be refilled often. Higher end saws may maintain a constant level in the reservoir while the entry level units require the user to manually check and fill the reservoir. Another main difference between inexpensive and high dollar wet saws is how the cut is performed. With low end units you push the tile into the blade. The high dollar saws makes the cut by pulling the blade across a stationary tile. This method requires less effort and is more precise because the tile doesn’t move and the blade is pulled along fixed shaft. If you are familiar with radial arm saws then this should make sense. Another factor in selecting a tile saw is the size and thickness of the tile to be cut. As you might guess larger and or thicker tile requires larger more professional grade equipment to cut.

A few words on manual tile cutters, nippers, jig saw blades and maybe hole saws. Compared to a wet saw or the materials these are cheap and you will need them. Believe it or not, sometimes its faster and easier to make a straight cut with a manual tile cutter than using your wet saw. Nippers allow you to clean a cut or produce an odd shape. Jig saw blades do a good job on the intricate cuts. Hole saws, as the name implies lets you cut a hole in the tile. Holes saws aren’t essential but if you have a pipe to tile around they produce a nice look. Otherwise you cut the tile in two and cut a semi-circle in each half. This is a common method and looks good but it could look better.

manual tile cutter

The final cut, if money is no object and you like cool tools the high dollar saw is probably the one for you . Otherwise I recommend that entry level do-it-yourself tile setters purchasing whatever entry or mid level saw that fits the job at hand. Over purchasing is a waste. However, if you plan to become a professional tile setter then spring for the best tool you can afford. If not you will spend more time and effort than necessary finishing your jobs and repairing your equipment.